Broken left humerus Surgery and Suck: Depression Help!
Posted , 49 users are following.
So where do I begin. Maybe I should start with I am living in my own personal hell. Many say keep positive thoughts and to look at all the amazing people that surround and support me. Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful for my family, friends, and husband but some days seem hopeless. More days than others.
It has been 64 days since I broke my humerus in 5 different places. And about 61 days since a plate and pins has been surgically placed from my shoulder to my elbow. It all started on Sept 13th. I fell at one of my two jobs. The scary part is the job I was working at, at the time of my fall, I was working solo. As soon as I fell and heard that pop, I laid there screaming for help. Of course no one heard me so I mustered up enough courage to get up, in shock and hold my left arm in place with my right hand. I then called security telling them I am almost positive I broke my arm and to call an ambulance. Lets just say I was lucky to not have knocked myself out, because who knows when they would have founnd me. I count my blessings that I am alive.
Anyway the ambulance rushed me to the hospital where they cut off my sweatshirt and took x-rays. The whole situation felt surreal, like a nightmare. They soon after told me I had a spiral/oblique fracture to my distal humerus. The ortho PA on duty splinted me and told me to call the ortho that Monday for an appointment that Thursday. Unfortunately that Saturday night was a nightmare. I could literally feel my bone moving around and pain killers weren’t cutting it. My husband rushed me to an even closer ER the next morning. I had more x’rays done at the ER and was replinted. My husband even went out and bought a recliner since I couldn’t sleep anywhere else. I was then sent to the ortho for Monday. As soon as I entered the ortho on Monday I was set up for Surgery on Tuesday. The amount of pain I went through from when I broke it, up to surgery was excruciating all day long. So for the surgery I am grateful.
Did I ever tell you I never broke a bone in my life, nor did I ever go through surgery and anesthesia before. Going into surgery was probably the scariest moment of my life ever. However I was out for the count in a matter of seconds. While I was under my doctor found not one, not two, but five breaks coming off my spiral break. This lead to the surgery to last 7 hours instead of 3 hours. A plate and several pins were placed from my shoulder to elbow.
So you might be thinking well Lauren you had surgery and are no longer in excruciating pain every moment so whats wrong. Firstly I still get pain, just different kind and did still take pain meds for it. Also during the surgery the doc had to move over my radial nerve so I couldn’t move my fingers too well after the surgery. I now have radial palsy meaning weakness in the radial nerve. For the first 5 weeks I was in a splint with splint changes each week. My fingers can move a little better now but my thumb is still completely numb. But lucky part is my incision healed well; no infection etc.
This past couple of weeks have been one of the scariest. My ortho introduced me to a physical therapist and he said I needed to start moving my arm or I would be stuck with a bent arm that can’t turn over forever and at the same time the doc saw updated x-rays and my bones haven’t fused yet or even started. He needs a cat scan by week 12. Therefore the doc wants me to move my arm on my own using my good arm, but not too hard because he doesn’t want the plate coming out by accident and then he has to God forbid do another surgery. He doesn’t want me doing physical therapy yet because he is afraid it be too rough and will pull out my plate and pins. So definitely scares me when my doc wants me to wait for PT, move my arm on my own, and me now being afraid of it staying like this forever.
Basically I am in a make shift splint for the next two weeks. It is a half splint with ace bandage around it. Everynight my husband takes the splint off and I move my arm ever so slightly with my good arm.
I miss work, and doing normal things with friends without being in pain or nausea. I hate having people doing everything for me including me simple tasks of bathing and pulling my pants down to go to the bathroom. It is embarrassing and dehumanizing. I just want to get better sooner or just better at all.
Added stress I was taking too many percoset so I went cold turkey and went through all the withdrawal symptoms physically. But mentally I am more depressed then ever. I am so worried of never getting better,
I am scared sh*tless and just wish I knew someone who experienced the same trauma so I don’t feel alone. I am scared the feeling and movement won’t come back. I can’t be like this forever. I am already a mess, crying every moment.
7 likes, 154 replies
alice77469 Brokenwings29
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OMG ! I recently was in a motorcycle crash ! Shattered left humerus, broke left arm 4 places . Right wrist broke left and right bones 3 fingers ! I have 14 screws, wire and plate in left arm . I like you have the same limitations and it's driving me crazy! My left arm was only braced with a brace I can take off and on , surgeons said due to restrictions of left arm they did not do surgery on right hand! I'm thankful for that! I I was riding my doorstep aroung 11 in daytime a buck ran in front of me ! I ended up down a 30 foot embankment where Know one could see or hear me. I crawled about 200 feet to my bike as my cell phone was on my bike. Compound breaks on left . I am thankful I'm alive ! But honestly I am going crazy with the same issues you are having with left humerus and breaks!
sandy39611 alice77469
Posted
I'm so sorry Alice yes ur lucky to be alive. I'm post op 1 year and still in therapy. And im an occupational therapist at that
it takes a LONG time. Be patient. I KNOW it sux 2 hear that bc everyone told me. But i promise u. U will be disappointed if things are not going fast enough and that will take ur mind to another level. I hope u recover ASAP but im telling u its a long road to recovery 
alice77469 sandy39611
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Wow! A long time ? I hate waiting! I have always been on the go! This has stoped me being productive ' I flip homes for a living! I just can not stand this confinement of not using my hands ! How long is a long time? 6 months ? Or more? I value your opinion as your a P.T. An educated guess would really be appreciated! Please and thank you! Alice
betty47942 alice77469
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alice77469 betty47942
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Hello Betty ! Well darn it all I will say one thing and that is this injury will work ones last nerve! Just so frustrating! But my accident was may 9 2017 @ approximately 11.15 late morning! Well in the beginning I thought oh my am I going to have my left arm stuck to my side like this for ever? Am I ever going to have any use of it at all? Well Imust say I have done exactly what my occupational therapist asks and I can move that darn arm !! Now I'm not pitching baseball but I'm happy that I can move it up and down 60 degrees, out to the side about 6 inches, I can do arm curls as of today using only a can of soup for correct weight, I can wash under my other arm , I can shampoo left sides of my head !!! So don't give up you shall make progress it's just so much of a long healing process. Thank you for your kind words !👍 Glad my posts helped ! I wish you the best keep positive ! Heal well ! Alice
cathy82931 alice77469
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bubbles46 sandy39611
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betty47942 Brokenwings29
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lamichigan Brokenwings29
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My sakes, you went through Hell! I fell into an inflatable water obstacle course, which looked harmless and I am a healthy, physically fit 46 yr old. I dislocated, snapped off and crushed my humerus 18 June 2017. I never broke any other bone, than my nose.
I was crying yesterday thinking that I would be trapped with a gimpy right hand&arm forever. This morning , 1 week out,my Dr took X-rays and said it's healing well. But healing from this will take TIME, meds to wake up angry nerves, suppliments: T-Relief, Vit C, ALL the B Vits and gentle physical therapy.
Did you get a pressure sore? I have just found one on my elbow. This injury blows!
alice77469 lamichigan
Posted
Hello ! I'm making progress but honestly it's a long healing process!! Be patient! I know it's a living hell , your best friend is going to be physical therapy along with occupational therapy! It's baby steps forward with this type of injury ! It's so hard not having the use of an arm , hand . I wish you a successful healing process. Make sure you do exactly what your P.T & O.T ask you to do. and I can't express the importance of exactly enough . You will get better and you got a good report from your Doctor so that's very good . And darn it all ya know I did get a sore!!! Take care and I wish you the very best !
alice77469 Brokenwings29
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Hello brokenwing sounds like you are having a very difficult healing process! I truely feel for you! I on may 9th had a urge buck run in front of me. I was riding my 94 beautiful custom sportster. Along a beautiful back road at approximately 11.15 daytime. II am a retired Tractor Trailer driver plus I have rode bikes since age 13. I am now 60 yrs young🤗. I saw the buck amongst the wooded area on left of road. The next thing I saw was my left shoulder go behind my neck , completely out of sight. I then remembered trying to lay my bike down on the left as I thought it best to slide across a small amount of pavement and into the soft grass covered ground to the right of me. The next thing I remember was my Harley helmet hitting the pavement with Extreme force! my mind said Oh my god I just escaped death!!! Thank you god!! I then grabbed my chin straps on helmet just to make sure that helmet did not leave my head!! Then all of a sudden the huge buck and I were rolling through the air with our bodies touching. As we spun through the air like a dance we then started hitting the black pavement with extreme force! One hard hit after another . Each time our bodies slammed the pavement I saw my right knuckles hit and break then went my right wrist twist in a direction it's not supposed to! The back of my right hand covered in leather gloves slid across pavement shredding the glove. All of a sudden I'm in the air and BAM now my knees are getting slammed! I at this time tried to protect myself and got in a fetal position,atleast I tried to. Now my mind is telling me I'm not going to survive all these severe hits on the pavement! I'm going to die! IAt this time I rember being so high up in the air as I was coming down at such a fast speed looking and only seeing pavement, it seemed like it took forever till my body slammed into the pavement this time! My eyes saw my right shoulder pound the road , now I'm looking at bones sticking out of left shoulder . Keep in mind the huge buck and I are still side by side .I knew I was getting ready to meet god at this point! I thought of my beautiful presious Daughter and said I don't want to die yet! How am I going to protect my self to survive to hug my daughter again? I grabbed the huge buck wrapping my right hand and right leg around him! He also must have been thinking how he was going to survive as he instantly wrapped all four paws and feet around me ! I felt his soft underbelly. The next hit I felt was very soft like a pillow and at this point all my mind said is oh that hit didn't hurt , thanking the buck as it was obvious he was now taking all the severe blows to the pavement and with every hit afterwards it was ever so soft and And cushioned,non painful to me! Oh my god Thank you so much as now I'm thanking the buck and my god. Next I awoke on the ground thinking am I in heaven? Am Ialive? Did I die? Did I survive? Where's the buck? As I'm laying flat on my back gently tilted my head to the right looking for the buck, he's knowwhere in my sight? Hm I hope he's ok? I look at my body laying on the ground down a 30 foot embankment, I go to stand up thinking I'm going to get up walk and see if I'm in heaven ? As I went toget up my left arm was in what looked like 5 different positions, I had blood pouring out of left shoulder , now I'm saying I'm not in heaven I'm not dead but I'm in trouble ! My mind says Alice view your damages be I remove my helmet careful, At this point I now realize I'm not walking anywhere! I go too remove my helmet then realizing my right hand , wrists knuckles, fingers are broke! I pushed myself undid my helmet straps at the same time remembering that hit on the pavement! I look for my bike don't see it? I look again as I'm laying flat on my back ! I see it ! It's right next to me , as I reach for it , it's gone? I go to reach for it again and I see my bike and the motor is purring like a Harley only it's about 200 feet away from me , behind my head! I hear cars on the road drive past me up the 30 foot embankment, with every passing vehicle I yell HELP! HELP! I see blood pouring out of my left shoulder! Now I'm thinking get my sunglasses from around my neck and use the sunglasses cord and tie a tourniquet and stop or slow the blood! Tried this for about 1 minute and realized this is not going to work as I have severe breaks on right hand and left arm and shoulder. Next I grabbed my helmet pulled the material away tried to get styrofoam out of helmet to put in the hole in my right shoulder. I was not able to get enough styrofoam out to fill hole that The surgeons believe the bucks rack did as it's an entrance wound not an exit wound ! I crawled inch by inch to my bike as that's where my cell phone is, yup In a small leather bag on front of bike ! Before I left I took a small bungee cord and wrapped it around the leather bag securing my phone ! I'm hoping my phone is still in leather pouch ? I'm hoping it works after the accident ? How am I ever going to get to my bike and call 911 ?? As I lay flat on my back I take my right hand and secure helmet to my right elbow as I'm thinking it has a chrome buckle for reflection it can hold water it has enough of a broken hard plastic 1 inch sun shield I could use for surgery on myself? Just in survival mode now! The first inch crawled hurt so so so bad as I took my right hand and dug into the dirt pulling my body an inch or so at a time . I kept waking up throughout this process thinking this is more painful then CHILDBIRTH !!! As I awoke several times vomiting and losing control of My bodily functions I thought of my daughter! I thought of her going to my funeral 😪 I said I can't let that happen but I don't think I can make it to my bike and phone? Then all of a sudden I saw myself sitting up and someone one sitting by my left side? He said go get your phone Alice, I said it hurts so bad. He said you can make it to your bike ! Your not ready yet you still have more good things to do here on this earth! Then I knew who was sitting next to me talking with me! Next was my Mother who died a few years ago, My mother was on my right side , mom said Alice get your ass to that bike and hurry up you don't have much time . Next I awake again thinking of my god said I can make it to my bike Then I can! Plus my mom said hurry up ! AndI finally got to my bike got the phone out of pouch and started crying!! But then I stopped crying knowing I must reserve any energy. I thought what if I had my phone in my pants pocket? I called 911 the dispatcher kept waking me up calling my name a state trooper arrived within 3 minutes at this point my head is resting on front motorcycle spoke with the bike now off and pouring gas on a hot motor! That State trooper moved the bike put a rubber glove on and stuck his fingers in the bleeding hole on my left shoulder ! As he did I said NO NO NO STOP IT HURTS SO BAD PLEASE STOP??? His response I know it hurts but your bleeding bad and this is going to save your life! He was correct and saved my life!! Left severe shattered humerus along with 4 severe broken bones compound fractures, Right wrists broke in both sides knuckles and fingers broke . Although the buck may have caused this accident he also saved my life! X-rays yesterday showed right side healing good but left side NOT healing well at all ! I thank god and the buck along with an Angel of a state trooper! All the law enforcement who aided me on site and the medavac team and the great Trauma Surgeons ,E.R Doctor , Nurses and especially the Nurses aids who were all just so dedicated and caring ! And last of all THANKYOU MOM!!
jo_ann47226 alice77469
Posted
Wow! You are so blessed to be here! How are you doing? And are you healing well?
I fell jogging 3 weeks ago on pavement and broke my proxmil humores bone on my dominant side and thought I was bad until I read your story. It’s very difficult and I have a long road ahead and would like to hear how you are.
Bless that buck and of course thanks to God first and your mother watching over you!
Jo Ann 🌷
kwolfxo Brokenwings29
Posted
Well, you definitely aren't alone. I am a 21 year old female who has experienced a broken shaft humerus on July 1st 2017. I just underwent surgery yesterday July 6th 2017. I had a plate and six screws placed. I am laying here in bed 3:45 a.m. Wide Awake. I was given a nerve blocker before surgery and the nerve blocker is wearing off. I'm pretty sure I was in less pain before surgery with the broken arm that they were not able to set. I suffered nerve damage to my radial nerve. The nerve was stretched and tented around my bone. I am to see the surgeon in 10 days for my follow-up appointment. I was horseback riding when I broke my arm. We had been jumping and after the jump I lost control of the horse the horse went left and I slid off landing on my left arm. The pain I am experiencing right now is almost unbearable. I was not told that my plate and screws would ever be removed. I have a wrist splint on because I am suffering from drop wrist and I am unable to move my hand and fingers. I like to think I'm lucky it wasn't my dominant arm or worse it could have been my neck. I have broken bones before so this is all too relevant for me. However I don't recall the pain being this bad. Praying everyone had a fast and speedy recovery and I hope I will too.
alice77469 kwolfxo
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Aw sweetie I don't think that much pain is normal ? Although I was in hospital for three weeks and they did give me I.V pain meds ? You should call your doc or the oncall physician and explain to he or she how much pain you are in !
cathy82931 kwolfxo
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How are you doing now? I broke my right humerus on 7/2/17, the doctors felt that I had a good chance of it healing with a compression splint & a brace. Was just at Ortho last week & there is still a 1/4" gap between the break, & i can still feel the bones moving, the swelling in my hand is getting worse. Has anyone here recovered without surgery?
alp13 kwolfxo
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Hi kwolfxo, you need to keep trying moving your fingers and hand, even through the pain. Your nerves will start to recover but only if you keep at it. I had a drop foot due to severed nerve during surgery, and could not feel my toes or lift my foot. I was told it will never improve because the nerve was severed, but I have tried and tried several times every day to move my toes, and one day my big toe moved! Only a tiny bit, but from then on it improved and improved. It never came back completely, but I can move my foot and toes. I was only in my early twenties then as well. Do keep trying, even if everybody else tells you there's no point. It is quite suprising how much nerves can actually recover and even regrow. Good luck!
bubbles46 kwolfxo
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sandy39611 cathy82931
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They wanted to do that to me. I said he'll no I found a surgeon that wud operate. But it was a long road to recovery. Be careful my surgeon wrote my radial nerve was trapped in my fracture. Had the other surgeon done the conservative approach with the compression tension thing my radial nerve wud have split in half.
sandy39611 kwolfxo
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claire54323 kwolfxo
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whitney31040 claire54323
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Hi Claire, that's how I broke my arm too, fell off my horse, smh.
Sounds like our stories are very similar, they were trying to let mine heal on it's own, even thought the bones didn't align hardly at all. I ended up having surgery and so far recovery has been great! I took me only 3 weeks to get the movement it took me 3 months to get back. I still have some numbness, but no nerve damage. I wish I would have had the surgery from the get go. I hope this helps. Feel free to shoot me any questions. I posted pics of my break and then my incision and the plate they put in my arm. I am extremely happy with the results thus far! 
claire54323 whitney31040
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whitney31040 claire54323
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I had my surgery done on a Thursday and went back to work Monday. I have a desk job so it wasn't a big deal to sit there and type with one hand for a week, then I had a week off for Christmas. The surgery can be done as an outpatient procedure. I had originally planned to go home Thursday night, but the anesthesia made me really nauseous so they kept me over night. The pain killers they had me on kind of knocked me out, so I had to quit taking those in order to go back to work and just take Tylenol. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but was exhausted by the end of the day. I actually had to take a nap on my lunch everyday to make it through that fist week back. I don't want to paint you a picture that it's all easy sailing after surgery, it def hurt and sucked at times. The first few days after i was taking my pain meds every 4 hours and almost in tears 30 minutes before I could take them. But the recovery went so much faster. I am now 4 weeks after surgery and don't have to take anything for pain and have awesome movement. It is such a joy to actually be able to put my hair up again! I understand your fear, I was nervous too. I had a great surgeon. Talk to your doctor, if you don't feel right with him/her, get a second opinion. Hope all goes well for you!
SF68THR claire54323
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claire54323 SF68THR
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It has just been such a long process, only wish I had had the operation sooner. It’s a bad bone to break and can take months to heal so I know exactly what you are going through. Keep your chin up. XX
lorraine07416 claire54323
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I'ts been 3 weeks since my surgery and i now i have radial nerve damage and can't move my had.My Dr wants me to go to physical therapy, has anyone had physical therapy? I don;t know if i can afford to go more that 1 day a week,even tho they want me to go 2 or 3 days a week,Don't know if it would really help..What should i do....