Q: What can you do when you have two broken arms??
A: NOT MUCH!
Q: How did THAT happen?
A: I went off the road and down an embankment in my car on April 12th.
Q: Was there anyone else in the car?
A: My granddaughter was with me in the car. She came away with only bruises and a cut from her teeth on her bottom inner lip.
Q: Were you hurt?
A: Yes, I spent 5 days in the hospital. Both bones in my left forearm were broken, my left hand was smashed quite badly and one bone in my right forearm plus the right elbow was dislocated. I had surgery where they screwed plates over the breaks to help repair them. I had a 'half cast' on each arm for two weeks until the casts and staples (51) were removed.
Q: How is your recovery going?
A: I needed a second surgery on my right arm. I had been told not to do anything, lift anything etc. That proved very difficult to do so I ended up pulling the screws out of the bone on my right arm and had to have another surgery on the 18th of May. After another two weeks in a 'half cast', the cast was cut off and 27 staples were removed.
Q: What are your orders now?
A: I am not to lift more than 1 pound with my left arm and no more than my Ipod with my right for the next 4 weeks. I am doing my very best to remember that as I do not want to have any more surgeries!
Q: Where are you now?
A: Since I am not able to care for myself, I am staying with family who are doing doing a wonderful job of taking care of me.
Q: What is the hardest part of your recovery?
A: Boredom! I'm used to doing things with my hands... knitting or hand sewing of some kind.
Q: How badly was the car damaged?
A: The car was totaled. I did not have replacement insurance so I am now without a vehicle.. not that I am able to drive for a while anyway!
UPDATE: I somehow got a staff infection in my right arm that I am fighting. I was on a 10 day course of some very strong antibiotics but, 1 day after finishing them, the redness and heat was back. After a visit to emergency, I now have a shunt in my hand and have to administer IV medications every 8 hours. Hopefully, this will do the trick!
