I woke up this morning, feeling faint and ill, but I had to get to the library for free wireless so I could write on my blog. On my way there, I was walking on a sidewalk covered with 1-2 inches of ice (it was either that or walk in a very busy street filled with NYC taxis driven by pissed-off underemployed financial analysts), when a very strong wind came my way and blew me onto my ass. So, of course, I broke my left arm. The fracture is at the elbow on the ulna (olecranon process). My arm and fingers are numb, I cannot lift my arm, the elbow is a delightful shade of blue, red and purple, and is swollen to impressive proportions.
I still haven't recovered from my last fracture to that same arm (a fracture to the head of the humerus -- my shoulder), and now, this. Of course, thanks to my circumstances, my last fracture was not well cared for, so that is a situation that I can only expect to be repeated. Sweet.
Fortunately, my already-ailing laptop survived my fall (losing my laptop would absolutely kill me). Happy holidays to me, eh?
- Log in to post comments
A little late for advise but always walk on the grass when the sidewalk is frozen. More traction, softer landings.
Sorry about the arm, shoulder, meds, legal crap, etc. I do hope thinks look up from this point.
grass??? in NYC?? you're joking, right?
So sorry, grrll, this is bad news. I hope the healing process is quick and cheap.
Mike: Right ... a Midwesterner, I suspect. In NYC, if you live on the first floor, it is quite possible that a person walking by with a large hat will scrape against your font window.
There is plenty of grass. Probably about 80 bucks a lid these days. To expensive to walk on!!!!
too
These things sure seem to happen in clusters, don't they? [1]
Glad to hear it wasn't the elbow proper, but it still sucks.
[1] Says /me, after a tib/fib in January and a ruptured Achilles in July. Hard to compare the suckage of immobilization to that of one-handedness.
Best wishes,
D. C. Sessions
Oh no, not again! Best of luck with the medical crap....
Maybe you could start a fashion for sports padding as street wear? ;-)
Oh no that's really bad luck. I hope that you are a) right-handed and b) that you have a straightforward recovery.
All the best and kind regards
jen:)
PS so glad you can still blog. all is not lost!
That sucks! Here's wishing you a speedy recovery.
Oh dear. :-(
Rest assured that we appreciate you, even if the Fates don't.
GrrlSci, maybe you should get out of NYC before it kills you?
grass??? in NYC?? you're joking, right?
My apologies. Not joking so much as unaware! Didn't know the locale. Just picturing me walking the dogs with a choice between slippery road and crunchy but usable grass verge.
I do hope you heal quickly. How about some metal studs for those boots?
Oh no, again? Poor grrl! Your luck is just horrible! I don't know what to say, other than that I hope you get better quickly.
And I agree with SimonG - we definitely do appreciate you! Try to keep up some optimism, as hard as it may be.
well, i have decided that i will not go seek medical attention since this is really a big waste of time (having suffered quite a few broken bones by now, it is obvious to me what the problem is) and according to my experiences, doing so will only result in a lot of financial agony that will last at least two years into the future. worse, the docs have all decided that because i am a such a total loser, i must be addicted to drugs (nevermind that a drug habit costs far more than i could possibly afford as a cat sitter, especially in these horrible economic times!) so they will refuse to give me pain meds, forcing me to rely on over-the-counter pain meds. i can certainly do that without their "help".
There - it's not just me!
Although it is just me who can't close a blockquote tag properly.
Grrl, I am really sorry. I've only broken one bone, my ankle bone, and that was misery enough. I had to have extensive reconstructive surgery and that took a long time to heal. Not fun.
Boy, I wish there was a way for you to be able to at least get out of the city proper if not out of New York altogether. It seems that NYC is really not a healthy place for you - physically or mentally.
Every time you write about another sucky thing happening to you, I sit here feeling totally impotent, wishing there was some way I could help you but, I can't. Is there anything I can do that you can think of?
Hang in there Grrl. There are a lot of us out there who really do appreciate you and care about what happens to you.
Grrl,
I'm sorry to hear about the fall and break. Hope you heal quickly and without further incident!
On, no say it ain't so! So very sorry my friend. Sigh.
Oh no, not again! Real sorry to hear this.
You are going to self-treat? Do you have help for the cast? for properly aligning the fractures? Other than that, as long as there are no puncture wounds, that's all the hospital would do for you anyway. The numbness is a bit worrying, but I have no experience with major breaks (just a metacarpal or two) so I don't know if that is normal and resetting will fix it. As for meds, I have found that the best soporifics and pain killers are cats on the legs, so you are in a good business there.
As for NYC, while we would love to have you back in Seattle, the streets are not much better here right now ... Just heal as quick as you can.
So sorry to hear about your broken wing. Merry Christmas, indeed.
Keep your head up, Ms. Scientist, there are a whole lot of folks out here who care about what happens to you. Wishing you a speedy recovery and better luck in the New Year.
At least go get it x-rayed and set. I agree with Gray Gaffer, the numbness is worrisome, as is your not being able to move the arm. It's possible that you could lose the use of that arm permanently if you don't get it taken care of.
End of lecture. Lots of warm thoughts and good vibes to you in the mean time. Take care.
Grrlie, you sure are one tough cookie!
Get well soon, and have as good a season as you can manage.
Australia has its problems, but at least you can go to the emergency reception at a hospital, show your medicare card, have all fixed, including medication, and there are no bills coming your way later.
Same with most European 'socialist' countries.
Bit far for you to travel, though.
Wonder when Americans will wake up to the fact that this kind of health care is not socialism, but common sense?
Damn, grrl, I know you gotta be tough to live in the Big Grapple, but you seem to be trying for some kind of record.
Pls reconsider that 100% self-treatment: a permanently warped arm could be a problem for a lot longer than two years...
Greg Laden: $80 a lid? Either you've been living in a time warp, or once word gets out there's going to be a stampede of stoners roaming Minneapolis.
Sorry to hear that you are damaged again.
Even if the doctors won't prescribe pain killers it will be sensible to visit one just to make sure that it is set straight.
Sorry to hear about your injury. Hope it heals soon. I might make it to NYC in the next few weeks, if I do, I will bring you a bottle of tequila for a painkiller.
...
One more supportive comment. And a pointer once again at the thoughts of SimonG that we appreciate your presence, if not the Fates.
...tom...
.