Bruised and Broken

Back on May 23, I was participating in firefighter training training, specifically vehicle extrication. My first try at using the "jaws of life" ended with a very bruised and swollen hand. For two days, I tried ice packs and aleve, all while attempting (but failing miserably) to use my hand to lift and manipulate things. Jacob finally demanded that I see our local doc, who happens to be an ortho guy.

Living in a tiny town with a local doctor can be very nice. I was able to get an appointment immediately and they were so helpful and nice. The doc asked if I had recovered from my massive sinus and double ear infection, the nurses all remembered my name, and the wait was minimal. The doc immediately set me up for xrays (in office so no travelling!); after reviewing them, he told me I had a broken wrist, set me in a half cast, and that he wanted to send me for a CT scan. After a couple days, I went to my CT scan, which was surprisingly clean. Back to the doc's to discuss the results, and then off for an MRI scan. After 4 hours (FOUR HOURS!) in the MRI machine, the techs told me it was broken and that I'd have to go over to the hospital in a couple hours to get another one. UGH. After a total of 6 hours in MRI machines in one day, I made it home. Yet another follow up appointment and analysis of the MRI results showed that I had broken one of the metacarpals in my hand as well. Yay!!

6 weeks later and I'm still in pain but I'm able to hold things now. Follow up is next Monday and I hope that I can be out of my cast and allowed to resume full activities. I think it will take a while to get my hand back to full strength; after a full day of my regular job, which consists of typing, my hand is swollen and in pain. So we'll see how it goes...