My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day.

   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #111  
Elective surgery most likely will be cancelled day of if co-pay or deductible not met at time of service...

Also... it happens where individuals will attempt to use ID/Insurance from another... not to mention address on ID may not be current 50 percent of the time...

Always more problems the first of the year as most plans reset...

Don't forget anesthesia is often cash or check and is separate from facility and surgeon.

Then again Workers Comp only needs ID to be golden...
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day.
  • Thread Starter
#112  
My biggest issues remaining are stiffness/tightness in the knuckles and joint ache. First thing in the morning, or if I don't use the hand actively for a couple of hours, it becomes hard to close to a fist again. Takes a few minutes of working it to free it up. Once I do that, I can use it normally. I've been able to climb ladders and grip tools with little trouble. I held an air nailer and shot a few nails with the left hand today needing to reach out from the ladder a bit. Had the strength to do it, but still felt a few twinges in the wrist.


Not sure how long this stiffness will last, but I'm beginning to think it's a form of arthritis that has set in due to the injury and that it may never go away fully. I'm over 4 months now and out of the splint for 3 months.
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #113  
WELL I
Had a bad evening on the 12th.

Took a trip into Wally world for some things before closing time. Got home an d parked 1/2 way over the old ice sheet it had created under it.

Made one trip into the house and went back to get some more

Forgot about the sheet ice on the right side of the truck and it was pitch black had part of the next load in my hands.

The ice had 2 inches of water on top.

It wasn't 2 steps and hit the ice hard.

Swam around and drug myself to the front of the truck after almost passing out.
Made it to the 3500 tow hooks and taking every bit of will power I had pulled myself up on my feet. Fought off the puke feeling and called the wife ,
who was already asleep. She tried but we weren't strong enough.

Got one of my son's up and taking 2 inch steps made it to bed after stripping all of the soaked clothing off. Made it through the night and actually got some sleep.

By early afternoon it was obvious I couldn't walk at all , and any movement of the left leg was excruciating.

Wife called 911 and EMS got me to the emergency room.

Got the x rays back and Sure enough broke the femur at the top.

Surgery this morning with Titanium lag bolt, rod, and screw installed.

Please Be Careful around the Ice.


Just a few seconds of me not being Vigilant modified my life.

Stay Safe out there TBNer's
 

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   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #114  
Let me preface by saying it could have been MUCH worse in many ways.

Working on the shed, standing on a 6 foot step ladder, reaching up between rafters and purlins to remove screws in a metal roof panel that needed to be moved to another area ...... somehow the ladder shifted as I was climbing down. I ended up on the ground in a heap with legs and arms not pointed in the right direction. Taking stock briefly to see what all would move and finding out all the joints were somehow magically OK, I noticed the gaping gash between my fingers of my left hand, obviously from the sheet metal.


"I ain't fixin' that myself, I gotta get somewhere quick!!!!!"

Made arrangements to get to the clinic, they sent me on to the local hospital who stabilized and cleaned it, then told me I needed a hand surgeon due to a nicked tendon. Then they told me there isn't one locally and the closest one was four hours away. Got there, got patched up and got back home 10 hours later, about 13-14 hours after it happened.

This morning so far, the other various bumps and bruises are beginning to make themselves known. Nothing broken or even sprained, but a few things aching a lot. Not sure how long the hand will be wrapped and out of commission, or if there will be long lasting loss of finger function.

If it had been the right hand .....

If I had broken something and couldn't get to my phone 20 feet away ....

If that metal had caught me somewhere else, like the neck ......
I cut a tendon on a finger with sheet metal about 20 years ago. I ended up getting hand surgery and with the finger wrapped in a giant splint for a month. That finger still works, but I cannot straighten it out completely and it’s a little stiff. You’re lucky that you were able to get surgery relatively soon. I just had it stitched and wrapped and had to wait a few days to get the surgery scheduled.
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #115  
Elective surgery most likely will be cancelled day of if co-pay or deductible not met at time of service...

Also... it happens where individuals will attempt to use ID/Insurance from another... not to mention address on ID may not be current 50 percent of the time...

Always more problems the first of the year as most plans reset...

Don't forget anesthesia is often cash or check and is separate from facility and surgeon.

Then again Workers Comp only needs ID to be golden...
It’s a crime that anesthesiologists can pull that BS and not accept medical insurance even though the hospital and doctors do. And the patient doesn’t hire them. Most people assume they are part of the hospital billing until the surprise bill shows up. I had a big dispute with one years ago and ended up setting for a lesser amount. I thought that recent legislation passed by Congress prohibits surprise billing now?
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #116  
My biggest issues remaining are stiffness/tightness in the knuckles and joint ache. First thing in the morning, or if I don't use the hand actively for a couple of hours, it becomes hard to close to a fist again. Takes a few minutes of working it to free it up. Once I do that, I can use it normally. I've been able to climb ladders and grip tools with little trouble. I held an air nailer and shot a few nails with the left hand today needing to reach out from the ladder a bit. Had the strength to do it, but still felt a few twinges in the wrist.


Not sure how long this stiffness will last, but I'm beginning to think it's a form of arthritis that has set in due to the injury and that it may never go away fully. I'm over 4 months now and out of the splint for 3 months.
My experience is that the pain goes away and you can use the finger, but the stiffness has remained for 20+ years. It doesn’t stop me from using the hand or finger, but it doesn’t move as freely as the other fingers. But you said you nicked the tendon, and I cut through it. You may have a better long term outcome than me.
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #117  
WELL I
Had a bad evening on the 12th.

Took a trip into Wally world for some things before closing time. Got home an d parked 1/2 way over the old ice sheet it had created under it.

Made one trip into the house and went back to get some more

Forgot about the sheet ice on the right side of the truck and it was pitch black had part of the next load in my hands.

The ice had 2 inches of water on top.

It wasn't 2 steps and hit the ice hard.

Swam around and drug myself to the front of the truck after almost passing out.
Made it to the 3500 tow hooks and taking every bit of will power I had pulled myself up on my feet. Fought off the puke feeling and called the wife ,
who was already asleep. She tried but we weren't strong enough.

Got one of my son's up and taking 2 inch steps made it to bed after stripping all of the soaked clothing off. Made it through the night and actually got some sleep.

By early afternoon it was obvious I couldn't walk at all , and any movement of the left leg was excruciating.

Wife called 911 and EMS got me to the emergency room.

Got the x rays back and Sure enough broke the femur at the top.

Surgery this morning with Titanium lag bolt, rod, and screw installed.

Please Be Careful around the Ice.


Just a few seconds of me not being Vigilant modified my life.

Stay Safe out there TBNer's
That's one BAD DAY! Sorry for the pain and I hope you recover quickly.
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #118  
WELL I
Had a bad evening on the 12th.

Took a trip into Wally world for some things before closing time. Got home an d parked 1/2 way over the old ice sheet it had created under it.

Made one trip into the house and went back to get some more

Forgot about the sheet ice on the right side of the truck and it was pitch black had part of the next load in my hands.

The ice had 2 inches of water on top.

It wasn't 2 steps and hit the ice hard.

Swam around and drug myself to the front of the truck after almost passing out.
Made it to the 3500 tow hooks and taking every bit of will power I had pulled myself up on my feet. Fought off the puke feeling and called the wife ,
who was already asleep. She tried but we weren't strong enough.

Got one of my son's up and taking 2 inch steps made it to bed after stripping all of the soaked clothing off. Made it through the night and actually got some sleep.

By early afternoon it was obvious I couldn't walk at all , and any movement of the left leg was excruciating.

Wife called 911 and EMS got me to the emergency room.

Got the x rays back and Sure enough broke the femur at the top.

Surgery this morning with Titanium lag bolt, rod, and screw installed.

Please Be Careful around the Ice.


Just a few seconds of me not being Vigilant modified my life.

Stay Safe out there TBNer's
Those slip on ice walkers work really well. I keep a pair in my vehicle at all times.

Amazing traction, even when on a sheet of ice.

Obviously, they are not much good when you don't know the ice is there. But, I think you'll probably like having them in the future.
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #119  
WELL I
Had a bad evening on the 12th.

Took a trip into Wally world for some things before closing time. Got home an d parked 1/2 way over the old ice sheet it had created under it.

Made one trip into the house and went back to get some more

Forgot about the sheet ice on the right side of the truck and it was pitch black had part of the next load in my hands.

The ice had 2 inches of water on top.

It wasn't 2 steps and hit the ice hard.

Swam around and drug myself to the front of the truck after almost passing out.
Made it to the 3500 tow hooks and taking every bit of will power I had pulled myself up on my feet. Fought off the puke feeling and called the wife ,
who was already asleep. She tried but we weren't strong enough.

Got one of my son's up and taking 2 inch steps made it to bed after stripping all of the soaked clothing off. Made it through the night and actually got some sleep.

By early afternoon it was obvious I couldn't walk at all , and any movement of the left leg was excruciating.

Wife called 911 and EMS got me to the emergency room.

Got the x rays back and Sure enough broke the femur at the top.

Surgery this morning with Titanium lag bolt, rod, and screw installed.

Please Be Careful around the Ice.


Just a few seconds of me not being Vigilant modified my life.

Stay Safe out there TBNer's
Ouch!

I hope your surgery and recovery go well. Good luck.

Many years ago my mother in-law stepped off the 2nd step of a ladder and snapped the ball off of her femur. They had to do a partial hip replacement, as it couldn't be reattached due to bone condition. She did NOT follow up well with the rehab therapy, and it diminished her mobility greatly.

My best advice, and I'm sure you'll hear it from others, is to follow up with the rehab therapy religiously! I know several folks that have had hip replacements and other hip procedures and the ones that did the therapy are now fine.

Again, good luck. (y) (y)
 
   / My terrible, horrible, miserable, not so very good day. #120  
WELL I
Had a bad evening on the 12th.

Took a trip into Wally world for some things before closing time. Got home an d parked 1/2 way over the old ice sheet it had created under it.

Made one trip into the house and went back to get some more

Forgot about the sheet ice on the right side of the truck and it was pitch black had part of the next load in my hands.

The ice had 2 inches of water on top.

It wasn't 2 steps and hit the ice hard.

Swam around and drug myself to the front of the truck after almost passing out.
Made it to the 3500 tow hooks and taking every bit of will power I had pulled myself up on my feet. Fought off the puke feeling and called the wife ,
who was already asleep. She tried but we weren't strong enough.

Got one of my son's up and taking 2 inch steps made it to bed after stripping all of the soaked clothing off. Made it through the night and actually got some sleep.

By early afternoon it was obvious I couldn't walk at all , and any movement of the left leg was excruciating.

Wife called 911 and EMS got me to the emergency room.

Got the x rays back and Sure enough broke the femur at the top.

Surgery this morning with Titanium lag bolt, rod, and screw installed.

Please Be Careful around the Ice.


Just a few seconds of me not being Vigilant modified my life.

Stay Safe out there TBNer's
Oh that sux to be you, sorry about that! Luckily that tends to be a fairly successful repair, but like others mention, do NOT skimp on rehab.

On a side note, back in the 90s, I had to do surgery clinicals for paramedic school, and what you're getting done is one of the surgeries I attended. I don't gross out easily, but man that was gross in all sorts of ways...and I'm comparing it to the others I attended like a bowel resection, spinal repair, and brain surgery.
 
 
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