Sunday 1 October 2017

Injury Scare.



About two months ago I awoke with a nasty pain in my upper right arm, up by my shoulder.

I imagine that I must have pulled or torn a muscle during the night, so I rested said arm for about three weeks, hoping it would heal.

Then our wood arrived, and I helped unload it without any problem; the arm seemed to have healed quite well, although I was still in some pain.

Rather stupidly, after my neighbours had left, I covered the wood with a tarpaulin, and moved a huge lump of tree trunk to hold it down at one end. As I was shifting the lump of wood I suddenly felt the most horrible tearing in my upper arm, and realised at once that I'd just undone the three weeks of healing. I was rightly furious with myself!

At this time of year there's so much that needs to be done. We still need to mow, there are logs to be sawn, the pool needed to be thoroughly cleaned and closed-down, and Haddock's needs to be weeded dug-over and tidied. Everything seems to require the use of strong arms. I felt totally buggered, and seriously wondered if the damage would be permanent; I could hardly lift my arm.

More than a month has now passed, and I have recently managed to start the mower without further damage, and I have also managed to start the chainsaw. I still have considerable pain in my upper arm, but I'm taking things gently, and am hoping that the pain will go in time. I still feel as if someone has given me a really hard punch on my arm.

I've been feeling quite depressed about this simple injury; not being able to complete all those Autumn/Winter tasks would have been disastrous. We rely 99% on sawn logs for our heating, etc.

I'm now feeling more confident, but I'm certainly not being complacent. It's permanently at the back of my mind that the same could easily happen again, and I'm praying that I can get through winter without that happening.



49 comments:

  1. Rather than continue to mess up your arm, is there not someone you could hire to take care of the wood for you? The garden can wait until spring if necessary. I do understand that the pool does need to be properly closed up. Any chance you should see a dr. or physiotherapist? Working through the pain might not be the best plan of action. Take care of yourself. -Jenn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shall see my doc' in a month's time, if it is still giving me trouble I'll ask him about it.

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  2. Had something similar and wound up with a "frozen shoulder" Lasted a year, extremely limited range of motion. Cortisone injection helped.

    Then almost a year to the day, it released.

    Sounds like you might have damaged your rotator cuff.

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    Replies
    1. I've just looked-up 'rotator cuff', and that sounds like it. I shall rest my arm as much as possible.

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  3. Nasty. A foretaste of old age. When I hurt my back I was very pleased that I had little to do that would aggravate the problem. Do take it as easy as you can.

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    Replies
    1. I'm more worried about not being able to do all that's necessary, than I am about my arm.

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  4. Very sad to read this. I hope you can find someone to help with the pool cleaning and the garden, till the arm heals.

    cheers, parsnip

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    Replies
    1. The pool has been done (painfully), the rest will have to wait.

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  5. Did you manage to get your wood cut?

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    Replies
    1. No, I'm leaving it for a while. I just tried to see if I could start the chainsaw; which I could. I have quite a lot of sawn logs in reserve, and we haven't lit any fires yet.

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  6. My unsolicited advice....
    While all the winter chores are demanding your attention right now, get some medical advice about your arm whether it is troubling you or not at your next doctor's visit.

    I rest my case Your Honour.

    Alphie

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    Replies
    1. I will take your advice, and see my quack at the end of October.

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    2. End of October is still a month ahead. Not a good decision. You seem to be a little bit stubborn. "Do it yourself" is wonderful, but sometimes you need a helping hand.

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    3. I have my own ways of doing things. Men don't like doctors!

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    4. Men don't like doctors, but they love to complain.

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    5. Just a statement , nothing else.

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  7. I know how much there is to do in your home but your body is telling you to slow down Cro. I wish it gets better soon.
    Greetings Maria x

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Maria. I suppose it's all part of the ageing process!

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  8. It will be a good idea to see your doctor Cro .... get it diagnosed properly so that it can be treated and then you will be fighting fit again !!! I’m just as bad though ..... although the paramedics checked me out last week, i didn’t go to my GP so my nose could be broken for all I know !!!! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your 'mishap' was highly visible; mine is invisible. I'm not sure what a doc' could see.

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  9. I hope every thing will be ok soon.

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  10. Wise words from Maria Cro. I am the same - try to cure myself rather than visit the doctor, especially with strains etc. You will have a weakness there and it will only heal properly so many times - so get somebody young and fit in to do those jobs.
    Incidentally I adore the ring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shall have to take things easy. No bravado for a while.

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  11. Our bodies are amazing and we forget this. I hope you stay well.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Marlene, I'm sure it'll be OK; eventually.

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  12. Sounds like a frozen shoulder to me. I had one and the pain is awful. Takes a while to get better but is now fine. There are exercises on the net but I ended up with acupuncture that helped a lot. Poor you.
    Briony
    x

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    Replies
    1. Lady Magnon suggested exercises; I've have a look.

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  13. Oh dear Cro. I tore the supraspinatus muscle (one of the four muscles that form the rotator cuff) in my left shoulder some years ago. I've had it scanned twice. After the first scan I was practically swabbed and ready for a surgical repair before I said no and although it took time to heal, a second scan showed that the muscle had knitted itself together. My tear was about three inches and I always felt I had to be careful not to aggravate the scar tissue which used to happen quite often, usually when doing the most everyday things. I did visit a physiotherapist but he was pretty useless. Fast forward to May last year and I came off my bicycle at 30mph riding downhill. I took most of the impact on my bad left shoulder and this time tore the subscapularis muscle that lies directly under the scapula (shoulder blade). I was severely impeded for nearly six months but found an excellent physiotherapist in November and after just four treatments I felt almost as good as new and my shoulder feels more stable now than it has done for years. So my advice is to find a really good physiotherapist (not easy I know) and keep the shoulder moving within your comfort zone. Don't do anything that makes it hurt, rest it as much as you can but keep using and moving it. You should be able to find simple exercises on line that are recommended for rotator cuff tears. Good luck, I really feel for you as I know how painful and debilitating shoulder injuries can be. But I also know how wonderful the human body is at mending itself with a little help from ourselves.

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    1. Gosh, it sounds as if you had it much worse than me. My natural feeling is to exercise it without over doing anything. I think this will be my answer. I'll see what happens!

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  14. Deep shoulder injuries take flipping ages to heal. Usually about 6 months.

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    Replies
    1. Just another four months to go then!

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    2. Rotator cuff injuries are awful and tak for ever. It took the best part of a year to recover from fearing mine trying to recline a business class seat on BA. I realise that this may be the ultimate middle class injury but it knackered me for a year. Then I did it again taking out a leylandii that blew over on Christmas Day and had to be sorted before it came through the roof, no tree surgeons at Christmas.

      Since then I have been careful, I have put my back out a few times since retiring but that only takes a week or two. My latest feet was to pull my Achilles' tendon at the beginning of august and have not been able to run since. I can now walk normally and hope it survives a week of hillwalking in Scotland.

      So rest the shoulder and look on this as an opportunity to improve your motor skills and strength on the left hand side.

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    3. You sound rather like me; falling apart bit by bit. I now have the obligatory bad back, bad knee, and bad shoulder. I wonder what'll be next?

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    4. Oh my, I hope it won't be the other knee and the other shoulder!

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  15. 4 weeks ago I had surgery on my right shoulder to repair a torn rotator cuff. The Dr. diagnosed it after reading a Cat Scan which showed the injury clearly. He said these types of injuries are only cured by physiotherapy in about 15% of younger patients. I opted for the surgery since I'm right handed and useless! the surgery took about 1 hour and I had 4-1 inch stitched holes in my shoulder! They used little cameras (arthroscopic surgery). It will take a while to totally heal but I'm able to do so much already! The only way this kind of tear heals without surgery is by scar tissue which still leaves painful movement. Hope you can get good info from your Dr.!

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    1. That's all rather depressing; maybe red wine will help.

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  16. I am not good at handling the changes of aging. I just feel I should be able to just do the things I always have. I have been fortunate but it is frustrating. Take care and see your Doc.

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  17. A glass of brandy with hot and cold compresses every two hours x three days - might help, if not a trip to a physiotherapist.

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    1. You should go into business Heron; I think you could be very successful.

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  18. Just buy a small pack of frozen peas when you next shop and rest with the pack on your arm when it next hurts.

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    Replies
    1. What does the cold actually do? I imagine it would numb the pain. Does it help heal too?

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  19. Woofers....they will do all the work for free and you feed and accomodate them. You have to be nice to them and not too bossy:)

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