FINALLY! I'm back in one piece!

[Karen]

It's been 9 1/2 months since I broke my upper arm falling from an ATV (working the dogs of course), and FINALLY the doctor was happy with my x-rays. The bone has mended almost completely (nice big callus on the outside, and it's cloudy on the inside, so should be calcified in the next couple of months) and I'm scheduled for surgery for some hardware removal in 2 weeks.

As long as the screws don't break during removal, recovery is suppose to be quick...small incisions, a couple of staples, and back to myself in a week. If they break, double the incisions and recovery time, but he said that's never happened to him yet. The rod will stay, and I guess I'll need a medical card to get through x-ray at an airport, but I'd rather keep the rod at this point.

Then back to physical therapy to regain some additional range of motion at the shoulder. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would take close to a year to heal, but I'm sure glad there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Greg Jennings]

I'm glad that things are looking good there! Broken bones are no small matter.

Greg J.

[topher40]

Congrats Karen...Its about time! Maybe you need to get rid of that dangerous ATV and get yourself a nice horse!

[gar-dog]

Congrats Karen...Its about time! Maybe you need to get rid of that dangerous ATV and get yourself a nice horse!

Karen actually has a nice horse.... and it hadn't hurt her yet, right Karen?

Congrats on the good report from the doc!

[Karen]

Yup, got one of those and nope, he hasn't hurt me (yet)

[Crystal kennels]

Karen..Glad to hear you are feeling better and mending. I'll see you in the Fall I'm sure!


Judy

[Ruffshooter]

Glad you are healing up good. You may want to suggest that they use a little W-D40 on those screws before they pull em out.

[NC Quailhunter]

I am glad hear that the road to recovery is getting shorter.

[Karen]

Thanks everyone. Hopefully the WD-40 won't be necessary. My surgeon was ordering the right screwdriver from the hardware manufacturer today! I swear orthopedic surgeons are like carpenters.

[Don]

Actually if the screws hang up, I like to heat up the part with a tourch!

[Karen]

Actually if the screws hang up, I like to heat up the part with a tourch!

Wow! Glad you're not my surgeon Don!

[Ruffshooter]

I second that one. Boy Don that just hurts thinkin about it.

Funny thing years ago, I had surgeryon my leg. I designed and specified the tools needed to do the surgery. The part he did that I designed came out good, what he designed I have a lot of trouble with. I am a Carpenter and Contractor.

[WildRose]

Well good you are on the mend and welcome back. Don't worry about the screws. I still have four full length screws in my shoulder and two permanently embedded in my upper jaw. They haven't caused any issues over the last 20 years except when I try to get through air port security HA! CR

[Karen]

The lower screw is really bothering me....it goes straight through my humerus close to the elbow and out the other side, so the tip rubs against the inside of my tricep. I'm avoiding working on developing the muscles in that arm because of it, so it has to come out. The one in my shoulder hasn't become enough of a nuisance to remove (yet). A tendon did get hung up on it once, which was a miserable experience, but it was only once. Here's a visual:

[gar-dog]

Oh DANG that looks like something that would hurt going in or coming out!!!!! Are you sure that isn't a railroad spike?????

[Karen]

hehe! If it is a railroad spike, my doctor is having the railroad ship him the right screw driver

Thank goodness the rod is staying! The bone was broken clear through into 2 pieces. That x-ray was taken in April, and since, the inside of the break has gotten milky, so there is bone forming there, which was good to see.

[sambuca]

Wow Karen! I had no idea how severe that break was. I'm lad everything has healed well.

Before I saw that, I was scared of riding horses.... Now ATVs.