Around 06/15 I was pushing the riding mower into the garage... and had pushed my left arm against the side metal bar of the push mower. About 3 inches below my elbow ran against that bar until it hit my nerve which shot that lovely feeling all the way down into my last two fingers of my hand. It brought tears to my eyes and for a brief moment, I didn't know whether or not to laugh or cry. It consistantly 'ached' and I thought I had aggravated the lovely problems I have with my elbows anyway. It had been awhile since I had an injection and thought I could tough it out. About 2 weeks later after losing sleep and the 'ache' not getting any better I called Dr. Barrie at Triangle Orthopedics. The soonest appt was 4 weeks away. What! Well, actually their times wouldn't fit my schedule, so I took the 07/15 appt. After a week, I couldn't take it and moved the appt up to anything she had available because it was getting to be a pain. It got moved up to 07/08. After some xrays and her 'poking' around, no fracture and no inflammation from the endocondilitis... so what in the world? She said 'bone contusion'. Ok.. ill go for that, as long as it gets better. She placed me on flector patches, which were fairly new anti-inflammatory patches and 6trips to occupational therapy. WHAT? I do NOT need OT. So did i go? Well, not the 1st week.. but gave in and actually went twice last week and finished up two more sessions this week! The 1st session we did alot of measuring and testing range of motion. I found that I had 80lbs of pressure strength in my right hand and only 40 lbs in my left hand. I made her test my left hand 3 times because I didn't believe it. She says normally that it is a 5 lb difference. We started out with iotnopharesis ( I hope Im spelling that right) which is placing electrode patches and cortisone patches on my skin and turning on the current for 30 minutes. Oh how fun! Colleen, my therapist says "Is it stinging?"...Ummm lets see, YES! Do I need to tell you if my arm is on fire? So Ive been enduring that and she is using this kinesio tape..which is actually pretty cool. Its the color of an ace wrap, its breatheable and by placing it a certain way it will keep the muscle extended or flexed depending on what you need. I do think that has helped, at least the 1st week, then I started losing sleep. Have you ever tried sleeping with your arm straight? Try it and you'll know what I mean. So I asked Colleen this past Wed about losing sleep because I am constantly trying to keep my arm straight, so we are now trying a hard plastic splint that she moulded to my arm to sleep in. It relaxes the nerve and despite how awkward and unattractive it is, I think it is helping. So I went yesterday and we did the electrode therapy, the tape and a cortisone patch that lasts 24hours on the inside of my forearm which caused me to leave with a sleeve on my arm. How attractive. Between that and the lovely contraption at night.. Ms. America look out! I kept the patch on and took it off this am, I go back Monday and Friday of next week, before following up with Dr. Barrie on the following Tuesday! As mush as I abuse myself daily, this is absolutely ridiculous! Something so minute is turning into too much! Too much that I don't have time for! Stay tuned!
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