It started off like a normal day. Don't they all? It was December 27. My brother and sister-in-law were still in town for Christmas, and I went to run a few errands with my mom and SIL. Brian was at work, my bro was at home, and my dad was still at work. We decided to go to the grocery store because I was out of bottled water and contact solution. We were in the car and my mom said "Should we go to Wal-Mart or just go to Neighborhood Market?" and I chose the latter.
Bad decision.
When I went to grab the big case of bottled water, I ended up tripping and severely breaking my arm. Thankfully Brian and my dad were close and were able to get to the store quickly. I got taken to the ER and it was decided that I needed surgery thanks to the bad break. I was told before I went into the operating room that it should be an hour long surgery. It ended up being a two and a half hour long surgery.
I now have two plates and 13 screws holding my arm together.
I got into my room at around 2 in the morning, but thanks to the pain medicine button, I was able to sleep. Brian - not so much. It's pretty impossible to get good rest in a hospital! My mom stayed with me the next night so that Brian could get some rest. In order to keep the swelling down, I had to have my arm attached to a pole above my bed. After two nights in the hospital, I was discharged.
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Finally getting some food. They forgot to put me on the food schedule. |
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Close-up of my traction/ice pack set-up |
The next day, my mom took me to her hair salon so I could get my hair washed and blown out. This was the absolute best thing!! When you first have a cast, doing your own hair seems overwhelming and like a daunting task. My cast went about three inches above my elbow, so there is not really any mobility.
Here are a few things that have made living with a cast easier for me.
It's pricey and will be a permanent fixture in your shower, however, this is a shower lifesaver. You'll do a lot of washing your hair with one hand and one hand alone. This makes it easier for your working hand to get your shampoo and soap without having to figure out how to open bottles.
My hand on my injured arm has lost a lot of strength, so putting on real pants is next to impossible right now. These look like real pants, have pockets, and are a great option for me to wear to work.
Slip on shoes, like Toms, are also great. I haven't tied a shoe lace in almost 8 weeks!
Trips to the nail salon to get my finger nails cut. Trying to do it by myself has been pretty funny and frustrating at the same time.
Traditional flossing with one hand? Forget about it.
For me, carrying a purse is uncomfortable and hard to manage. I've been using this small wallet when I am out and just carry basic cards with me.
Tomorrow will be 8 weeks since the fall, and I'm adapting to doing things one handed. It's not always the easiest, but these are just a few things that have helped me out tremendously. Of course, my biggest help comes from my amazing husband and wonderful family. It's important to have a good support system and I'm very blessed to have such a great one.
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Not a sponsored post. Amazon, Athleta, and Vera Bradley have no clue who I am.