On April 1st, I tripped up a curb and landed smack dab on my left elbow. I knew it was bad, since I hurt a loud crack and felt the worst pain I’d ever experienced. And I have lupus and fibromyalgia and had a baby. This pain beat them all out. After visiting a hospital in Virginia (my eleven-year-old son and I were headed to a quick Spring Break in northern Florida), I was fitted with a half-cast and given some Percocet for the long drive back to New Jersey. We stayed a couple days in Virginia, to give my arm a chance to stop throbbing, and to give my son a chance to hit the swimming pool and video room.
The next Monday, I had my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon that everyone recommended at the hospital where my husband works. He set me up for surgery and I set about getting all my “pre-op” chores done: an EKG, lab work, chest x-ray. On April 19th, I went into the hospital to have my surgery. May I say now that I adore my orthopedic surgeon? He’s lively, funny, but right on the money when it comes to surgery. I’ve worked with a lot of surgeons over the years as a critical care and trauma RN and I find most of them arrogant and cocky. Dr. Sabol is neither. It’s a sign of a truly good surgeon. No need to impress.
During the pre-op stage, I was greeted by the most friendly, funny nurses I’ve ever been around. They decided that falling up a curb was too boring of an injury, so we came up with pole dancing. It was those damned six-inch heels; I’m used to five-inch ones. After a touch of Versed, I had the whole O.R. laughing. A good way to start surgery.
When I woke up, I felt pretty good. The anesthesiologist had given me a block, essentially numbing my left shoulder and arm. It lasts about twelve hours. But then it wears off. That’s the bad part. That’s when the pain moves in and stays. My surgeon was fascinated with the fact that when I broke my radial head of the radius bone, it managed to rotate 180 degrees. He also found a small ulnar fracture that he didn’t see on x-ray. So, basically, he had to remove the radius head and replace it with a prosthetic device, which I got to see this past week when I had my follow up. My doctor was also impressed with the progress I had made in the range of motion of my elbow. I didn’t tell him that it meant taking drugs. There is only one position that I can sleep in and it takes about an hour to find it. And God forgive I have to get up in the middle of the night, to say, pee for example. That takes another hour away from sleeping. Thankfully, my son is getting better at getting up for school lately. Otherwise, he’d be late everyday.
At my latest follow-up visit, my surgeon ordered a radiation treatment to my left arm because there is a slight build-up of cartilage. Usually, he orders non-steroid, anti-inflammatory medications, but my kidneys are being affected by NSAIDS and my rheumatologist says no more. I’m not sure how much radiation I’ll get, but it will add to my life-time dose that I received from working in trauma and then oncology. I’m hoping it will help the pain.
You may see the pattern of pain management in this article. I think it’s because I’ve been in so much pain over the years from lupus and fibromyalgia, I’d like anything to decrease pain without narcotics. Right now I’m on LorTabs and OxyContin. Being a nurse, I like to be in control and want to know just how long this will last. A friend from high school, who I chat with on Facebook, said he’s has had four surgeries on his elbows. I wrote him a message tonight to see how long it will go on. I’m a little afraid to ask. Meanwhile, I am allowed in the warm water pool for my fibromyalgia, which is beginning to act up, mostly from not doing much activity. I’ll be in the pool on Monday, but not doing anything with my left arm. For now, my husband and son have to do all the chores and errands. And I would give anything to be able to do it myself.
