However, on Xmas Eve the free-movement orthopaedic 'sleeve' on left arm was removed after two months wearing, which itself had followed a full month of plaster-cast with sling. At the time of removal I was worried that it might have been too soon as it felt at risk of being exacerbated by inadvertant sudden movement, like when you drop something. Even now I can't extend that arm fully. But after a session with physiotherapist nurse, and since then several-times-daily exercise of that limb real progress has been discernible. I'm still unable, for instance when eating, to get the fork in left hand to reach my mouth, but it's getting closer by the day. That's the current greatest 'inconvenience' which itself is not a big deal as I simply have to use the other hand to shovel it in, though hopefully for not much longer. (Nor can I, incidentally, use my left hand to....erm....'pick my nose'!) So there's no genuine cause to complain at what the hospital have most ably achieved, and I have to say that they certainly look after one - and all for free on our National Health Service, the equivalent of which all 'developed' countries have - well, nearly all. My greatest worry is if I might happen to keel over again at any time (which might very well finish me off!) so now have to be ultra-careful and extra slow in my ambulations, especially au dehors.
By the way, although it was classed as a 'broken arm' there was no fracture in the traditional sense of a bone splitting. What happened was that one of the two bones in the forearm (radius or ulna? I don't know) came away from the 'hinge' in the middle of the arm. When my X-rays came through the consultant wanted to show them to me but, being of the squirmy-squeamish type, I declined his offer. But I've now had several sessions of X-rays, and with the last ones his verdict was that it's "mending nicely" - which I can only assume that the 'separation' is now coming back together by itself. Can only hope so. Don't want to think too much about the details.
So that's it. With more such good luck there shouldn't be any need to post more on ths 'Me-Me-Me!' subject which, anyway, must make for a boring read.
Thanks for all the good wishes. Hope it's now just a matter of (short?) time before we're back to 'normal' again! Cheers!
Except for being unable to, ahem, pick the nose, this is good news!! Still, it's funny how many things you realize you can't do until you're fully mended.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, sir.
Thanks, Bob. As I next year become an octogenarian, I can ill afford another catastrophe equivalent to this, with chances of surviving such another one now rapidly diminishing.
DeleteSuch great news! How tragic, though, that you’re now forced to eat like an American.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you too, Mitch - but d'you mean that Americans eat with fork in RIGHT hand? If so I didn't know that and, what would be more troubling is that I hadn't noticed. But I think you might have meant something else (as a joke) which I'm not getting. I'll have to think about that! :-)
DeleteMost Americans hold fork in left and knive in right to cut things up. Then they put the knife down and move the fork to the right to eat. I was raised to eat like that which made my European grandfather crazy. I try to not do it but old habits die hard.
DeleteA Happy New Year to you Raybeard. I was hoping you were doing well, when you hadn't posted, but then figured it might be hard to blog. I am happy to read further good news somewhere. Here's to your continued mending and wishes for good health to you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Thanks ever so, M.M. - and wishing you the happiest for 2025 as well.
DeleteYes, it's going as well as I could have hoped for, but the thought of it happening again due to just one brief moment of inattention, puts the frights on me. Just have to try being self-vigilant at all times.
Glad to read that you're on the mend! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteOops! That was wcs in France.
DeleteVery many thanks, Walt - and a wonderful 2025 to you too, and to all your nearest and dearest, irrespective of the number of legs they own.
DeleteThis is wonderful news to hear, Ray. Glad you are on the mend!
ReplyDeleteAlways thankful to recieve your positive thoughts, Elle. Happy NY to you.
DeleteGlad you are on the mend. I know exactly what you mean about being scared of falling again. It was this time last year that I fell and I have been ultra careful since then because I too dread it happening again.
ReplyDeleteGrateful for your nice thoughts, Carol. Walking about outside now feels like walking on eggshells, just one slip could have irrecoverable effects, as you yourself are only too aware. Let's neither of us for one moment let our mental 'guards' slip.
DeleteHa, I've always assumed that right handed people held their fork in their right hand, and left handed people used their left. (at least the left handed people I know do) I never realized it was just a different style of eating. Learn something new everyday, as they say! Glad to hear you're on the mend.
ReplyDeleteTa, Sadie.
DeleteMaybe it's just a British convention after all. I've never thought deeply about it but have always seen it as 'correct' table manners for ALL to use only left hand for the fork, and duly assumed (clearly quite erroneously) that it was thus so throughout the world. But there you are! Now, much belatedly, I now know better. :-)
Rather than having said "Table MANNERS" I should have used the slightly less-loaded "Table ETIQUETTE"!
DeleteRay, You're healing, that's good news. Some years ago I fractured my arm bracing myself from a fall. The "bracing" is what causes the injuries. I was in an automobile crash once that happened so fast that I didn't have time to brace myself as I was flung across my front seat to the passenger door. No injuries but my car was totaled. From that fall I had about ten years ago I did fracture but not break my arm. Not near as serious as yours but it took a while to heal. Interesting the one thing I noticed that when I "picked my nose" (you need pressure to do that), it was very painful. Interesting isn't it the things we take for granted our whole life but when we lose the ability to do said thing, we notice!
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted Ray. We're interested and DON'T FALL! That's my biggest challenge at my age (83) now. I'm so unsteadying on my feet. I need a cane handing all the time.
Ron
Thanks to you for your visit here again, Ron.
DeleteYes, they say that people who have a fall when they're drunk are often not as badly injured as those who were completely sober. Now that I've been teetotal for getting on for 10 years (though drink has never really been a 'problem' for me anyway) I suppose I'm at increased risk of injury should there be another similar accident. Seems rather unfair, doesn't it, but there it is! At least if one was sozzled one could afterwards see it as teaching one a lesson. Certainly sounds like in your situation with that dreadful car accident and your not having had time to take in what was happening, that saved you from some even worse fate.
it's absolutely true that for some of the most important things we have we 'need' to lose them (hopefully temporarily) in order to fully appreciate that which we had, then wanting even more to get back.
Now just the thought of going out for any reason at all makes me nervous. Even walking about inside I'm being acutely aware of what I can hang onto should the need arise. I don't want to realise it knowing that it's too late to prevent it happening at all.
Very much hope there's no further need to do another post on my arm condition. Rather, I want it to be a case of 'no news is good news'.
You silly silly man. Of COURSE we want you writing about “you, you, you.” That’s why we come here. I am so glad to read you’re healing well and to see a ew post up. Thank you for all the kind comments about Harvey. No one conveys sympathy for my fur friends quite like you, and I always feel your concern through your words. I wish I could do half as well conveying my concern for your well being, so you’ll just have to take my word for it! I have learned from your mishaps and, while I am younger, I move with much more awareness than I would have, otherwise, to avid unwanted falls and injuries. Please keep getting better, be careful, and be safe. Sending virtual hugs your way!
ReplyDeleteIt's no trouble at all for me to make 'kind comments', S/b. It comes from the heart and seems perfectly natural to me as all my life I've felt closer to, and identified with animals more than to other humans, possibly a major reason why I've never ever known a 'serious' relationship. In fact it's become even more pronouced as I've aged, now increasingly unable to watch on the news anything at all concerning animals, most especially their sufferings for whatever reason. If I had enough money such that I'd want to make a will, leaving cash to whom I most care about, I'd undoubtedly leave the major share of it to animal charities, 'animal resue' probably being topmost. So my thoughts regarding your dear little Harvey come from a deep place inside of me, and I genuinely wish him all the happiness and comforts possible in his shortish little life. It hurts to know when he is in any kind of trouble or difficulty or PAIN.
DeleteAs for 'me-me-me', whenever I make a posting (relatively rare, I know) I always feel more than a little tinge of guilt at using up the time of whoever happens to read it, just to moan on about my own troubles when so many of those same readers will undoubtedly be less fortunate than I am, physically or anything else.
I am always glad to see you post, and get all your updates.
ReplyDeleteThank you once again, Sir. Re your own postings, I'm still in the position of being aware of whenever you make a post, but knowing how significant and profound they tend to be I do tend to postpone my reading of it until I 'have the time' to do it justice - and of course that 'time' rarely comes. However, your posts are not alone in being subject to my own regretful neglect.
DeleteI do like your NHS dig at the US. Road to recovery is long - as I well know. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't want (or need) to spell it out, B. Nonetheless, it still leaves aghast those of us who hadn't known the fact - and rather bemused/perplexed when quite a large number of the American political right dismiss the idea of a National Health Service as being a 'communist' notion. (Oh, shock, horror!)
DeleteThanks ever so much for your visit here, btw.
Late to the party ,
ReplyDeleteHow are you feeling Raymondo
I'm pretty well okay now, thanks JayGee. Injured arm is nearly 'there', though still can't fully extend it and have to be careful I don't use it to lift or carry too-heavy stuff. But no pain. Also major teeth extraction coming up, looking like all the upper set will have to come out, so afterwards while waiting for four weeks for dentures to arrive I'm going to look a sight - but that hardly matters when you're nearly octogenarian. It's not as though I'm looking for my 'prince'. :-)
DeleteThanks for asking, though.