Extended break

[Scottietottie]

Wow! So do I Joe. I am really missing being able to drive. Have been spending a fortune on cabs to get to appointments. Hubby will only drive me somewhere if he feels like going and he doesn't feel like going many places.

[irish]

I am sorry that this is taking so long Scottie---you too Joe!!!

I guess I have a question. Do they generally align bones in adults and wait for them to heal. I guess that seems to be a practice more common in children as they heal so fast. I may be out of the loop about this. It is something that we should all know more about because of the autoimmune effect and healing issues. Thanks Irish

[Sleepy In Seattle]

My impression is that it depends on the break...if it's not a bad break and the bone ends meet reasonably well - and it can be immobilized effectively - they will let it heal on it's own.

In my case it was a bad fracture that ran vertically as well as horizontally, and on top of it I waited about 6 hours to seek medical attention (long story)...in that time, the tissue around the break swelled up and caused the bones to displace significantly - the only way to get it back together and hold it that way was to put in a plate and screws.

So I guess especially for autoimmune patients for whom surgery is especially risky, DON'T WAIT if you think you have a broken bone - it can sometimes make the difference between a simple cast and having to go through surgery and have metal implants. 

[Joe S.]

I broke my left leg. I have an automatic transmission. I can drive when Jan lets me have the car. I can not drive for a long time. Often have her drive if I had a long walk in a store.

[lighthouse33]

My mom had a clean break of the femur right below the ball of the hip - straight across - the surgeon put in three screws to hold the bone in place.  She's 74 yrs old and has no autoimmune issues.  But does have osteoporosis.  They just put a bandage over the incision site when she was at the hospital. 

She was supposed to have a follow-up appointment this week to see how it is healing but I think it had to be rescheduled because my dad has a radiation appointment.  We are down to only one driver in the family now.

A friend of ours told us that his mother broke the same hip twice.  Yikes!   Now that's scary!

[Scottietottie]

Hi Irish
The consultant did talk about possibly pinning the arm but said that as the bones were pretty well aligned he hoped they would heal naturally. I think cost probably comes into the equation, although he didn't say so.

Personally I feel the healing process would now be further on if he had pinned them. The arm is undoubtedly healing however. I can carry cups and plates now, which I couldn't manage a week ago. It has a way to go but I wouldn't like to have it pinned now!

Take care - Scottie 

[Meld256]

You are coming along, Scottie, if you can carry cups and plates now.  I guess as far as whether your arm should have been pinned or not, it would be hard to say at the beginning.  I certainly understand you feeling now that it would have been better and a shorter healing time if they had done it.

Just glad you are still improving...little bits at a time, right?

[quietdynamics]

Oh Scottie..so sorry about the break, but happy you are on the mend.
Unfortunately as we get older we do mend slower...

[susanep]

I too am glad you are on the mend. Getting older is a tad hard on us for sure.

susanep