I'm Obviously no MD
Anyone who knows my husband well knows that he has a list of doctors and health practitioners he relies on back home. He’s not a hypochondriac, but he does consult a medical specialist when needed.
He sailed through the month in Italy with only the persistent foot problem he had before we left. He managed to do some fairly strenuous hiking and to haul a 60-pound suitcase on and off trains and buses with no ill effect.
It was the day before we left the Amalfi Coast after he had been packing that he showed up with a bowl of ice water and his hand submerged in it. He had managed to somehow slip on our bedroom’s tile floor as he was sitting down on the floor next to his suitcase, landing on his left hand.
We all looked up from our reading and said, “Soak your hand, it will be fine,” mentally labeling him a drama king. He popped some Aleve and really didn’t complain about his hand much on the long way home.
But this week after it had been almost 2 weeks and his hand was still quite swollen, he decided to go to a hand specialist I had seen several years ago after a fall. I was sure the diagnosis would be the same as I had gotten: bruised and sprained, give it time.
But no, he came home with a removable cast and an X-ray that shows a clean break in his left hand. The doctor was somewhat incredulous that he has been biking since he came home from Italy.
So for the next 2 weeks there will be no biking, the cast on 24 x 7 except for a daily shower, and limited activity that involves a left hand.
I’m a firm believer in wait and see, but this is a case where it was definitely better to get professional help!
He sailed through the month in Italy with only the persistent foot problem he had before we left. He managed to do some fairly strenuous hiking and to haul a 60-pound suitcase on and off trains and buses with no ill effect.
It was the day before we left the Amalfi Coast after he had been packing that he showed up with a bowl of ice water and his hand submerged in it. He had managed to somehow slip on our bedroom’s tile floor as he was sitting down on the floor next to his suitcase, landing on his left hand.
We all looked up from our reading and said, “Soak your hand, it will be fine,” mentally labeling him a drama king. He popped some Aleve and really didn’t complain about his hand much on the long way home.
But this week after it had been almost 2 weeks and his hand was still quite swollen, he decided to go to a hand specialist I had seen several years ago after a fall. I was sure the diagnosis would be the same as I had gotten: bruised and sprained, give it time.
But no, he came home with a removable cast and an X-ray that shows a clean break in his left hand. The doctor was somewhat incredulous that he has been biking since he came home from Italy.
So for the next 2 weeks there will be no biking, the cast on 24 x 7 except for a daily shower, and limited activity that involves a left hand.I’m a firm believer in wait and see, but this is a case where it was definitely better to get professional help!
posted by Barbara at 4:27 PM
10 Comments:
Wow. It's great that he went with his instinct and sought help!
Kristin -- I agree!
Ouch! Riding a bike with a broken hand? He's tough! I hope it heals quickly now.
A little more drama might not have been amiss! Hope the hand heals quickly. I recall a friend's son suffering a hard hit to the arm with a baseball during a school game. The friend's husband was a macho guy. "Shake it off," he yelled to his son. What the poor kid tried to shake off was a compound fracture just below the elbow and his continued play in the game resulted in permanent nerve damage. Best to get painful things checked out.
Poor D! Broken bones really hurt.
BTW it really helps to take arnica in pill form (internally) for broken bones. Bone-knit is an herb he could be taking, too.
Thinking of you both with love.
Is that really his x-ray? Very cool!
Cyndy -- He is quite tough it turns out.
Pauline -- Every bit of drama was warranted.
Reya -- You know what a techie he is. He asked them for a digital copy of the X-ray! I think it's so cool that his wedding ring shows up on the film.
Cool x-ray!
Poor guy! I think he deserves a Klondike bar for pain and suffering!
Sorry about the break but that is a most excellent x-ray! I have such a thing for hands as it is and seeing one like that is amazing. I love that he kept his wedding ring on! What a great guy.
Gary -- It's so amazing that bones knit back together, yes? Sometimes they need the help of a splint like he is now wearing.
yikes! there are so many bones in the hand ....happy and rapid healing energy to david!
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