looking for some hope. Can't move my hand due to humerus fracture
Posted , 4 users are following.
i don't know how to start this, and i don't even know if someone is going to read this or not. Well, im 21 years old male who just broke my left humerus by the most stupid thing i've ever done and the biggest regret i've ever had in my life: arm wrestling. Well, my opposite was using his strongest arm while me (right handed) was using my weakest. Now it's almost a month after that horrible injury and by the 22th of this month it will be a month after i went on bone implant surgery. The doc said the implant can be permanently placed in my bone. Well everything sounds fine except the fact that I cant move my wrist and most of my fingers after the surgery. Fortunately I still can feel them tho'. The docter told me I had Radial Nerve Palsy which caused by the traumatic injury to the radial nerve. The surgery fixed my bone but gave me another problem. Every night I can't sleep wondering if I ever recover from this and the thoughts that I can't move my hand ever again is killing me. I had done several physioterapy exercises and my physioterapist told me I will recover soon. But when i looked into my dropped wrist suddenly i lose hope again. So if there's anyone out there who had recovered from the exact same case, please let me know there's still hope.
3 likes, 6 replies
devsmom susetio16
Posted
Hi, I'm sorry that anyone has to go through a painful recovery following an unexpected injury. Especially someone that is so young and feels they caused the problem. You have to forgive yourself. It is regrettable but it could be much worse. Remember you're just 21 and learning about good and bad decisions. You will recover. Your therapist said it will be soon. I'm no judge on a time frame for this type of injury but I do know that recovering from a broken bone takes time and much more time that we would like. I also know that I did all the exercises and more that my therapist recommended and over time they worked. The good sign is that you can feel your wrist and fingers. I exercised my hand in warm water. My fingers moved better because of the warmth and buoyancy of the water and improved quicker because of the resistance of the water. Eventually you will probably have to strengthen your wrist and do so with those elastic bands. Not sleeping doesn't help just remember healing takes longer than we want and you will have to WORK at it. Good luck. I'll send you good thoughts.
susetio16
Posted
your motivation means world to me, i think thank you is not enough but i cant find any other term to say, so thank you very much. Btw may I know what's your accident if you dont mind?
devsmom susetio16
Posted
The injury that required me to exercise my fingers was also caused by a stupid notion that I was still in my 20's and could do anything I thought that I could do. I didn't want to pay for a landscape/tree trimmer to cut back branches on some trees that had grown too close to the second floor of my house so I took on the project. I took a miss step and fell off of the retaining wall that I was standing on to reach the branches. I didn't break anything. I was bruised and scratched up and also severely sprained the fingers of my right hand. I couldn't close my hand or make a fist and I'm right handed. My ring finger was the worst and I'm afraid it took around a year to get it back to normal, but I was in my 60's and not young like you. Last year at 70 was my first broken bone and it was a total accident. I just was going down a step in my home, my ankle twisted and I hit the ground. Did you hear a terrible noise when your humerus broke? I did when my right foot 5th metatarsal broke. It was really horrible because I couldn't walk, couldn't drive, couldn't do anything. Cast up to my knee and non weight bearing for 4 weeks and on and on. But again I did all PT exercises and more and it took time but I'm back to my 4 times weekly step aerobic classes. Some in their 70's don't do as well but I'm very fit for my age. I know that you will be able to handle this and you will look back on it in 5 years as nothing more than a painful memory and learning experience. You are young and will recover beautifully provided you follow medical advise. It's easy to fall into a depression because healing takes so much time but every day do something new and fun. Don't wait to enjoy a day. Get out and talk to someone new. Go to the grocery store and ask that old lady (like me) to help you pick out apples that are sweet. You would make her day by talking to her and she will smile at you and that will make you feel good too. Or she could be an old grouch haha. So try again! You have my best wishes. Devs Mom
susetio16
Posted
reading all the details of your injury makes me feel so weak cuz mine is nothing compared to yours and reading all of your positive thoughts also makes me so weak because you're too strong to face all of that, i wish i could be as strong as you are. And yes, I heard the sound of my broken humerus, it was horrible. Thank you very much to let me know that there are still people who successfully got up from the hell, and I need to be one of them. Thank you
amanda94070 susetio16
Posted
I haven't had exactly the same injury but I felt exactly the same after breaking my wrist earlier this year. I had surgery after three weeks and the dressing removed after two weeks. I could just about close my hand and touch my fingers together but couldn't flex or rotate my wrist more than a few millimetres. I remember similar feelings of anxiety, regret and despair... I spent hours awake at night imagining the worst possible outcome. Six months later my recovery is still ongoing but I have regained full use of my hand and am working on building up strength.
It sounds to me like you may be experiencing a little depression related to your injury. I realised that in my case as I have experienced depression in the past so was able to manage the symptoms myself. If you are still struggling with your feelings in a couple of weeks I would encourage you to talk to a doctor as coping with a persistent low mood and anxiety will not help your physical recovery. I found the Headspace mindfulness programme really helpful... it does cost to subscribe but the first ten days are free so you could try it and work out whether it would work for you. Hopefully just recognising what you are going through will help.
Good luck.
k4thy susetio16
Posted
Hi, how are you getting on? I'm replying because I'm a few weeks behind you so this is very interesting. I snapped my left humerus two weeks ago (clean midshaft break and yes it went 'pop'!) but not as bad as you because no implant required - at least so far. I'n in a collar and cuff sling to let the bones align 'naturally'. Appointment at the fracture clinic Thursday to get an x ray and see how they look... I think my arm is still concave two weeks on. My left hand is swollen, I can move my fingers and wrist but can't grip anything - and it feels very sore all up my arm if I knock my hand or try to hold anything, That's radial nerve damage too I think. Sometimes if I move my arm in a certain way, the lower arm goes numb like I have an artificial limb which is both fascinating and scary.
Please don't beat yourself up about how you did this. I fell over playing netball and I'm 50 years old. I love running, can't wait to get back to it, but I can imagine all the people saying 'silly old fool playing netball at her age!' My mum's been saying 'sport is dangerous' for years. But it gives me pleasure. You are young, you'll bounce back... but feeling down is inevitably a result of the shock.
Anyway I'd be glad to hear how you are doing now.