January (3)

18th

Got the puzzle done a lot harder than I thought it would be. Jamie-Lee will be very pleased when she sees it.


A lot of pain over the last few days, not where the breaks are either. Trying to keep busy doing what I can, but when that is restricted its not easy. The mouse I am having to use left handed and wonder why things are not doing what they should. Then I realise I am pressing the right button instead of the left one. As they are now reversed. Makes things a lot harder.


At last out with Summer and Paul. This is the first time this year. A lovely sunny cold frosty morning- it was great. I have said before I am not an indoor person.

Had my B12 injection, so that should boost things up a bit. Usually I can tell when its near, this time with not doing so much. I think my body is more rested.

21st

Not sure why, but I have a lot more pain today, took OXYNORM that always helps as it did this time. I have a cold too, bean coming on a few days. So far not too bad. Plippy ploppy ears and blocked up a a bit. Pain around eyes and cheeks, normal cold stuff.

I will be pleased when things are back to my normal, but with the nerve damage and 2 bad breaks it could be a while. I can move my fingers more than I did a few days ago, so that's a good sign, still swollen and a bit of bruising. I will know more in around 2 weeks time- when I see the Doctor again and after the wires are removed. 


23rd

This puzzle was so hard, only 108 pieces but took a few hours to do.

This one- 500 pieces- was quite easy did it in 2 days. A really nice picture.

23rd-

Poor Summer she has bean very anxious at night when I leave her at bed time. Crying and shaking. 

Last night she destroyed the curtains scratched the cupboard and bathroom doors. She did not do the flowers much good either. To start with I thought it was Tabby Cat upsetting her. Now when I have thought a bit more, I think it's my fall on New Years day. She was there when it happened and was very upset. The person she loves the most, screaming in pain then disappears for 3 days. This must have upset her a lot, she now panics when I go out of sight and gets upset more easily. Wayne said at Christmas, get one of the plug ins for her, Adaptil, at the time she was not anxious just Tabby cat upsetting her. So I did not get one. I spent the night down stairs, could not risk any more damage to her or the house.

24th

I have ordered an Adaptil plug in for her, should be here tomorrow- hope this will help her at night. Soon find out.

Paul spent the night with her and she was fine again.

25th 

Plug in came mid afternoon and was plugged in straight away. Bedtime she did not go in her basket but on the settee in the front room. I said where am I going to go, thinking I would be spending the night with her. She did not even lift her head, I said night Summer I am going to bed gave her a kiss and went up. No response from again. I listened as I left the bedroom door open a bit. Not a sound after quite a long time I went to sleep

26th 

Summer had a good night so everyone was pleased. She seems calmer. So hopefully she will be fine now. Thank you Wayne.

My pain is not as bad now and there is more movement in the fingers, still swollen, but I think things are on the up. The plaster is very tight at times and hot too. I now can do quite a lot with one hand, but hopefully soon be 2.  

Summer is now calmer, but night times she does not want in stay in the dining room in her basket. I leave the door open so she can choose where she sleeps.
The cat 2 doors away really upsets her and it cries at night. Summer thinks it needs help and gets very upset when she can not get to him.

28th

My arm at times is reasonable, other times very painful. More so at night, I feel like ripping the plaster off it hurts so much. My fingers and thumb are still very swollen. The plaster is very tight, I will be pleased when Monday comes for my hospital appointment. Whatever happens this plaster will be coming off. Now weather that will mean another plaster or wrist support, I do not know.

Finished another puzzle. 500 pieces This one was very easy, and was completed in 2 days.

31st

Not much difference to report. Very much the same here getting very bored now. At least my body is getting a rest.

Another puzzle done, again 500 pieces- this one was very hard to do, and a lot of the pieces fitted in 2 places. Paul got this one and another from the charity shop in town. Probably do that one next.

Well what can I say about this month, CRAP ---I think about sums it up. RSD is not helping, but when does it ever help more the opposite.

 Every year I say this one will be better, and it's not. I think this is the worst start and definitely the most painful one yet. I  just hope on Monday the news will be good.

I am pleased Summer has calmed down a bit, but there is still the cat at night and a lot of the day. I  think a quiet word with the neighbour might be called for. Well that's it for this month hope you are all as good as you can be.  All the very best Love Gill.

January (2) Up Date.

January 10th

My friend Jenny came yesterday and brought me some lovely flowers. Thank you Jenny..

 

Good to see her had a good chat. She said there are going to be a lot of changes at Age UK. Obviously I am not going to be there for a while now. Jenny and I were not able to work together much as over the past year we have both have bean off for various things. Hopefully soon we will be able to.

My arm is still very painful and I'm taking a lot of extra tablets. Trying to find things I can do with one hand, as I have not got much feeling in the fingers they will not grasp things YET. No knitting or sewing, hardly able to dress or wash myself. So life is a little slower than a few weeks ago. Doing a few crosswords and word searches, reading too.

My grandson Tommy-Lee has hurt his hand too. He has a broken knuckle and a displaced little finger. He needs to wear a  splint and strapping for a few weeks, then go back to the hospital to see if there is any improvement.

11th

Over night I had seizure, not a big one I don't think, but still not good. This is due to all the extra pain from my arm I would say. I have a bad headache and feel very tired and drained, all the signs I usually get after a seizure. I usually take it easy but I can not do much less than I am doing now. Tomorrow I will be fine so long as there are no more.

13th

I am doing a puzzle, a picture of 3 kittens in a garden urn. Lindsay and her family got me it for Christmas, Jamie-Lee chose it and was very excited when I opened it Christmas day. Bit harder with only one usable hand but I am getting some done.

I can feel the bone moving when I move my arm. Lindsay said it will be the wires moving. I know it hurts. One bad move on New Years day has a lot to answer for. Hopefully the nerves are recovering. I know it will take time and I am not good at recovering from any thing. I miss going out with Summer and I know she misses me taking her for a walk as well. She is still going out but you can tell she is wanting me to go with her, soon Pup soon. I did go with Andrew a few days ago but was very cold and my arm really hurt a lot. With having the plaster on restricts me to what I can wear. Bean mostly in my PJS. A lot easier than every day clothes.

15th

Hospital today to see how my arm is doing. X Ray first then the Doctor. He looked at the X Ray, and said things are improving, the damaged nerves look better than they did. I saw the X Ray and how the wires looked. I was hoping for a picture but not aloud. I am to go back in 3 weeks, and if things look good the wires will be removed. Next the plaster room for a full plaster over the back slab one. I could chose the colour, I went for a red one. The first plaster was not removed as this would has disturbed the wires too much as they were already in a good position. The pain was not too bad either. I was given a different sling too, but this rubbed my neck so using the first one I was given.

A cup of tea in the cafe then home. A lot of pain later shooting down to my fingers, and they swelled up too,  just as they were improving. Hopefully they will go down very soon.

Plastered.

17th

Spoke to Helen, she said Poppy her baby is doing well. Some of the clothes I made will probably not fit her now as she is 3 months old. With her being ill and in hospital a long time, Andrews attack, Paul's back operation, my fall, we have not bean able to see her yet. Only talking on the phone, but I so want to see Poppy.

Well that's the update- quite boring for me. Hopefully the next update will have a bit different read.
All the best and I hope your New Year was a bit better. Would be nice to get a few comments or just a few words from some of you and how you cope with your RSD. Just click on the letter at the bottom of the posts. This will take you to an email, then just write and I will get back to you.

 All the very best love Gill.

After Christmas and New Year. (1)

After Christmas and New Year.

27th

Kayleigh arrived at Newark station, Paul and an excited Wayne went to pick her up. Good to see her again.

I feel very drained today, hot and cold probably overdone things a bit so my body is complaining  loudly.

28th

Not feeling any better after a hot night for me and pain. Later I went to bed for a while so I hopefully would feel better. We have family coming for tea. After a rest I did not feel any better, worse I think. Hopefully things will be better tomorrow. Chatted to Wayne and Kayleigh but felt very strange.

29th

Not a good start passed out on the stairs and bashed my head. Not any better than yesterday as I hoped. WORSE.

Wayne and Kayleigh had decided to go home on the train not to be taken by Paul. He then can stay with me. I was mad, that I was not feeling good. Wayne could not take many of his presents, so that made it worse.
He phoned us up later and said he had somehow slipped between the platform and the rails and hurt his knee. Poor Wayne hope it's not too bad.

31st

Well last day of this year- what will next year bring? I am feeling a bit better but still not right.
I will not be sorry to see this year go as not the best. My knee opp, Paul back opp, Tommy-Lee's accident, plus Andrews's attack has not bean the best year. So next year hopefully will be better. 



1st January 2020

Around 3am I decided to go to bed. Did what I usually do--- then tripped over the flex from my recliner chair and went flying falling face down in AGONY. I think I hit my right wrist on the table leg, or fell on my wrist. My hand was hanging down, like it was not connected. Summer was licking my face. I screamed and screamed, the pain within a few minutes was full body.

Paul heard my cries and came down. He could see something was very wrong, Andrew also came down and tried to calm me. Paul rang for an Ambulance but there was a wait of around 3-4 hours. An hour or two for a paramedic..Paul decided to take me in the car. I was still on the floor and had to get up. The pain was the worst I have had for a while. I screamed every time I moved. After about 20 mls of OXYNORM and quite a while later I was able to get off the floor. Somehow I got into the back of the car half laid half sat. No seat belt on.  Paul had put a pillow around my arm. This did little to help and the pain was just getting worse. I felt very sick and was pleased when we got there. 46 people waiting most of them with bashed heads or limbs. An awful lot were drunk- the waiting time was 3-4 hours. An argument was going on between some of them so security had to step in to calm things down.

I felt very small and vulnerable thinking I had to sit there for that long. Paul went to the desk and told them how bad it was. I think they could see how much pain I was in. I was seen soon after.

The Doctor looked at my arm and just turned it and I screamed. He decided to inject it with LIDOCAINE to numb it. Waited a while and tried again but the same, he said there must be 2 breaks. Some more LIDOCAINE and GAS AND AIR, my hand and lower arm was dead to pain and any feeling. Off to X RAY. This made me feel very sick and light headed.

Back  to the Doctor-- 2 very bad breaks and nerve damage he thinks because I could not feel him touching my fingers. I would need an operation, today hopefully. Next a plaster on with the GAS and AIR. The LIDOCAINE was wearing off. The Doctor had to reduce it, (pulling it hard to get the bone in line again.) Very painful even with the GAS and AIR.

Waited for a bed on a ward, surgery I  found out would not be today first off tomorrow.
My fingers were black and very swollen, it hurt a lot now as the LIDOCAINE had worn off. Now in a very quiet ward with 3 other ladies.

The plaster was too tight now with all swelling. They had to cut the plaster halfway or I was in danger of losing my fingers. My daughter Lindsay helped them by holding my arm. More screams from me. By now my arm was in a sling type thing on a stand with my arm up right. This was to reduce swelling not much protection for the breaks though. A Doctor came to check my arm and said its still swollen. We need to cut it all the way down. Now I had no protection to my arm and it hurt like hell.

Soon after a Doctor (I use the term loosely DICK is more of a word I would use) came and twisted it round while in the sling. I told him if he touched it again I would hurt him, he said he was sorry. This hurt like hell for a long time. The rest of the night was not good I could hardly wait for the operation time to come.

2nd

Time has come to be taken down to theatre. Usual questions then in. The next thing I knew I was in the recovery and in pain.The Doctor gave me  pain medication through the drip, and said it would work almost instantly. This did not so I had to have the maximum amount. Soon I went back to the ward and was told what the Surgeon had done. My arm was manipulated and the 2 broken bones wired, to hold them together. I knew that they would use some sort metal like plates screws or both, so this was no surprise. Hopefully the pain and swelling will be less now and a better night.

3rd

Going home to day later after dinner so pleased, I have bean given a cuff like sling to wear and instructions on what to do and look for if things are going wrong. The car journey was not too good but hell of a lot better than when I came in. Summer was so pleased to see me. Poor thing she has seen me go so many times to hospital, and she never knows when I am coming home.

4th

A lot of pain most of the day, fingers are like very fat sausages. At least I have strong pain stuff, one thing where having RSD has sort of helped. I am having to go to bed when Paul goes so lay awake for a long time. I can listen to music but it's still a long time from my usual bedtime. PAIN-PAIN-PAIN all night it would not go despite taking a lot more MORPHINE than I should have. I think the RSD has a lot to do with it.

6th

Pain and swelling is up and down but still a lot more pain than I thought it would be after surgery.
I am typing all this with my left hand, this is a lot slower, but its either this or nothing. I have used this hand for quite a while now for carrying things as it's safer than the right which lets me a lot.

Andrew is improving but still off work a bit longer. Police are still investigating. Hopefully soon they will have something to tell us

I Will update this Blog every few days so you know how things are going.
All the best love Gill.