HEALTH CARE IN AMERICA
or "How I learned a new definition for 'urgent care'".
I love to dance, and my favorite pastime is Country Western line dancing. So on Saturday night, July 3, I headed out to meet up with some friends and "tush push" the night away at a local honkytonk. After I was there a while, I zigged instead of zagging and ended up landing on my ass on the dance floor. I must have put out my hand to stop myself but I hit the floor pretty hard. Some people got me up and walked me back to my table. My left hand and arm were hurting pretty badly. But after a while, I got up and danced a little longer and then said goodnight and made the 40 minute drive home, single handed.
On Sunday afternoon (July 4) I decided I'd better get it xray'd, so I headed to the nearest urgent care center. I found that those nearby had either closed early because of the holiday, or had no radiologist on duty. I finally went directly to the ER and was able to be seen by a radiologist on duty relatively quickly. The xrays showed that I broke two bones in my wrist. Both the radius and the ulna are fractured.. The good news is the bones are in place. The better news is I don't need surgery. The bad news is I'll be in a cast for 6 weeks. The worse news is, they had no one available to make the cast due to the holiday. So I left there in a wrist brace and a sling. They gave me a referral and a prescription for pain killers but after driving to two pharmacies (yes, closed because of the holiday) I finally found a 24 hour Walgreens nearby. But then when I got home, I wasn't able to open the adult-proof medication bottle. Try that with a broken hand. I had to call a neighbor to open it.
It wasn't till Tuesday, July 6 that I was able to see an orthopedic specialist for an evaluation, again because of the holidays weekend. So I walked around with a broken wrist for a few days. He gave me a pretty pink cast and sent me on my way.
It's going to be a tricky 6 weeks because I now clearly understand why nature gave us two hands. I can't open a can or a bottle, or even a packet, let alone use a knife or manage to get into my clothing without getting tangled up. We work with one hand and hold with the other and that one ain't holdin'. For a few days I couldn't even pick up a piece of paper with that hand.
So my advice to you.... If you're going to break something check the calendar first and schedule it carefully to make sure it's not a holiday weekend. And next time someone says to me "See you on the dance floor", it's going to have a whole different meaning 
Happy 4th of July!
(The photo below is me following my audition for the 'Pretty in Pink" Cast (get it?)
22
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15 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.In the future, be careful pushing your tush around. Hope you get well perfect.
nicknotes
Level 8
July 12, 2021
1
It's a big load to manage 
@TheoryNumber3 Sounds exciting..... i love watching a well developed posterior moving with the music.
I sprained my thumb when my daughter was an infant. Try diapering a wriggling baby one handed. I ended up fatiguing the other hand severely because I am NOT left handed. Wish you lots of help for the next few weeks.
Larimar
Level 8
July 9, 2021
2
Yeah luckily it was my left wrist and I'm r handed. But I do worry about overtaxing the one that still works. Today I tried for ten minutes to open a new jar of peanut butter and finally gave up. I'll stand outside with it tomorrow and wait for a neighbor to pass by
I have broken my right wrist 2 separate times, and both at the same time once. Be careful not to re-injure it while it is still fragile. It doesn't take long to figure out how to use just one hand, it is difficult, but you get better as time goes on.
glennlab
Level 10
July 9, 2021
1
Be extra careful! My neighbor broke her wrist when she fell on her deck, and within months broke the other on when an overly friendly neighbor’s dog jumped up to say high and knocked her over. Unfortunately, both of hers required surgery and pins. Don’t let that happen to you!
Barnie2years
Level 8
July 9, 2021
2
Yikes. I hope not! I'll stay away from your neighbor's dog But it would take a really BIG dog to knock me over
Sorry about your injury but you can still go dancing!!! Just be careful.
silverotter11
Level 9
July 9, 2021
4
Yeah I'm a line dance junkie. I went last night, and yes, I was super careful!
My mum's one armed friend told her that the only thing she couldn't eventually figure out how to do one handed was to tie shoe laces. Get well soon.
MattHardy
Level 7
July 9, 2021
3
Oh yeah I found that tying a knot in anything is virtually impossible. At least now.
Stay safe and sane and fast recovery!!
Transition1
Level 7
July 9, 2021
2
Thanks... that's my wish
Holidays can be a real pain, I never forget that the original meaning of the word is Holy-Days, days for religious ritual. I keep thinking that, in the UK, now we are practically a post christian country, we should scrap the lot, and instead just make it a law that all companies have to give all employees ten extra days payed leave each year, to be taken when it suits them. That would make for more free and happier employees, get rid of the lost days when everything closes, allow people to travel when it was cheap, and cut out the high pressure peaks on the roads and in the travel industry.
Hope you are soon on the way to recovery.
Fernapple
Level 9
July 9, 2021
3
I like the way you think, Lady
But you've done a great job of typing ! Yes , you're not used to doing things one handed , but with a bit of thought , you may find you can do some new things with a little help from a foot or two . I've never had a broken hand , but I am drastically allergic to the poisoness plants , so have had a couple of instances where I couldn't use both hands for a couple of weeks . When I was very young , unfortunately my period started just after I contracted poison on both hands . Became heavily dependent on Mom again for that . So embarrassing !
Cast1es
Level 9
July 9, 2021
4
Thanks, @Cast1es but I'm using VTT. My left hand is virtually useless, but I've managed to McGiver my way out of a lot of situations.
Good luck and a speedy recovery.
xenoview
Level 8
July 9, 2021
3
Thank you!
At least it wasn't more severe or needed surgery
bobwjr
Level 10
July 9, 2021
2
I'm just really happy it wasn't a hip
I'm guessing it was termed a FOOSH (falling on outstretched hand) injury -- been there, done that. 
FearlessFly
Level 9
July 9, 2021
2
That's exactly what happened! FOOSH that! LOL
It's a shame about your misfortune, My wishes are for you to make a speedy recovery and hopefully not the same mistake again. 
oldFloyd
Level 8
July 9, 2021
3
Thank you so much!!
@TheoryNumber3 Most welcome.
Love your sense of humor! A funny, well-written post.
Sorry about your injury. After shoulder surgery, I learned how hard it is to live with one hand.
Try buttoning a shirt, washing dishes, opening a jar, or taking a pie out of the oven one-handed. Even cars are set up for right-handers. You guessed it, I'm left-handed.
The good news:
If you're right-handed, you will build new brain connections by using your left hand.
LiterateHiker
Level 9
July 9, 2021
6
Ahhhh an upside! Thank you @LiterateHiker How about doing your hair with one hand? That is a challenge I have not yet met successfully even with two hands!
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