When You Have an Injury, Are You A Good Patient Or Not?

I was thinking you meant if you get injured are you good about getting treatment - and I am about that. But I'm not so good about some of the rest of the stuff. For example, after my shoulder surgery in 2005, they told me not to drive for at LEAST a week, but 2 would be better. I was at the auto parts store on day 3 getting a ball on my steering wheel so I could drive the car one handed. Yes, I had to change gears with the left hand (see the crazy woman with her left hand in the steering wheel shifting from park to drive) but since it is an automatic, I wasn't trying to shift gears. You see, my mom wanted me to come over and how can you tell your mom you can't? I wasn't hauling stuff up stairs or anything like that, but I wasn't obeying doctor's orders either.... (Makes my shoulder hurt just thinking about that surgery.)

Pye- I know just how you feel. I've never been good with being cooked up in the house all day. When I was put on bedrest with our first child, I hated it. I would sneak out for car rides with my husband because I just needed time to get out of the house. Or we'd go to the pool anyway because I needed the fresh air. I so feel for your pain. I know you know that my husband suffers from chronic pain as a disabled Vet, and some days are worse than others. I can't imagine what it is like for you having carpal tunnel and a strain on top of it! Is there anyone that can bring your groceries up for you? You just keep care of yourself and heal, but if you need to sneak some time out, just try to keep that wrist on light duties. Namaste and healing sent your way- Anora

I used to go out of my mind. I would drive myself nuts over everything else I could be doing. But then I had a prolonged stay in the hospital (this was before I was on disablity). I pretty much had to learn to deal with it. I mean my parents would come visit me as would friends, but it isn't like they could stay forever. Especially since I was hospitalized for so long. Sometimes after tests (like a spinal tap that went wrong), I wouldn't even want anyone with me. I guess that sort of prepared me for everything that came next, ya know? I remember my dad had emergency surgery about three years ago. He had a blood clot in his neck (due to a botched procedure from a knuckled head doc). He is a go getter. I know a lot of people who think being a pastor is a Sunday job and that's it, but no way could anyone mistake that for my dad. He is always on the go. Because his income is so low and my mom is currently not working, he buys and sells cars for people. His friends give him money, he gets a deal, has it fixed (doing a lot of the work himself) and sells it for a profit. In addition, one might catch him fixing some congregation member's electrical problems (in college he worked as an electrician). He goes and visits people he doesn't even know in the hospital (he often gets calls from people who want someone to visit their loved one because they cannot be there). But for a month after that surgey he was not allowed to do much at all. And boy did he go nuts. I stayed there to help my mom take care of him. I have never seen anyone get like that! He looked at me one day, and asked me how I did it. I didn't know what he was talking about. He said he only had to be stuck inside for a month, but I had to do it all the time. The day the doctor said he could get back to normal things...well, we hardly saw him for a few weeks after that! lol

I am no good at being injured either.I try to do the same thing in a different way.I rarely stay home. Take it easy . Get well soon.

Well, at least you're going out...

My year-long ankle break flared up yesterday, making it hard to put my weight on it. Now, since I also take water pills, that means I need to make frequent (sometimes urgent) trips to the facilities. I used my mother's old walker all day until the pain relievers kicked in and gave me some relief. I didn't even try to navigate the flight and a half of stairs to go anywhere. I can relate, even if it's a different extremity.

I am a lousy patient, unless I am so sick I feel like dying. I am sorry your wrists are doing this major act up. I bought strap on wrist guards with magnets in them and I thing that they were helpful. I used some blue remedy gel but I believe the most helpful selection for relieving the pain was taking so many supplements. I take b-6, fish oil, and calcium/magnesium.

It is not as much about being a good patient as having some common sense. You have two wrists... Don't you? I remember when I was in my twenties... I did fell over... and hurted my right wrist in the process. I am a painter... and I could not go to work and paint. I sat home for one week... and being self-employed... that did not pay the bills. So I went back to work... and taught myself to paint with my left hand... which I did for about 10 days.

Hey pye - ARE YOU GOING OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND? I can only imagine opps not true I know what you are going through and not fun at all. I would love to know your special remedy - carpal tunnel myself for almost 15 years. Now it's really bad because I'm on the computer all day at work then come home and want to be on it more but sometimes just can't.

I must admit that I also occasionally sabotage my efforts at healing when I should know better by now, pyewacket. My problem is a bad arm from an old car accident injury. I had nerve damage and it has bothered me through the years, but seems to grow worse as I age. I know that I'm going to pay for it when I lift heavy objects around the apartment, but my stubborn nature tells me to go ahead and do it anyway(rather than waiting until someone comes over to help). I lifted a heavy chair a few days ago because I wanted it out of my bedroom and have been paying for it since then. My problem is just the opposite of yours, however, when it comes to getting out and about. My family is always on me about not going anywhere. I'm a real homebody.

I feel so bad that you are in pain, and in your hand no less. It really sucks when something like this happens, as it effects everything we do. I would be going nuts as well. In answer to your question, I am my own patient, and have nobody to take care of me. So I just whine to myself, and I never get to rest because I can't afford to take a day off from work, which sucks lol.

Hey Pye, Do you have any of that FREAKING MIND left? I try not to aggravate my injuries but sometimes my hubby doesn't make it very easy. He still wants me to do the things I can't do. Then gets upset that I'm not letting myself heal.Go figure!! I will tell you from personal experience, that if you don't give yourself time to heal that wrist, you'll have to eventually have surgery and hope that it's not too late. Nerve damage can eventually become permanent if not taken care of. I was lucky with my right wrist. But it took over a year to heal after the surgery. Now my left wrist is suffering with carpal tunnel. I have a wrist brace that my last ortho Dr. gave me and I wear it every night and sometimes during the day if my hand goes numb or becomes too painful. Sounds to me like you need to wear it all the time, especially when shopping. You also need one of those carts on wheels you can load up and pull up the stairs with the other arm. BTW strained, sprained and nerve damage like carpal tunnel are far more painful than broken bones. So, take care of yourself Pye. Hugssssssss leenie

I'm so sorry. I would offer you a Valium but I don't know how I would transmit it over the net. I can understand your frustration though. I've got three grand kids with the measles this week so of course they have to stay in out of the sun. Now I can get away because I have to go do my merchandising assignments and their Dad can get away because he has to go to class and sometimes he has jobs to do after class. But my daughter has to stay home with the kids and SHE'S GOING OUT OF HER FREAKING MIND. So we all know what you are talking about, my daughter more than the rest of us.

I am terrible at keeping still so that I can heal or overdoing it when I feel just a little bit better. Having fibromyalgia I feel bad most of the time so when I have a few hours of reprieve I go crazy trying to do all the things I normally cannot od, then I regret not being able to move the next day. You'd think I would learn from the past but no, I do it over and over. I never had a broken bone and even though I do have carpel tunnel it is asymptomatic right now so it doesn't bother me. It is frustrating when you can't do the activities you normally do. Humans were designed to move.

YES you mentioned that several times lol. Well when ya have to do things ya got to do them. I still say a wrist band for that would help you alot. your fingers can move but the other part stays pretty imboblie.(sp) and i do what I feel I am able to do. now I am doing more and more as I got tired of not doing. But some of my jobs around the house I handed over and I aint taking them back! lol Hugs and blessings

pye,are you going out of your freaking mind? i am to an extent.i'll get up and do things if they really need done and no one is helping me.i get frustrated and pissed off.my last 2 surgeries i had to get up a few times because they weren't keeping up on the dishes.i SO love maggots,y'know? yea, eew.it wasn't easy for me to get up unaided either,so by that time i was really angry.

Hi Pyewacket, I am not a good patient at all and get angry as just want to be able to do all the things I usually do. I had my hand crushed in an accident at the beginning of the year and it was just so frustrating not being able to do all the things I was usually able to do, luckily it was my left hand and I am right handed but it still stopped me from doing a fair amount. I had nerve damage also and even now I find my hand will go numb and have to stop typing so understand. Huggles. Ellie :D

Hi pye, It can't be much fun for having to stay indoors when the weather is just lovley and you can't use your hands to much to type, is there no one that you can call to help you with your shopping? I am a bit concern for you. I have broken my legs and then my wrist also my toes, which was so very painful but then again I have my hubby to do all the other things I can't. I pray theat you will be feeling ok again soon. Bright Blessings.

Hey pye! I am so sorry to hear that your wrist is still not getting any better! I do understand how frustrating it is for you! When you are used to doing things and you can't do them it is really hard to stop! And being that you are a writer and need the use of your wrist it is even more difficult! I broke my right shoulder two years ago! Now of course I am right handed! Now that was a nightmare! I had to learn to do everything with my left hand and arm! But, also I was not allowed to rest my right arm because if I did it would set in the wrong position! So I had to go for physical therapy from the second week on a move the broken shoulder immediately! Now that was painful! They made me lift it and move it even though it was broken! I have never had pain like that before! So be glad you didn't break your shoulder! So, no I am definitely not a good patient either!

Hi, I feel your pain. But as for your question I a good patient if any major or minor injury I happen to sustain. I have had several bike accidents and had been bed rested for a fortnight but was happy when the nurse would come to dress and push those sweet injection, I mean antibiotic ones.