When i was in the hospital giving birth to Grant they had a hard time getting my IV in. In my left arm they messed up twice and blew two veins. Then a nurse tried my right wrist and blew it very badly. It swelled up instantly and had me in tears. I told her something was wrong but it took forever before she finally agreed and apologized. Someone else put an IV by my elbow and it worked, barely. Afterwards my arm turned black n blue forever and i couldnt use it very well. I assumed after a couple of weeks that it would get better but unfortunately it didn't and at my 6 week check-up i was sent to physical therapy.
My arm was so painful that i could barely change diapers or rock Grant Using the arm for anything weight bearing was almost unbearable. It was horrible and after phyical therapy they gave me a huge brace but i couldn't feed Grant or barely move my arm for months making it impossible with an infant. It only got worse as time went on. At physical therapy they said it was from using my thumb too much for cutting and things...what???? I tried telling them what happened and still try to explain it but mainly i get looks of disbelief like i am lying!! Luckily my doctor has always been very supportive and finally sent me to a surgeon this spring after we met our full deductible. The surgeon said the surgery was imperitive because of some of the nerve problems, damage, and pain i have been experiencing. Over the month or so before the surgery it seemed to be getting better and little pain was happening unless i used it frequently.
I am in so much pain now after the surgery i sometimes think maybe i should have lived with it the way it was. I was thinking thesurgery would be horrible and it was nothing of the sort..it was very easy and less painful than expected. BUT the recovery time, the brace, the physical therapy is more than i ever expected. I have little movement of my thumb. I am not supposed to move it for at least three weeks. The brace makes it hard if not imposible to do even the easiest of tasks. Ponytails for hailey, diapers for grant, folding towels. I can't even take my kids swimming for probably the rest of the summer cause my arm can not get wet. I feel misinformed and very upset. No one told me of the recovery time...i guess i should have asked.
In my head i thought i would be sore until the day or two after and then back to normal...this is so unexpected. Will i even get all of my movement back??? I am freaking out about starting school in August. I can't write at the moment. I have to be able to take notes in the fall...i can't go to school without full mobility of my arm and hand....i am tired....i am so tired...i just wantto be able to do all the things i could do 2 weeks ago..i have to much to do to take all this time away...who is going to clean my house, wash my dishes, laundry, iron, weed the garden....and the list goes on..for gosh sakes i can barely get the kids buckled in the car or take a shower.
I hate to be a downer but i am truly exausted and just don't know how much more of t his i can handle. I hate when i can't be independent..especailly when i have two kids who depend on me for their every need!
2 comments:
Why don't you ask them to give you something for the pain. They have to have something in a lower dose then the stuff they gave you after surgery. My dad takes tylenol with coedine and that is a pretty low dose pain reliever. It would be something you could take to help with the pain but still be able to function normally. You shouldn't have to be in that much pain! Call the doctor and ask. The worst they could say is no.
i have lortabs..they said i could take 1/2 and i also have ibubrofen 900 mg..from after a different surgery. I feel better today no pills! I think it is just part of that recevery process...thanks for the suggestion! I think the biggest problem is being exausted..so much work and i can't do much without my arm up to par!
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