MRI scan 23 July , so caste on til 6 August, plus benifit games

Monday 22 June

I called MRI dept to ask if an appointment had been booked. Yes , 23 July.
I couldn't see why I was having MRI scan so long after the break; done on 9 June.
I was instructed to contact the fracture clinic once I had an appointment date, to book to see the DR.

I tried calling, but they are far too busy, tried various ways to access the booking system but none lead to the fracture clinic system.

Tuesday 23 June

I decided it would be wiser to go by bus and speak in person to the receptionists at the clinic as the date would leave me in a caste too long on my right wrist and my left was still in a soft splint and in need of a caste.

As I was about to leave my home, to catch a bus my friend whom is an OT called to see how I was regarding my first break. I informed her of my second break and what was occurring.

She told me how it was common to use one soft splint when both wrists are broken, especially when the person lived alone. I told her though that the Dr had asked how I would cope with both in plaster and I had told him i would manage somehow and so wanted both, in order to heal quick.

She told me the MRI scan would be done as a way of seeing my bone density and also to see what is going on with my wrist.

she told me people get stiff joints after break because the circulation is not good in the extremities and I should place it in cold and hot water, to help pump my circulation, in order to bring down swelling.  I did this and found it very helpful.
That is to place the swollen area in cold water for 30 sec, then hot for 30 secs, and repeat 7 times in all. eg 3 and half minutes total.

At the fracture clinic I informed to receptionist of the situation, she told me she would make a note of it for the Dr who was due in for clinic on Thursday. I said he wanted an appointment booked after MRI so she gave me one for 6 August. I expressed how that didn't sound correct as my wrist was broken 28 May, plus my left wrist was not going to be in plaster until then and needs to be.
She said she would make note of this.


Friday 26 June

I received 3 letters from the benefit agency.
1 saying my sick cert was only for a week, but it wasn't.
I noted the second was the form I had answered questions on the phone to when I addressed my claim, the previous Thursday 18 June, which was to start from the Monday 15 June.
In this I could see the worker had filled out stating it was until 22 June, not 22 July.

I called the office and discussed this matter with another worker and was told not to worry as that was normal; to give one weeks grace, therefore they had , and hadn't received the cert yet.

I then addressed the third letter I had received, stating I may get my benefits stopped as I had failed to attend the assessment for work on Monday, 22 June.





This I knew nothing of, plus it is not actually possible for them to have pre booked it, as I called only on the Thursday, so how was I supposed to have received notification of appointment prior to the following Monday, but it stated that I had until today Monday 29 June to explain my absence.
Which I add they required to be done by post as no number was on the letter/form I received.
I addressed it therefore with the worker I was discussing the other aspects of my claim with and she made note of it in my file.

here is the form.
 Plus as shown on the envelope it came in, it wasn't even posted until  Thursday 25 June, the day prior.

 

Also on Friday the Dr's secretary  called me as I had left a message on her voicemail on the Monday. she said they most likely would have informed the Dr on Thursday, if not come back to her.

Today is the following Monday and no post regarding it has arrived, therefore I most likely will be returning to the clinic tomorrow to ask what his response was.

Meanwhile the constant use of my legs without using my arms to get up has taken a toll on my back which is feeling weak, plus for some reason my legs are swelling around my ankles, calfs and knees,,,and this is causing stiffness and pain. Although I have purchased a large plastic box to fill outside with hot water and also have another filled with cold water and I am using to help reduce the swelling in the same way as I was instructed to do for my wrist.

My right wrist is feeling stronger and only hurts if I carry things too long now, and my left hurts still at certain angles and bearing weight, but otherwise the pain is much reduced.

Both wrists fractured awaiting MRI scan for left one

Tuesday 9 June

The next day after writing my last blog entry,on the 9th June I fell again; just walking along pavement with a friend. I tried to save my right wrist and landed on my right elbow, but my left hand landed with my palm, and this time my right knee took some of the fall.
My friend had to lift me up and both arms hurt.

I returned home but my left wrist felt broken so I took a taxi to a London A&E.
The nurse I think a senior, examined my wrist quickly and sent me for xray of both wrists as my right wrist was due to be xrayed again.

After a long wait I was seen by the same nurse. He told me neither wrist showed any fracture in xray.
I knowing from experience, told him I believed both were fractured, as the left one was more painful than the right had been.

he explained that the reason they xrayed again right wrist was because sometimes fractures to wrists dont show up straight away but do after 10-14 days; but it is not showing, but due to pain he put soft splint back on along with soft splint on left wrist.



I phoned the Occupational Therapist who is dealing with my case, and left a message on the Monday, and again on the Wednesday too say both my wrists are broken. I still have not heard from her.

I struggle to get dressed etc, lifting even a cup was painful, so I decided by the Sunday I would call my GP the following day to request a sick cert.



Monday 15 June

I called the surgery early and asked that a GP wrote  my sick cert and was told they would call me in the afternoon.

Then I went to Hospital that afternoon to my appointment with the eye specialist.
Last time he told me the tests did not show my eyes were seeing double vision, to which I informed him yes they do though at close range. So this time I decided to bring the image from my MRI scan I posted here previously that clearly shows my eyes are facing different directions. He looked at and said they look normal.
He examined the back of my eyes and said they are stable.
I still have double vision at close range.
he said come back in 6 months for check up.


I whilst at the hospital also went to Neuro dept to see see if I could arrange an earlier appointment to see my Neurologist, as I recently had SFEMG tests and now tripping over and breaking. Previously he had told me to do this as the appointments are so far away and I wouldn't be seen as priority.
They said my appointment is for October and now no new ones until next year. They told me they couldn't do anything about it but if my GP requested I was seen sooner they could bring forwards, so told me to ask GP to request.

I returned home and the phone rang, it was a GP.
He asked what work do I do, I said I'm a writer.
He replied that I can get some program that I can speak to and it would type.

I informed him that yes I can type on touch screen and will try to do some but it takes me half the day to get dressed so I am not able to do work as not much time left in day.
he agreed to write it , asked when to date from I said today would be fine.

I also informed him about how the Neurology dept had said for him to make request for me to speed things up. He said he would fax them the request.



Tuesday my back felt very weak from needing to continuously get up from sitting without holding anything. I also was feeling very tired.

Wednesday I collected the sick cert, it was given up to 22 July.


Thursday  18 June

I attended the fracture clinic.
The Dr straight away asked why was my right wrist in a soft splint.
I told him that in Cornwall they had said the fracture don't always show up but they put in splint anyhow.
he said but the xray you had last week shows it is fractured!!!!!

I told him how the nurse had said it didn't show any fracture but yes I knew it was for I know the feeling of.



He asked to see my other wrist which I showed him, it is still bruised (this is a photo I took of it a few days prior).


He said I needed to castes but was concerned with how I would manage.
He said he could do surgery on left so I wouldn't need 2 plastered, but i said No don't do surgery unless you have to. I have managed with 2 soft splints and a caste is not much different and still if he did surgery I will need something.

He said to get right wrist plastered and left wrist to have MRI scan.

I gave the form he wrote to nurse whom informed me the MRI dept would contact me with a appointment and that once I had one to contact them and they would book me back into the fracture clinic.

I also had the right wrist plastered.




I came home and made calls to all the relevant agencies re my benefit claims.

I am still awaiting my housing benefit to be paid, they said it will be paid on the 29 June, thats 3 months over due. The guy i spoke with said 'This is not normal practice, usually if they work out after payment date they pay what is owed ;say 2 weeks and then pay the rest later'. He said he would put in a request for it to be paid sooner.

All these things left me exhausted so on Friday I was not able to do much at all.
My body was shaking and jolting and vibrating inside.


Today Sunday 21 June

I still am awaiting contact re my MRI scan.
Left wrist still is quite painful if I try to lift anything or turn it in certain directions, the right wrist feels more comfortable in the caste, although a bit sore where it rubs at wrist because I am having to use it. I can lift light things but only from above angle.

Managed to buy some plastic sock things to put on my arms whilst I shower which I used today and was fine but can't hold things too well with, but nice to have shower.

Legs are a lot better, but tired.
Also I am sleeping loads.

Had tests, awaiting response, meanwhile fractured my wrist after tripping on kerb

Time for an update I feel.

I have been delaying as I have had tests but was waiting  for results but meanwhile fell and fractured my wrist so will update now.


 Following on from my last post I went for SFEMG tests

The Dr who carried out the tests said she could not see any noticeable signs of anything wrong, but would need to examine the results closely and then send results to my Neurologist.

Meanwhile I had been attending weekly appointments for deep muscle massage and it has been very helpful.

At first the lumber area of my back was very stiff and locked; had been so for what seemed like years, but once released didn't lock back again. This is brilliant and surprising. There was also a knotted muscle in my left shoulder blade which was unknotted.

Next the muscles in my left shoulder was very tight but the masseuse said that the problem was not really the shoulder but coming from the neck/base of skull so did much work on massaging my head.

My legs need much more work, the muscle at the back of my thigh was so locked and tight the masseuse chose to use some machine on it to unlock the muscle, as it required so much pressure. It did unlock but it didn't remain so after time, but locked back again, but not back to as bad as it was originally.
Also muscles were knotted in my calf's which she unlocked. 

The following week she worked on my arms where the tricep was knotted where it joins to my elbow, plus on my forarm at front knots were found to on both arms these knots occur. The the unknotting is very painful , but once done they no longer felt so tight.
prior to the massage of my arms I would find my hands clenched and muscles held very tight, but since them being first released I tried to refrain from holding them tight, and they have not been as bad.

Each week she alternates massaging either the top of me of the lower area. Each time my legs or arms were locked but less so, and after 6 sessions the leg muscles origianally locked were more relaxed, although then the front of my thigh muscles had knots forming, But the massage was being very effective.

My ankles remained weak and ached but not due to knots. She said my feet were too loose and were not straight.

My knees also remained weak.


So the massage is very helpful.

I started swimming and this really helped the swelling around my knees and was loosening them up.
I also helped to stretch out the muscles in my arms.

Then all now has had to stop, for I tripped on a kerb; something I often do, due to some lack of spacial awareness of my feet. I put my hands out to save myself , and landed with my palms on the ground and my left knee/shin it the floor too; and it is my left leg that is the weakest with the most swelling normally.
I felt the pain in my knee and right arm after and due to numerous breaks and fractures I recognised the feelings as that of a fracture, but was miles from a hosiptal so strapped my wrist and arm with some horse bandage and decided to see how it was the next day.

The following day it hurt the same as a fracture would. I needed to know what treatment it needed so I asked to be driven to the nearest hospital, I was far away from where I live in London, I was in Cornwall.

The Hospital examined my wrist and concluded it could be a fracture, they sent me for x rays, but said where the fracture is in my wrist may not show up in xray, so would put in splint anyway. It didn't show but was splinted. I was told to come back in 2 weeks and that I would not be able to drive with it or one arm.
 After a few days I asked that someone drove me and my car back to London as I was very limited there, not being able to drive or walk as my knee was very stiff and swollen after the fall.

I am having difficulty in London getting an appointment into the fracture clinic as such short notice, but have just discussed ways around the obsticle's  with a receptionist so all should run fine.

Obviously my swimming has had to stop and my massage too as I am unable to drive currently but once I get the all clear I will return to these things.

Since my fall my leg has gradually improved and I have massage with my left hand and used hot and cold compression on the swelling.

I am due next week to see my eye specialist re my double vision, which is a on going assessment check up.
I have recently obtained new glasses so all is best it can be. My double vision varies each day and is dependant on the distance I am viewing at as to how much it causes a problem; mainly being close range like reading is where it occurs most.