My x-rays

valanhb

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I went to my orthopedic surgeon today to get the stitches removed and a hard cast put on (I got purple
), and was finally able to see a little of what was done to me. My incision is about 6" long, but I won't have much of a scar, if any. She did a fantastic job of stitching it up so it will be hardly noticeable. Interestingly, it was just one long string-thing (I know it's not really a string, but I don't know the technical word) instead of multiple stitches.

I was able to get a copy of the x-rays that they took right after the surgery. I think it's pretty cool, but maybe that's just because it happened to me.
I have a total of 7 screws, 6 perpendicular to the bone and one bi-laterally through the spot where the bone was cut out. She took out 3-5 mm of bone from my ulna to make it "right", and like I said in my other thread I felt the pain relieved from my wrist the afternoon of the surgery. First time in almost 6 months. It was definitely the right decision.

So anyway, here is the scan of the copy of the x-rays with the important stuff highlighted.
 

sarahp

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Oh wow, that is so cool!!! I'm so glad it finally got done and it worked so well
 

gailc

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Those screws look so big!! Its that about the size they really are??? How long to you have to have the cast on?? Physical therapy????

Glad that the pain is gone!!
 

coolcat

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Great New Heidi!

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
For better settle of you!
 

clixpix

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Holy cow! Look at all those screws!
What was your doctor's name? Frankenstein?
 

starryeyedtiger

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wow, those pictures just LOOK painful! You poor thing
i hope you feel better soon!
 

jcat

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Do you know what the screws are made of? The whole thing looks very "stable". Are you going to set off metal detectors? Can people sign your cast?
 

xocats

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You've gone bionic Heidi.


You will look very fashionable in your purple cast.
 

strange_wings

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I remember back around 93? maybe 94 when my dad shattered both of his wrists. It makes those screws look tiny - his were sticking out of his wrist with metal supports to stabilize everything. Very creepy looking, honestly.

I won't say that you'll have a pain free future for that wrist, I'm too much of a realist. There will likely be eventual osteo arthritis - but may you never have to go through pain like that again.

Once it's fully healed you could try taking fish oil as it's a natural anti inflammatory, if you still have some pain off and on. -None now though, I think that's not allowed after such surgeries.
 
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valanhb

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Originally Posted by GailC

Those screws look so big!! Its that about the size they really are??? How long to you have to have the cast on?? Physical therapy????

Glad that the pain is gone!!
Earl had that reaction to the plate.
They assured him that this is an extreme close-up view, and they do look bigger than they really are.


Originally Posted by clixpix

Holy cow! Look at all those screws!
What was your doctor's name? Frankenstein?
Leo, actually.
Appropriate to have a feline name for my surgeon, I thought.


Originally Posted by Sibohan2005

I'm glad it went well... now just think how many metal ditectors you can screw up
My husband suggested that I take the copy of my x-ray with me to the airport since it actually has my full name on it, so I can show security why I'm setting off the metal detector!


Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

wow, those pictures just LOOK painful! You poor thing
i hope you feel better soon!
Actually, it's really not bad any more. Obviously the first week was, and into the second week. I found that I was actually really hurting because the swelling had gone down and the brace-like thing (it was a 1/2 cast, with padding and Ace bandages around that, to accommodate the swelling following the surgery) was too loose, and I was moving WAY too much. Now that I'm in a hard cast, it actually feels a lot better.

Originally Posted by jcat

Do you know what the screws are made of? The whole thing looks very "stable". Are you going to set off metal detectors? Can people sign your cast?
I *think* the plate and screws are steel. I know it's a pretty hard metal. So yeah, I'm sure I'll set off all the detectors.

My cast is a really cool deep purple, almost eggplant, so I can't get signatures on it.


Originally Posted by xocats

You've gone bionic Heidi.


You will look very fashionable in your purple cast.
Well, maybe once it heals I'll just wrap people who annoy me on the head with my metal arm! Don't mess with the bionic mod!!!


Originally Posted by strange_wings

I remember back around 93? maybe 94 when my dad shattered both of his wrists. It makes those screws look tiny - his were sticking out of his wrist with metal supports to stabilize everything. Very creepy looking, honestly.

I won't say that you'll have a pain free future for that wrist, I'm too much of a realist. There will likely be eventual osteo arthritis - but may you never have to go through pain like that again.

Once it's fully healed you could try taking fish oil as it's a natural anti inflammatory, if you still have some pain off and on. -None now though, I think that's not allowed after such surgeries.
I'm sure there will be side effects of the procedure sometime far off, but you know, it's already better than what it was. I was all but absent here simply because by the end of the day I couldn't stand to think of typing.
Really sucked, honestly, and I really, REALLY missed being able to "talk" to everyone here! I could listen, but it just hurt too much to type replies.

And I know for sure that if I hadn't gotten the surgery, I would never have been able to competitively shoot again, because the range of motion in my left hand would have precluded me getting into any of the shooting positions with a rifle. Even cross stitching was painful. ALL of my fun stuff was gone!!!


So even right now, knowing that there's the possibility of issues later, I know it was the right decision. Even a healing broken bone feels a lot better than the pain I was in constantly before.
 

katachtig

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I'm so glad you did the surgery. It sounds like the pain has decreased significantly.
 

kittymonsters

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You definitely have some hardware there! They made a nice clean alignment where they removed the bone. Interesting that it looks like the cut was made on the diagonal.

While bones never heal perfectly, I have no doubt that the long term results of the surgery are going to be far less inhibiting than letting it go uncorrected.

It is a huge surgery, but sounds like it was so worth it already. I bet you can't wait to get back into competition. How long has this waylaid your shooting?

ETA: I think all the hardware is made of titanium.
 

glitch

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Everyone could sign the cast with a White-Out pen!! That would work!!! It would look really neat too! Im glad things are going good for you right now and I honestly wouldn't worry about what "could" or "could not" happen later! For all we know nothing negative will ever come from it, and I think everyone should think of the positives of the surgery!! Im glad you're feeling better and able to chat again!!
 
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