Tuesday, July 5, 2011

At least I don't need surgery!

So if I'm looking on the bright side I don't need surgery.  Initially my injury seemed to be my rotator cuff and that  might have meant an operation, so the the good news is my MRI for my shoulder was clear.


However after delivering that good news, the orthopaedic then said, 'but I think you've fractured your scapula.'  Which was totally unexpected as I did not think it was possible to fracture something the way I fell.  As I am typing entirely left-handed I'm going to cut the long description, but basically I grabbed the railing as I fell to stop myself and have done all the damage  dangling my full body weight from my arm.


I have also torn my serratus anterior muscle which connects to the ribs and the scapula and controls movement of the arm, so I have virtually no use - still! - of my right arm.


Flights home have been delayed (now home 4th August) and my US visa extension has been filed (although it takes about 4-6 weeks to process, minimum, so I should be home by the time they even view the application, but it had to be filed before 4th July so I was not here illegally).  The timing could not really have been worse!!


I see the ortho again next week and I am seeing the physio 3 times a week.  He is doing a lot of passive movement with my arm so that my shoulder doesn't freeze up and make things even worse.  I have some gentle exercises to do as well but I feel a bit pathetic trying them - I couldn't even lift a 1lb, yes ONE, weight!!  And it's not that I can't do things because it's too sore, I just can't physically engage my muscle.  (Although it does hurt like hell.) If I were a puppet, it would be like the string to my right arm has been cut.  I'm sure the ortho thought I was a complete weakling until he finally asked me to do things with my left arm and then realised I had actually been trying and I did actually know what he meant...


So now I have another month in the USA.  It seems odd, I have no plans because I'm not supposed to be here and all plans at home had to be cancelled so I feel in this really weird place in time right now.  Not that I'm actually able to do very much.  My most exciting thing is that I am going to be able to taste my tomatoes and watermelon I have in my garden!


And thankfully my new Lyme abx (azithromycin) are making a big difference and I am feeling much better in that respect.  I am also so grateful that my doctor found a sleeping tablet that works for me before this injury happened.  Not that I really want to be taking them for long, but I don't know how I'd be coping without them right now.


Some garden photos:
My "fairytale eggplant" (aubergine) - it grow this pretty striped way!

"Sugar baby" watermelon, hopefully ready to eat soon!

Almost red tomatoes... so much for "early girl" though, I had thought I'd have some of these by June.

My Mum took one of me in my sling in the garden... must get it from her.  Meanwhile I have all my beautiful flowers (all grown from seeds this year) to make me smile:




Happy (and fast) healing everyone!