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in 2003, my husband and I were in a very serious car accident. I was driving and lost control of the car going about 70mph on a slippery patch of interstate. The car spun across 2 lanes of traffic and then back across the same 2 lanes of traffic, where we then crashed into a bank of trees. As the car was spinning, I was trying to hold onto the steering wheel to stop the car careening. It snapped my left elbow, and there wasn't anything I could do. Funny thing, when it snapped, I didn't feel any pain at all. I guess it was adrenaline. When the car ended up in the trees, then the pain started. Thankfully, my husband wasn't seriously injured, just bruised. He was able to flag down a passing truck and get me help. (note: the next weekend, we travelled back to the accident site, and to where our car had been towed. The owner of the lot who was holding our car told us that the next week, another couple had been driving and had an accident in the EXACT same spot as our crash, and they had both been killed instantly. God was definitely looking out for us.)
We were within an hour of an excellent hospital known for their sports medicine. The doctors there assessed my injuries and determined that I would need surgery. Initially, there was no blood or cuts or anything on my left arm, only the fact that it dangled. I had broken every bone in my elbow. They said this was unusual. After a few hours, it swelled to such a proportion that the skin on the inside of my elbow split entirely, and caused a significant injury. They would not be able to stitch this, as the skin was like a kleenex. They wanted to wait a few days for the swelling to go down before they operated. When they did, they inserted a steel rod and 11 pins, which are still in my left arm to this day. I was able to heal the inside of my elbow by placing special tape on it to hold it together, and cleaning it regularly, and now it just looks like a more wrinkled version of what I had before. There is a long scar on the outside of my left arm where they inserted the rod and pins.
My husband and I had only been married less than a year, so this was a true test of our relationship at that point! He helped me go to the toilet, bathe me and wash my hair, dress me, fix my hair each day. In short, he was a godsend, and proved his love for me beyond anything I could imagine!
After the surgery, I was in a special cast for several months, and also underwent physical therapy for the better part of a year, 3 times a week. The cast was a specialized, very hard plastic, with velcro strips, so I could remove it for bathing. Other than while I was bathing, I had to keep it on all the time. I also had to support my arm with a pillow when I was sleeping or sitting. I can remember bringing that pillow with me to the movies, to help support it, and most people thinking I guess she's going to nap! The cast helped to keep my arm straight while it was healing. Apparently, the muscles want to bend. My injury happened when I was 44, and the doctor's prognosis was for a permanently bent arm. That I would not be able to completely straighten my arm again. He said this result was typical. After a time, the physical therapist reconfigured my cast and made it into a torture device that I had to use 3 times a day for an hour each time. I had to bend my arm to my neck as far as I could, and then alternately, straighten my arm as far as I could, both for long periods of time. This was very painful, but the only way that I could regain a full range of mobility. I would visit her 3 times a week, for an hour each time, and she would work my arm in all sorts of ways to get it going again. Thankfully, after all this work, I now have full range motion, and a very straight arm when I extend it. That was unexpected according to the Dr. Also, all during that year of healing, I would just get so tired so easily. So be prepared for that.
Now, when it is going to rain, or when I get very tired, my arm will just ache and ache. Also, there are times when I get shooting pains, very briefly in it, which they tell me is nerve regeneration. Its nothing that a few ibuprofen can't help along. I do still sleep with a pillow under my arm, as that is more comfortable for me. I can't just let it lay on the bed beside me at night. Also, when I am typing on the computer, I usually have a pillow under my left arm for support. Its more comfortable then too. I am not supposed to lift anything over 20lbs. on my left side. Whenever I try to lift something extra heavy, my arm will definitely let me know, and I either get someone else to help me, or figure something else out.
I've been told that many people who have had the rod and pins do have them removed after x-rays no longer detect any splits in the bone, and it has regenerated itself over the injury. I haven't been able to afford the surgery, as we don't have any health insurance. The initial surgery and therapy were all done on our dime, as we didn't have insurance then either. It was very expensive, and cost us dearly in many ways. (we need universal healthcare.)
Thank goodness your daughter has a husband, and YOU, living so close that you will be able to help her. Believe me, she will need it.
As a note, I was on painkillers, the Rush Limbaugh kind, oxycontin, for a very long time. I am also pre-disposed to depression. I noticed some of the symptoms returning, and a dear friend of mine cautioned that the pain killers were known to lead to depression. Also, having undergone serious injury, you are just open to it, so anything that makes it greater doesn't really help. I got off of the painkillers immediately, but this was after 2-3 months of being on them for severe pain. You just need them then. I luckily, was at a stage, where the pain was significant, but not as severe as it had been, and the symptoms of depression were impacting me badly. So I went to ibuprofen, and even though it still hurt, at least I worked my way out of the depression. Just a heads up for you to look for in your daughter.
All of you will be in my prayers and thoughts.... feel free to PM me if you have any other questions or concerns....:hug:
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