Decluttering my dislocated elbow!

x-no-archive:yes

"Jean S. Barto" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yotWa.4985$5f.2471@lakeread05...

Quoted message said:

Hi folks--

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle

(long

Quoted message said:

story, basically I couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my
boyfriend's curb with my right elbow. This happend

last

Quoted message said:

Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm back home

at

Quoted message said:

my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week

for

Quoted message said:

medical visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even
though I'm not really supposed to start driving yet,

I'm

Quoted message said:

going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the bus service here is atrocious.

That's terrible! I am sorry for you that all of this happened. I hope you will progress steadily and
rapidly and get back on the bike ASAP.

Pat in TX

Jean S. Barto said:

Hi folks--

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle (long story, basically I
couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my boyfriend's curb with
my right elbow. This happend last Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm
back home at my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week for medical
visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even though I'm not
really supposed to start driving yet, I'm going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the
bus service here is atrocious!

I went through the usual ambulance/ER/late nite surgery routine, along with 1 1/2 days in the
hospital, concluding with 2 days of in home IV therapy from Saturday afternoon till Monday evening.
Luckily, the elbow was only severely dislocated, no broken bones/joints, and the surgeon repaired a
slight tearing in an ulnar nerve ligament--so it actually could have been much worse.

I started physical therapy Wednesday and have another appointment this afternoon, and will be
having PT for 3x/week for awhile for both my right hand and elbow. Right now my arm is in a custom
made plastic splint which I'm able to remove/loosen to type/write but otherwise I wear all the
time, including to bed. Since I'm writing you now, my right hand is actually doing pretty well
considering what happend. My right ring and pinkie fingers are moderately to considerably numb, the
other fingers are much better. The elbow is still swollen/painful, especially when I remove the
splint--but so far the IV antibiotics I had for 5 days in the hospital and at home are doing their
job and my incision is healing normally without any indication of infection.

I also lucked out as far as my orthopedic surgeon is concerned--the best *hand guy* in the area,
and he's also a team physician for W&M--so he's used to working with active folks. My hand
therapist is also a runner--no longer competes, but knew my boyfriend (who still does very well at
age 53) back 10-12 years ago when they were both top Masters runners around here. I've made it
clear to them that I can take all the therapy/pain they can give me during my rehabilitation.

So, although I'm counting my blessings that my injury wasn't worse, I still feel hampered by my
injury and am looking forward to being whole again!

Jean in VA

Not envying you one bit. At least it didn't affect your mind. The advice you gave Brenda was spot
on. I appreciate knowing about the lawyers too although my mom moved herself to a continuing care
community over 10 years ago.

Barbara in CT

x-no-archive:yes

Quoted message said:

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle

(long

Quoted message said:

story, basically I couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my
boyfriend's curb with my right elbow. This happend

last

Quoted message said:

Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm back home

at

Quoted message said:

my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week

for

Quoted message said:

medical visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even
though I'm not really supposed to start driving yet,

I'm

Quoted message said:

going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the bus service here is atrocious!

Jean, check and see if your city has a program for injured/disabled persons. Our city does---you
call a number and they send out a small van to take you where you want to go. It costs something
like $1.50 per ride, but that's cheaper than a cab fare.

Pat in TX

Feel better soon. I always wondered about those type of pedals. I figured they would get me.
Of course, I am one who still likes bikes with the brake on the pedals, and haven't used a
bicycle in years.

--
~Seraph~ "Create a nice day!" "Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

x-no-archive:yes

"Jean S. Barto" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yotWa.4985$5f.2471@lakeread05...

Quoted message said:

Hi folks--

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle

(long

Quoted message said:

story, basically I couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough)

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fell directly on my boyfriend's curb with my right elbow. This happend

last

Quoted message said:

Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm back home

at

Quoted message said:

my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week

for

Quoted message said:

medical visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way)

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it was OK, so even though I'm not really supposed to start driving yet,

I'm

Quoted message said:

going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the bus service

here

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is atrocious.

That's terrible! I am sorry for you that all of this happened. I hope you will progress steadily
and rapidly and get back on the bike ASAP.

Pat in TX

I hope you recover well Jean. A dislocation can be quite painful.

Yvette

"Jean S. Barto" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yotWa.4985$5f.2471@lakeread05...

Quoted message said:

Hi folks--

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle

(long

Quoted message said:

story, basically I couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my
boyfriend's curb with my right elbow. This happend

last

Quoted message said:

Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm back home

at

Quoted message said:

my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week

for

Quoted message said:

medical visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even
though I'm not really supposed to start driving yet,

I'm

Quoted message said:

going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the bus service here is atrocious!

I went through the usual ambulance/ER/late nite surgery routine, along

with

Quoted message said:

1 1/2 days in the hospital, concluding with 2 days of in home IV therapy from Saturday afternoon
till Monday evening. Luckily, the elbow was only severely dislocated, no broken bones/joints, and
the surgeon repaired a slight tearing in an ulnar nerve ligament--so it actually could have been
much worse.

I started physical therapy Wednesday and have another appointment this afternoon, and will be
having PT for 3x/week for awhile for both my right hand and elbow. Right now my arm is in a custom
made plastic splint which I'm able to remove/loosen to type/write but otherwise I wear all the
time, including to bed. Since I'm writing you now, my right hand is actually doing pretty well
considering what happend. My right ring and pinkie fingers are moderately to considerably numb,
the other fingers are much better. The elbow is still swollen/painful, especially when I remove
the splint--but so far the IV antibiotics I had for 5 days in the hospital and at home are doing
their job and my incision is healing normally without

any

Quoted message said:

indication of infection.

I also lucked out as far as my orthopedic surgeon is concerned--the best *hand guy* in the area,
and he's also a team physician for W&M--so he's

used

Quoted message said:

to working with active folks. My hand therapist is also a runner--no

longer

Quoted message said:

competes, but knew my boyfriend (who still does very well at age 53) back 10-12 years ago when
they were both top Masters runners around here. I've made it clear to them that I can take all the
therapy/pain they can give

me

Quoted message said:

during my rehabilitation.

So, although I'm counting my blessings that my injury wasn't worse, I

still

Quoted message said:

feel hampered by my injury and am looking forward to being whole again!

Jean in VA

--
"If you are going through hell, keep going."

Winston Churchill

what a nasty accident - I hope you mend quickly, but be patient with yourself too.

val

Listen to your rehab, and PT guys. I see too many people skip out on therapy and end up with less
function, and a longer rehab. I wish you the best in recovery.

Jean S. Barto said:

Hi folks--

Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle (long story, basically I
couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my boyfriend's curb with
my right elbow. This happend last Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm
back home at my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week for medical
visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even though I'm not
really supposed to start driving yet, I'm going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the
bus service here is atrocious!

I went through the usual ambulance/ER/late nite surgery routine, along with 1 1/2 days in the
hospital, concluding with 2 days of in home IV therapy from Saturday afternoon till Monday evening.
Luckily, the elbow was only severely dislocated, no broken bones/joints, and the surgeon repaired a
slight tearing in an ulnar nerve ligament--so it actually could have been much worse.

I started physical therapy Wednesday and have another appointment this afternoon, and will be
having PT for 3x/week for awhile for both my right hand and elbow. Right now my arm is in a custom
made plastic splint which I'm able to remove/loosen to type/write but otherwise I wear all the
time, including to bed. Since I'm writing you now, my right hand is actually doing pretty well
considering what happend. My right ring and pinkie fingers are moderately to considerably numb, the
other fingers are much better. The elbow is still swollen/painful, especially when I remove the
splint--but so far the IV antibiotics I had for 5 days in the hospital and at home are doing their
job and my incision is healing normally without any indication of infection.

I also lucked out as far as my orthopedic surgeon is concerned--the best *hand guy* in the area,
and he's also a team physician for W&M--so he's used to working with active folks. My hand
therapist is also a runner--no longer competes, but knew my boyfriend (who still does very well at
age 53) back 10-12 years ago when they were both top Masters runners around here. I've made it
clear to them that I can take all the therapy/pain they can give me during my rehabilitation.

So, although I'm counting my blessings that my injury wasn't worse, I still feel hampered by my
injury and am looking forward to being whole again!

Jean in VA

Hope you feel better and your elbow heels quickly.

Are your fingers going to stay numb or will that go away? Sometimes numb is better than
pain--although irritating.

Brenda

"Jean S. Barto" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:yotWa.4985$5f.2471@lakeread05...
: Hi folks--
:
: Been lurking the last 5 days or so since I fell off my racing bicycle
(long
: story, basically I couldn't get unclipped from the pedals fast enough) and fell directly on my
: boyfriend's curb with my right elbow. This happend
last
: Thursday nite, so I'm barely a week away from the injury. I'm back home
at
: my own house now, but have had rides/taxi rides when required this week
for
: medical visits/errands. I drove to the bank (just 1.5 miles each way) and it was OK, so even
: though I'm not really supposed to start driving yet,
I'm
: going to have to, so as not to go broke on taxi fare--the bus service here is atrocious!
:
: I went through the usual ambulance/ER/late nite surgery routine, along
with
: 1 1/2 days in the hospital, concluding with 2 days of in home IV therapy from Saturday afternoon
: till Monday evening. Luckily, the elbow was only severely dislocated, no broken bones/joints, and
: the surgeon repaired a slight tearing in an ulnar nerve ligament--so it actually could have been
: much worse.
:
: I started physical therapy Wednesday and have another appointment this afternoon, and will be
: having PT for 3x/week for awhile for both my right hand and elbow. Right now my arm is in a custom
: made plastic splint which I'm able to remove/loosen to type/write but otherwise I wear all the
: time, including to bed. Since I'm writing you now, my right hand is actually doing pretty well
: considering what happend. My right ring and pinkie fingers are moderately to considerably numb,
: the other fingers are much better. The elbow is still swollen/painful, especially when I remove
: the splint--but so far the IV antibiotics I had for 5 days in the hospital and at home are doing
: their job and my incision is healing normally without
any
: indication of infection.
:
: I also lucked out as far as my orthopedic surgeon is concerned--the best *hand guy* in the area,
: and he's also a team physician for W&M--so he's
used
: to working with active folks. My hand therapist is also a runner--no
longer
: competes, but knew my boyfriend (who still does very well at age 53) back 10-12 years ago when
: they were both top Masters runners around here. I've made it clear to them that I can take all the
: therapy/pain they can give
me
: during my rehabilitation.
:
: So, although I'm counting my blessings that my injury wasn't worse, I
still
: feel hampered by my injury and am looking forward to being whole again!
:
: Jean in VA
:
: --
: "If you are going through hell, keep going."
:
: Winston Churchill
:
:
:
:

The question is, what are you going to change regarding your type and use of pedal attachments when
you ride again? I've had several crashes at full speed with only minor scrapes. But, the three times
I've had bad injuries on a bike was when I fell over at zero speed or was walking a bike down a
muddy slope. The experience you've gained may help you prevent worse injuries later.

Steve McDonald

Thanks for writing--

You're right about the pedal system--If I keep that bike I'll get the same *mountain bike* type of
clipless pedals as are on my new hybrid bike--they are much easlier to release from than a more
conventional *road pedal* which is on my 1997 vintage Cannondale.

Even if I sell that bike and get another one (the bikes by Terry look good and are built in smaller
frames than most other manufacturers), I'll get the same type of *mountain bike* pedal system. They
are much easier to get out of, and in the two weeks I had my new hybrid bike I didn't have anything
approaching a release problem like I had with my road bike 10 days ago.

Jean in VA

"Steve McDonald" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The question is, what are you going to change regarding your type and use of pedal
attachments when you ride again? I've had several crashes at full speed with only minor
scrapes. But, the three times I've had bad injuries on a bike was when I fell over at zero
speed or was walking a bike down a muddy slope. The experience you've gained may help you
prevent worse injuries later.

Steve McDonald