Thursday, 20 October 2011
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Back to normality
After just over two weeks away from work, it was time to go back. To be honest I was ready for it, as I think the routine helps distract me, and I was looking forward to seeing everyone.
Still being unable to drive meant that I had to have lifts to and from work which to be honest is one of the hardest things about the whole situation. Having no independence and having to rely on other people for so many things gets frustrating, and then there are the things that other people can't help with (like having a wash or eating dinner) that become so much harder. This whole experience has taught me how much I take for granted. And I could definitely have more patience from time to time! When I found myself swearing at my knickers and tights for getting stuck and rolling themselves up together (try pulling that lot up with one hand and you'll see what I mean!) I realised I need to learn the art of taking a deep breath and chilling out every now and again!!! I'm usually quite good at laughing at myself but when you're tired (and believe me only having the use of one arm and being in pain is more tiring than you'd think) you need the odd reminder!
The first thing I had to do in the office was rearrange my desk. I got pretty good at using the mouse with my left hand when I was first in plaster, so I swapped that over. I also had to pull the keyboard right to the edge of my desk, as I couldn't reach it with my right hand. It took a little bit of getting used to, but once I had, I was able to work pretty quickly.
Getting lunch is something I need help with, as I can't hold a tray, and it's often tricky to grab your food and drink, and still leave a hand free to pay-and this is before we take into account getting napkins and cutlery! Luckily I've had lots of help from my lovely colleagues so it's been fine!
The other thing that's been tricky is finding clothes I can wear to work that fit over my cast. I spent some money on some cheapy casual clothes in anticipation but I hadn't really thought about work stuff! Surprisingly most dresses are ok as they are mostly short sleeved so as long as my cast fits through the arm-hole all is well with the world. This means more wrangling with tights but these are the sacrifices one must make in the name of fashion combined with warmth!!!! I only have one coat that I can wear, and it's not exactly stylish, being my waterproof more often worn teamed with wellies for walking, but after a couple of days shivering I admitted defeat and started wearing it.
I've enjoyed being back to some sort of one-armed normality, and I haven't found things as hard as I had thought they might be. Mainly due to the support I've had from friends and family, but also partly due to my stubborn personality. It's a personality trait that has stood me in good stead over the years, and I now know quite how much being stubborn and determined can help you recover and adapt much quicker than you might from little setbacks like this. The negative thinking side of my personality makes it hard from time to time but the stubborn 'I will not be defeated' streak will usually beat that side of me into submission!
Still being unable to drive meant that I had to have lifts to and from work which to be honest is one of the hardest things about the whole situation. Having no independence and having to rely on other people for so many things gets frustrating, and then there are the things that other people can't help with (like having a wash or eating dinner) that become so much harder. This whole experience has taught me how much I take for granted. And I could definitely have more patience from time to time! When I found myself swearing at my knickers and tights for getting stuck and rolling themselves up together (try pulling that lot up with one hand and you'll see what I mean!) I realised I need to learn the art of taking a deep breath and chilling out every now and again!!! I'm usually quite good at laughing at myself but when you're tired (and believe me only having the use of one arm and being in pain is more tiring than you'd think) you need the odd reminder!
The first thing I had to do in the office was rearrange my desk. I got pretty good at using the mouse with my left hand when I was first in plaster, so I swapped that over. I also had to pull the keyboard right to the edge of my desk, as I couldn't reach it with my right hand. It took a little bit of getting used to, but once I had, I was able to work pretty quickly.
Getting lunch is something I need help with, as I can't hold a tray, and it's often tricky to grab your food and drink, and still leave a hand free to pay-and this is before we take into account getting napkins and cutlery! Luckily I've had lots of help from my lovely colleagues so it's been fine!
The other thing that's been tricky is finding clothes I can wear to work that fit over my cast. I spent some money on some cheapy casual clothes in anticipation but I hadn't really thought about work stuff! Surprisingly most dresses are ok as they are mostly short sleeved so as long as my cast fits through the arm-hole all is well with the world. This means more wrangling with tights but these are the sacrifices one must make in the name of fashion combined with warmth!!!! I only have one coat that I can wear, and it's not exactly stylish, being my waterproof more often worn teamed with wellies for walking, but after a couple of days shivering I admitted defeat and started wearing it.
I've enjoyed being back to some sort of one-armed normality, and I haven't found things as hard as I had thought they might be. Mainly due to the support I've had from friends and family, but also partly due to my stubborn personality. It's a personality trait that has stood me in good stead over the years, and I now know quite how much being stubborn and determined can help you recover and adapt much quicker than you might from little setbacks like this. The negative thinking side of my personality makes it hard from time to time but the stubborn 'I will not be defeated' streak will usually beat that side of me into submission!
Monday, 17 October 2011
Random Ramblings.....
Some more of those random thoughts and memories....
1. After mentioning before about how I was trying to speak in French but struggling, I also remembered my ski buddy trying to speak to the radiographer in French and failing miserably. She was trying to say to him that it should have been her laying in the bed injured as she had done all the falling over on the trip....the one and only time I fell over and look what I managed to do! I've been told that not falling over enough was the cause of my problems - apparently I didn't have enough practice at it.
2. I got texts from friends which meant the world to me as I was laying in bed in Briancon after Sarah had left. It's easy to be strong and keep it together in front of other people but the moment you're left to your own devices (and left to your own thoughts) it becomes more of a battle. They gave me something to think about other than the pain, and the impending operation. I also got a little video message from my folks, brother and niece which I watched many times over - home seems a long way away when you're laying in a hospital bed abroad! My phone bill was astronomical but it was worth every penny.
3. In order to be able to fly home, I had to get a 'Permit to Fly' from the hospital, without which the insurance company wouldn't book us on the flights. The night before we were due to fly home, the insurance company rang me and asked me to fax a copy to them......Montgenevre is a very small resort, I had no idea if there was a fax machine! There's only one place in resort with WIFI and that was a pub which I was not able to walk to - I ended up having to take a photo of the permit and using data roaming to send the photo via email which cost a small fortune.
4. When I was in the recovery room after the operation in France, there was a poster up in there the likes of which you'd normally see in a classroom. It was detailing nerves, tendons and veins running around arms and shoulders, I think. I do remember thinking that if you're about to perform an operation on someone you really ought to know all that stuff already and not be referring to an educational poster! And if it was there for the benefit of us patients to give us something to look at, might I suggest an alternative subject matter?!?! A nice scenic view perhaps?
5. Anaesthetics don't sit well with me, and whilst laying in recovery looking at the aforementioned poster I was sick and it was bright green. I was saying 'je suis desole' to the nurses. I'm sure you didn't really want to know that but there you go!!
6. Before the operation, when they were numbing my arm, I got to see it and what it looked like broken and it was not good! Then after the local anaesthetic had numbed my arm, they asked me to slide myself across from the bed I was in, onto a trolley to go into theatre. Thing was they wanted me to move to my right...with a deadweight for a right arm. So I had to hold my broken right arm with my left arm and try and shuffle myself across all the while thinking that it must surely not be good for a broken joint to move about this much. I was wheeled into theatre, only to have to move myself off the trolley onto the operating table which as you can guess, was on my right! Then I remember the surgeon (Max) talking to me, but I wasn't listening to him as I could feel my arm being doused with iodine. I could feel my arm and they were about to cut it open! Max must have seen the panic on my face as he said to me 'You can feel it?' to which I replied yes. He just shrugged his shoulders and said 'It's OK' in that proper Gallic way. The next thing I remember is waking up. So he was right I guess, it was OK!
1. After mentioning before about how I was trying to speak in French but struggling, I also remembered my ski buddy trying to speak to the radiographer in French and failing miserably. She was trying to say to him that it should have been her laying in the bed injured as she had done all the falling over on the trip....the one and only time I fell over and look what I managed to do! I've been told that not falling over enough was the cause of my problems - apparently I didn't have enough practice at it.
2. I got texts from friends which meant the world to me as I was laying in bed in Briancon after Sarah had left. It's easy to be strong and keep it together in front of other people but the moment you're left to your own devices (and left to your own thoughts) it becomes more of a battle. They gave me something to think about other than the pain, and the impending operation. I also got a little video message from my folks, brother and niece which I watched many times over - home seems a long way away when you're laying in a hospital bed abroad! My phone bill was astronomical but it was worth every penny.
3. In order to be able to fly home, I had to get a 'Permit to Fly' from the hospital, without which the insurance company wouldn't book us on the flights. The night before we were due to fly home, the insurance company rang me and asked me to fax a copy to them......Montgenevre is a very small resort, I had no idea if there was a fax machine! There's only one place in resort with WIFI and that was a pub which I was not able to walk to - I ended up having to take a photo of the permit and using data roaming to send the photo via email which cost a small fortune.4. When I was in the recovery room after the operation in France, there was a poster up in there the likes of which you'd normally see in a classroom. It was detailing nerves, tendons and veins running around arms and shoulders, I think. I do remember thinking that if you're about to perform an operation on someone you really ought to know all that stuff already and not be referring to an educational poster! And if it was there for the benefit of us patients to give us something to look at, might I suggest an alternative subject matter?!?! A nice scenic view perhaps?
5. Anaesthetics don't sit well with me, and whilst laying in recovery looking at the aforementioned poster I was sick and it was bright green. I was saying 'je suis desole' to the nurses. I'm sure you didn't really want to know that but there you go!!
6. Before the operation, when they were numbing my arm, I got to see it and what it looked like broken and it was not good! Then after the local anaesthetic had numbed my arm, they asked me to slide myself across from the bed I was in, onto a trolley to go into theatre. Thing was they wanted me to move to my right...with a deadweight for a right arm. So I had to hold my broken right arm with my left arm and try and shuffle myself across all the while thinking that it must surely not be good for a broken joint to move about this much. I was wheeled into theatre, only to have to move myself off the trolley onto the operating table which as you can guess, was on my right! Then I remember the surgeon (Max) talking to me, but I wasn't listening to him as I could feel my arm being doused with iodine. I could feel my arm and they were about to cut it open! Max must have seen the panic on my face as he said to me 'You can feel it?' to which I replied yes. He just shrugged his shoulders and said 'It's OK' in that proper Gallic way. The next thing I remember is waking up. So he was right I guess, it was OK!
Friendship and Fresh Air
The biggest benefit to having some time off work was that I was able to spend some time with my best friend Ali and my god-daughter, and also my fellow god-mummy Donna. I'm so happy that I was able to be out and about because I know I would probably have just wallowed a bit otherwise, and spent too much time in bed, on the laptop or watching crap tv.
On the Monday Ali and I went for a walk around Dinton Pastures. This is not unusual, it's a walk we do often. What was unusual was that for the first time this year, we were NOT wearing wellies! Don't get me wrong, I adore my wellies so love any excuse to put them on, it's just amazing that all summer we have been in wellies, and yet we hit October and can walk in summer shoes!
I also had to go back to the physios to get my cast adjusted, as it was pressing on the nerve that runs down the outside of my thumb, meaning my thumb was completely numb and I had that awful trapped nerve tingling sensation. A few goes with a heat gun and some moulding and it's all good!
We had a bit of a shopping day on the Wednesday - it was an accident honest! We had a lovely walk around Southlake in Woodley, and then off we went into Reading with a slim shopping list.....I don't know quite how it happened but all I will say in my defence is that the dress was in the sale, and well, the shoes match so perfectly!!!! I think it was Emily's first girly shopping day :-)
Then on Thursday Donna joined us for a lovely (albeit bluddy windy) walk around Dorney Lake - an olympic venue no less. Followed by a massive lunch in the Pineapple which meant I didn't need to eat again all day!!
On the Monday Ali and I went for a walk around Dinton Pastures. This is not unusual, it's a walk we do often. What was unusual was that for the first time this year, we were NOT wearing wellies! Don't get me wrong, I adore my wellies so love any excuse to put them on, it's just amazing that all summer we have been in wellies, and yet we hit October and can walk in summer shoes!
I also had to go back to the physios to get my cast adjusted, as it was pressing on the nerve that runs down the outside of my thumb, meaning my thumb was completely numb and I had that awful trapped nerve tingling sensation. A few goes with a heat gun and some moulding and it's all good!
We had a bit of a shopping day on the Wednesday - it was an accident honest! We had a lovely walk around Southlake in Woodley, and then off we went into Reading with a slim shopping list.....I don't know quite how it happened but all I will say in my defence is that the dress was in the sale, and well, the shoes match so perfectly!!!! I think it was Emily's first girly shopping day :-)
Then on Thursday Donna joined us for a lovely (albeit bluddy windy) walk around Dorney Lake - an olympic venue no less. Followed by a massive lunch in the Pineapple which meant I didn't need to eat again all day!!
Down time
The first weekend in October saw record-breaking temperatures......unfortunately I felt rough as a badgers arse for all of it. The headache and nausea from Friday night carried through for 6 days (and I was actually sick too). Couple this with pain from my wrist and it's fair to say I was pretty miserable, although I tried to pretend I felt better than I did as I'm pretty stubborn and I don't like missing out on the fun! Imagine feeling hungover for 6 days solid and you get the picture! In the end I spoke to a doctor who prescribed me some anti-emetics which literally worked like magic. Apparently if you feel nauseous, taking painkillers is fairly pointless as there is likely to be an imbalance in your stomach meaning they won't be absorbed properly (and that's if you can keep them down). On the plus side I have a load of the anti-emetics, so next time I do get a hangover I'm sorted!!
When I first broke my wrist, I went back to work pretty quickly, and as a thank you I got awards which I exchanged for vouchers. I wanted to add to my charm collection to remind me of why I got the awards and decided to buy a bone charm as there were none of skiers. All bar one charm (Lilo's charm) up until this one have been gifts and it's nice to know each and every one has a sentiment attached to it. So I now wear 5 charms on a necklace every day (although someone else has to put it on for me as it's not physically possible for me to reach!). I love just looking at them all (the ones on my bracelet too) and thinking about how lucky I am to have wonderful people in my life.
I also bought a charm for my Grandma at the same time, as we were planning on visiting on the Sunday. Unfortunately she was rushed into hospital where she remained for just under a fortnight. Thankfully she is home now, and hopefully we can share a little gin together soon!
As Grandma was poorly, I wanted to be with my family so we spent the Sunday round my folks place with my brother and my gorgeous niece. She's a cheeky monkey and I love her so much, so I had a massive grin on my face when whilst we were sitting down to eat our roast dinner, she leaned over and whispered 'I love you lots and lots'. She's never said that to me before, and it took me by surprise a bit!!!! I also left with a work of art that I'm sure will be worth millions one day.....
When I first broke my wrist, I went back to work pretty quickly, and as a thank you I got awards which I exchanged for vouchers. I wanted to add to my charm collection to remind me of why I got the awards and decided to buy a bone charm as there were none of skiers. All bar one charm (Lilo's charm) up until this one have been gifts and it's nice to know each and every one has a sentiment attached to it. So I now wear 5 charms on a necklace every day (although someone else has to put it on for me as it's not physically possible for me to reach!). I love just looking at them all (the ones on my bracelet too) and thinking about how lucky I am to have wonderful people in my life.
I also bought a charm for my Grandma at the same time, as we were planning on visiting on the Sunday. Unfortunately she was rushed into hospital where she remained for just under a fortnight. Thankfully she is home now, and hopefully we can share a little gin together soon!
As Grandma was poorly, I wanted to be with my family so we spent the Sunday round my folks place with my brother and my gorgeous niece. She's a cheeky monkey and I love her so much, so I had a massive grin on my face when whilst we were sitting down to eat our roast dinner, she leaned over and whispered 'I love you lots and lots'. She's never said that to me before, and it took me by surprise a bit!!!! I also left with a work of art that I'm sure will be worth millions one day.....
Friday, 14 October 2011
New Cast
A week and a half after the operation I had a new cast put on to replace the backslab/bandage one I woke up with. Not a moment too soon either as I couldn't use the shower cover I had been loaned (affectionately referred to as the 'arm condom') without the bandages unravelling. This meant I had to sit down in the bath and use the shower attachment to have a wash, which I was struggling with really badly due to my right knee being so sore-sitting on the floor and getting up again are both still an issue for me now. This lead to a lot of frustration, and on one occasion I slipped and banged my bad arm on the bath which was seriously unpleasant!
Ali took me along to see the physio's who first cut off the old cast. I got to see the wound for the first time and was pretty surprised how big it was, but to be honest I was more concerned about the fact that I had no feeling in the skin on the top of my hand and leading to my little finger! I was assured this would come back (two weeks on from then I can confirm it has-phew!). It was so nice to get the old cast off, as it was lined with some sort of synthetic gauze stuff which was so itchy it was driving me mad and I had managed to scratch my skin raw in places I could reach!
I was expecting the new cast to be the same plastic mesh stuff I had first time around, however the two physio's emerged carrying a large, slightly molten sheet of solid plastic which they proceeded to mould around my arm as it cooled and hardened. Weird stuff but very light! After a few adjustments (made using a heat gun and scissors) the cast was ready, and sealed shut with a few strips of Velcro. It's pretty good because I can take it off to clean both it and my arm which is a big bonus! Another big bonus was swapping the big blue foam sling for a slightly more stylish one :-)
When I got home my wrist was aching really badly so I took some codeine to help with the pain and had an early night as a headache and nausea kicked in.
Ali took me along to see the physio's who first cut off the old cast. I got to see the wound for the first time and was pretty surprised how big it was, but to be honest I was more concerned about the fact that I had no feeling in the skin on the top of my hand and leading to my little finger! I was assured this would come back (two weeks on from then I can confirm it has-phew!). It was so nice to get the old cast off, as it was lined with some sort of synthetic gauze stuff which was so itchy it was driving me mad and I had managed to scratch my skin raw in places I could reach!
I was expecting the new cast to be the same plastic mesh stuff I had first time around, however the two physio's emerged carrying a large, slightly molten sheet of solid plastic which they proceeded to mould around my arm as it cooled and hardened. Weird stuff but very light! After a few adjustments (made using a heat gun and scissors) the cast was ready, and sealed shut with a few strips of Velcro. It's pretty good because I can take it off to clean both it and my arm which is a big bonus! Another big bonus was swapping the big blue foam sling for a slightly more stylish one :-)
When I got home my wrist was aching really badly so I took some codeine to help with the pain and had an early night as a headache and nausea kicked in.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Back to Earth with a bump!
After returning from Cornwall, it's fair to say I was pretty exhausted, albeit in a good way! Everything seemed to catch up with me in a big way so I spent the Wednesday and Thursday of that week chilling out at home and trying not to do very much at all. I felt really nauseous, in pain and if I'm honest, a little sorry for myself!
I was cheered up by my ski buddy who sent the most beautiful bouquet of flowers which arrived on the Wednesday. I was so chuffed to receive these, and more cards from friends and relatives, and also to get a visit from said ski buddy, her family and another close friend on Thursday night.
Anyone who knows me well will know that I've been doing a bit of running on and off for a few years now. When I found out back in late 2005 that a friend had been diagnosed with breast cancer, I decided it would be my motivation to get fit and run a 5k race for life. This somehow escalated into deciding to run a half marathon (don't ask me how!!) and I completed my first one in September 2007, two months before my friend lost her battle, aged just 31. I kept up the running, and over the years have completed 5 half marathons (some for fun (?!), some to raise money for Cancer Research). Throughout, I held a little ambition to one day complete the London Marathon to try and raise even more money for both Cancer Research and also for Thames Hospicecare, who looked after my friend. Well after four years of applying, I found out on September 29th that I had been successful in the ballot to run in 2012!
After the initial elation wore off, I opened the rest of my mail that day and was brought back to Earth with a bump - the other letter I got was the referral to a knee specialist that I had been waiting for. So finally I have a place to run this marathon I have been wanting to run for five years, but I know I can't run it as here I am with my right arm in a plaster cast and my right knee grumbling just going up and down stairs and walking, let alone running!
I know there is some irony here, and I can see the funny side of receiving two such conflicting items of mail!
So, the big news here is that I WILL BE RUNNING THE LONDON MARATHON IN 2013!!!!!!!!
Am I mad? I think I might be!!!!
I was cheered up by my ski buddy who sent the most beautiful bouquet of flowers which arrived on the Wednesday. I was so chuffed to receive these, and more cards from friends and relatives, and also to get a visit from said ski buddy, her family and another close friend on Thursday night.
Anyone who knows me well will know that I've been doing a bit of running on and off for a few years now. When I found out back in late 2005 that a friend had been diagnosed with breast cancer, I decided it would be my motivation to get fit and run a 5k race for life. This somehow escalated into deciding to run a half marathon (don't ask me how!!) and I completed my first one in September 2007, two months before my friend lost her battle, aged just 31. I kept up the running, and over the years have completed 5 half marathons (some for fun (?!), some to raise money for Cancer Research). Throughout, I held a little ambition to one day complete the London Marathon to try and raise even more money for both Cancer Research and also for Thames Hospicecare, who looked after my friend. Well after four years of applying, I found out on September 29th that I had been successful in the ballot to run in 2012!
After the initial elation wore off, I opened the rest of my mail that day and was brought back to Earth with a bump - the other letter I got was the referral to a knee specialist that I had been waiting for. So finally I have a place to run this marathon I have been wanting to run for five years, but I know I can't run it as here I am with my right arm in a plaster cast and my right knee grumbling just going up and down stairs and walking, let alone running!
I know there is some irony here, and I can see the funny side of receiving two such conflicting items of mail!
So, the big news here is that I WILL BE RUNNING THE LONDON MARATHON IN 2013!!!!!!!!
Am I mad? I think I might be!!!!
My first left-handed signature
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)