D-Day has arrived

Sometimes something unexpected happens and, in a split second, it changes everything. For me it was 3.50pm on 3rd November 2011.

POD had fallen asleep in the car on the way back from soft play. When we arrived home I’d carried her indoors in her car seat so she could sleep. Outside it was pouring with rain. I knew I didn’t have long to put out 3 bags of recycling. Each of which had to be taken from the back to the front of the house. Once I’d finished and I was walking towards the back door, I glanced at the sky. I remember thinking there might be a sunset.

But then it happened. My left leg slid from underneath me. I thundered to the ground so fast I didn’t get the chance to put my hands out to cushion the fall. There I lay, on the decking, the rain beating down on me. The pain in my left arm was immense. POD was 10 months old and inside the house. I’d noticed our neighbours were out. If I’d shouted no-one would come. I knew I had to move myself and get help.

It was at that point I saw my hand. It didn’t look right. Very gently I pulled back the sleeve of my mac. It was like someone had taken a giant scoop of ice-cream out of my wrist. Bone protruded out of the opposite side although I was thankful it hadn’t cut through the skin. My hand was pointing towards my body instead of away from it.

Standing up I felt faint and nauseous but I got to the back door. I used my face to lift the handle whilst locking it with my right hand. Strange I put so much effort into this, I should have left it. My body had started to shake at this point.

I called 999 and opened the front door so the paramedics could reach me. POD was now awake and crying but I couldn’t pick her up. She was safest in her car seat. The paramedics arrived five minutes later. They were brilliant. It’s a strange thing shock. My body seemed to shut down in the ambulance. So much so when we arrived at the hospital my legs gave way beneath me.

POD was so well looked after by A&E staff and the sister fed her dinner. An x-ray confirmed I’d broken my radius and my ulna at the point of rotation. It couldn’t have been a more spectacular break. I guess if you’re going to break something, you should do it properly. Surgery had been discussed but no theatres were available. It was agreed they’d try to re-align my bones and put me in plaster me until they could operate. One person gripped my hand and the other my arm. Then they pulled in opposite directions.

I was put in plaster with my left arm elevated to my right shoulder. It was difficult not being able to look after POD. I couldn’t even cuddle her. A three hour operation took place a few days later. I came round on 11/11/11 just before 11am the proud owner of some fancy metal work. We hadn’t anticipated I wouldn’t be able to travel after being discharged. POD and I were separated for eight days. It felt like eight years.

Nevertheless after being told it would take 18 months to get the rotation back in my wrist. It didn’t. I went overboard with the physio and achieved it in less than 6 months. I guess that says something about me as a person. The radius had healed brilliantly and the movement in my wrist up to this point has been good. The ulna has not fared so well, its got much worse over recent months.

So Wednesday 10th April is D-Day – surgery number two. More metal will be added to my wrist so it doesn’t rotate anymore. A centimeter of bone will be taken out of my arm. Over time this will turn to gristle and become a new rotation point for my wrist. The success rate for this surgery is high so I’m optimistic. Here’s hoping I end up with a bionic arm so I can play tennis.

This post is for Post Comment Love run by the lovely Vic Welton at Vevivos. If you’d like to find out more about #PoCoLo click on the badge below.