The CASE of the PURPLE CAST
July 7, 2010 | Filed under: Uncategorized
Today I was at the fracture clinic for almost 4 hours-and the news wasn’t all that good. This is a totally new experience for me as I or any of my family haven’t ever had a bone break.
Upon arrival, I was sent to have another X-ray so that there can be a comparison to the one done when I was at emergency last week. While waiting for the doctor I looked at he film and could see a distinctive break in the ulna just above the wrist–not a hairline but a break!! The worst was yet to come. It was a displaced break and the bones were not lining up. The X-RAY THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT SHOWED NO DISPLACEMENT.
My understanding is that the ulna is not easy to stabilize so that there is no movement, especially after a displacement. So I could be facing surgery to do a repair. Now this accident happened last Fri. and I was sent home with my arm wrapped in a splint-with no cautions about limiting movement. I was to wait for a call from the fracture clinic but was shocked when told my appt. was going to be 6 days later (a week after my collision). Should I have been sent to the fracture clinic right away? Probably!
The doctor in charge of the clinic ordered a cast for me and there was an x-ray after the casting to see if the bones were lining up. I am to return in 2 weeks to see if the cast kept the bones together and if so, then no surgery. I am hoping for the best. My arm is again extremely painful and I hope that this subsides soon.
The only fun thing about this experience is having a purple cast. While plaster casts are still used, this new method involves wrapping a bandage type material around the limb which then hardens. And it comes in colours-hot pink, blue, green purple. It is lighter than plaster and therefore better for the summer BUT will it work as well? I will find out in 2 weeks!!