EMG, NCV, oh my!

The trauma from the fracture has improved, the swelling is finally better and after giving the traumatized radial nerve 6 weeks to settle down they are going to do the first EMG/NCV to figure out just how damaged the nerve is.

Let me warn you - this is NOT fun at all, but very necessary.  Unfortunately the news isn't good.  My radial nerve has sustained a severe injury.  I'm very lucky it doesn't appear to be completely dis-attached. There seems to be a very small strand of nerve remaining which is very good news!  The Dr. has no reason to feel that it won't recover at this point but once again it will "take a long time."  The damage appears to be above the elbow because my left triceps is also impacted.  Bummer.  They now tell me it will be a solid year before I get my hand back.

They will repeat the EMG around Halloween (which will be 5 months) and hope to see some progress.  Until then:  keep using the hand with the dynamic splint, work on straightening the wrist daily and remain patient!

6 weeks ... Let's check the progress!

I see the surgeon today for my six week post-op visit.  Let's check the progress ....

Elbow extension: 25 degrees - improvement of 15 degrees!
Elbow flexion: 104 degrees - improvement of 4 degrees!

Progress, albeit very slow, is good!  We will really ramp up the PT this week and I hope for some really great results now that we can really begin to push.  The pain in the area of my fracture is really great.  In fact, it's really not pain, but achy.  I find first thing in the morning is really the worst because the elbow has been resting on the pillow and it doesn't seem to appreciate the pressure.

The wrist and hand unfortunately show no improvement at all.  The surgeon really doesn't like that so I am scheduled for a nerve conductivity test (EMG) in a couple of days.  This will let him know not only the extent on the injury to the radial nerve, but also an idea on the location of the lesion on the nerve.  The PT is hopeful that the lesion is lower in the arm because of the feeling that I have in my forearm.  I hope so because at 1" a month, that is closer to the wrist and would mean a faster recovery.  I still have a lot of numbness in the thumb but I do believe it is getting better.

He ordered a "night extension splint" that involves stretching the arm as straight as possible, strapping it in and sleeping all night AND an elbow device for daytime use that involves bending it as far as it will go and locking it in place for 30 minutes at a time.   They both sound like torture devices but the Dr. said, "you won't like it, but you'll be fine because you're not a complainer."  Hahaha - - I guess I better not ruin my reputation by starting to whine now.  Darn!

my fingers are all puffy and swollen because of the
lack of use and blood flow.

wrist drop - without a brace this is my left hand

I am able to bend my fingers and make a fist but it
is very stiff - I'm sure the swelling doesn't help

this is what straightening my fingers looks like.  I am trying to
lift my fingers and wrist but it's impossible ...

"It's the ugliest thing you've ever seen"

That was what the PT told me when I went to get my new "night extension splint" made.  Really, what is uglier than the contraption I wear in public??

Okay - it's ugly.  But, that's beside the point.  It's painful!  Neither of my other splints fit over it to hold my wrist up so I've added an over-the-counter brace just to spice it up a bit.   Let me just say - there's no sleeping going on with this  .. PLEASE get straight soon!  What you can't see in the picture is the compression stocking that goes underneath because otherwise the elbow does not look human with the swelling that happens around the strap that cinches the elbow in.  Oh yes - - lookin' good!  :)

You tell me --- which is uglier?  Before you answer - remember that one is worn in public!

Hey, there's a Facebook group for this!

Whodda thunk it.  Just when I felt like the only one in the world with this type of injury I found a group on Facebook!  Okay, so there are only 42 members, but it is 42 "real" people who may be able to tell me what is in store for me.  Yay!

Anatomy lesson #3:  You don't have to have a traumatic injury like mine to suffer from radial nerve palsy.  A person can simply sleep funny and wake up with wrist drop.  They do have a different name for that - Saturday Night Palsy.  I find that really funny!  There are actually people on the FB page who got drunk, passed out and woke up with no use of their hand.  Ouch!  At least my story has a little more drama.

Don't get me wrong, it's really not funny.  I wouldn't wish this on anybody but they do have a much speedier recovery - it's usually a matter of weeks instead of months.  This whole experience has about driven me to drink but after reading what getting drunk got these people I'm glad I decided against that!  :)

And "a long time" really means ...

A really long time!  Anatomy lesson #2:  The radial nerve grows about an inch a month.  The physical therapist is saying that her experience tells her that it will be about 8 months for the radial nerve to recover.  8 months!  Ugh.  Of course my first question to her was, "Does this mean I will wear the contraption for 8 months?"  Yep.  I guess I already knew that answer. Quite honestly, the arm feels best when in the dynamic splint - it's just ugly!  More importantly, it draws a LOT of attention and I'm really kind of tired of explaining what I did to my arm.  I broke my arm.  Really bad.  Why can't that be enough?

Want to try something fun?

How about this.  Tie one arm behind your back and attempt to:

• Put a bra on (thank goodness for strapless summer dresses!)
• Squeeze shampoo into your hand - the same hand holding the bottle
• Style your hair with a blow dryer (I can brush my hair with one hand.  I can hold a hair dryer with one hand.  But, the act of doing both at the same time to get some kind of style ... it's not happening!)
• Apply suncreen - to both sides of your body
• Hold a camera to take summer vacation photos
• Lift a pot of spaghetti off the stove to drain.  (I thought I was very smart by using a large plastic cup to fill up the pan, but not very smart to think about what I would do with it once it was ready.)
• Drive a car.  This one can technically be done with one hand, but when the arm in question is stuck in one position and attached is a big contraption from the elbow down, there is no where to put the broken arm so driving ... nope.  Not yet, anyway.

Needless to say - this is ridiculous! I am really stuck in a place I don't feel comfortable.  It's a place where I need to ask for help with almost everything.  I hope this isn't going to take to long!

Let's stay focused!

The sun and sand are wonderful, but let's stay focused!  My range of motion in the elbow is showing NO improvement and it's time to check in with my surgeon.  We had a great conversation and he's pleased with the recovery of the elbow but it's time to call in the reinforcements .. physical therapy.  I still can't force the elbow to move but perhaps PT can get me further along.  A huge thank you to my friends at Peninsula Rehab and Sports Medicine in Ocean City.  I can walk - it's right across the street from our family beach house.  Let the fun begin!

The best prescription for my mental health!

Aunt Michele, Nikki & cousins

Happy 21st Birthday Nikki!