Voeller Kids...and other good stuff: 2016

Monday, September 12, 2016

Brody's kindergarten program

Mom breaks a finger - April 2016

One Thursday in April, while home alone with Reed, I fell down the stairs (for no real reason whatsoever) and ended up with a broken pinky.

My feet slipped off the front of the step and in my effort to catch myself and make sure Reed didn't fall as well, I landed on the side of my hand, breaking a bone in my pinky finger 3 different ways, all crossing each other in different ways. After seeing a hand doctor, I was scheduled for surgery to set the bones.

Right pinky, broken....

Left pinky, not broken.

Whole hand, puffy and bruised.

This is just a picture of my left hand and arm, showing all the bruising from the attempts the nurses made to get my IV started before surgery. That was honestly the worst part! After 5 nurses unsuccessfully poking and prodding me, they put me under with gas in the OR & did everything they needed to once I wasn't screaming. I suppose that was somewhat easier.

About 10 days post-surgery and the first time I'd seen this part of my hand since before surgery. It was in a hard cast the whole time and was in one for another week or more following this appointment where they removed my stitches.

Of course, this is my right hand, because who catches themselves when they fall with their non-dominant hand?

Things proved to be difficult for a while until I developed some skills with my left hand, surprisingly! However, shampooing one's hair in the shower, changing a diaper, cutting up chicken, all are quite difficult with one hand!

X-ray following removal of stitches!

The doctor put 4 screws in that one little bone and said it was the hardest time he had setting a bone. Luckily, the joints were not damaged!

After a couple of months of hand therapy, I have mostly full regular use of my finger and hand again, with minor aches now and then, and minimal awkwardness of a crooked finger!

I'm just glad Reed didn't get hurt and it wasn't worse!

Of everyone in our house, I am quite surprised I was the one to have a broken bone. Thankfully, it was me instead of anyone else!