On the first day AFTER Christmas my true love gave...

[Ysabel Kid]

to me...

Seven hours in the Emergency Room.

Mrs. YK fell on December 23rd. And by "fell" I mean backwards, on the stairs, from the third step from the hardwood floors. She landed on her back... badly. And then refused to go to the doctor because "there was too much to do for Christmas".

So yesterday, she's in horrendous pain and it hasn't let up. I call or look up online every place around us and couldn't get her in anywhere. Finally made an appointment with an Emergency Room/Urgent Care facility. Good thing, as it saved us waiting in their waiting room 3 hours.

Bad news; we still waited 3 hours to get called back, and then 2 hours in the examination room before she got treated (xrays). Only 1 doctor covering the entire facility (I guess to be expected the day after Christmas). She fractured her L4 vertebrae - which explains the pain! Another 2 hours for other stuff. A very long night.

Then 2 hours today at a neurosurgeon/spine specialist for her to be fitted for a back brace. If her pain level doesn't improve in the next couple weeks, then she'll go back for a kyphoplasty. Otherwise, physical therapy starts in 6-8 weeks.

Could have been much worse. Prayers appreciated fellas!

[BenT]

I hope she has a less painful speedy recovery.

[jeepnik]

Sorry to hear about your wife's inuries. Prayers up for her complete recovery. But now the hard part starts, keeping her from doing too much. You may have to sit on her to keep her down.

[Nath]

Sorry to read this, that's aweful.
I hope your good wife heals.
Is her pain easing today?
N.

[gamekeeper]

Jay that's a rotten thing to happen especially at Christmas, I hope your wife makes a return to pain free health real soon, prayers are on there way for sure.

[2ndovc]

Oh, wow! That stinks! I really hope that there's no permanent damage or chronic pain. My wife has been dealing with back pain for several years and just breaks my heart when she's having a tough day.

There are some amazing physical therapists out there, take full advantage of their knowledge.


Jason

[Old No7]

Oh wow! Sorry to hear Jay!

Sure it could have been so much worse, but it sounds bad enough! I sure hope Connie makes a quick and full recovery soon!

Prayers up! Be well!

Old No7

[.45colt]

Prayers Up. Back pain of any kind is crippling. Hope She heals Up 100%.

[AmBraCol]

Wow! Prayers up on behalf of all y'all and the medical team as well.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jay, that certainly was a Christmas trial for both of you. I am sorry you had such an ordeal just to have a doctor examine her. Hope the brace, some pain and anti-inflammatory meds and proper rest work some magic. After four back surgeries, I know just what kind of misery she is in.

[Old Savage]

What type of L4 fracture?

[Ysabel Kid]

Sorry to hear about your wife's inuries. Prayers up for her complete recovery. But now the hard part starts, keeping her from doing too much. You may have to sit on her to keep her down.

That is the challenge. I have had to remind her several times today "no bending, twisting, lifting". She has me and our daughter (home from Clemson) to help right now. But she's from midwestern farm-girl stock, so she's tough... and stubborn.

Thanks!

[Ysabel Kid]

Is her pain easing today?
N.

Not yet, but it hasn't gotten worse.

[Ysabel Kid]

What type of L4 fracture?

Compression fracture. Good diagnosis for recovery, but still painful as all heck.

[Ysabel Kid]

Thanks all!

[Nath]

Oh heck .
Best wishes for her Jay.

[AJMD429]

.
Be sure her bones are STRONG (not just 'dense' on a DEXA scan). Look at urinary markers of bone turnover.
Make sure Vit D levels are in the 70-90 range and vitamin K (both types) supplemented along with D and calcium.

Ask docs if calcitonin now to speed bone healing might be good.

Get up to date info on bioidentical hormone replacement from someone knowledgeable. We wait until women are 50 and have hit flushes before even beginning to address what should be prevented a decade or so earlier.

Glad her brain is ok though; had a patient with similar fall who injured her frontal lobe instead of her vertebrae, and she's a completely different personality and lost interest in her many hobbies and can't remember family or friends.

[Old Savage]

Almost certainly accompanying soft tissue damage as a source of pain. Whether there is nerve compression will remain to be seen.

[Ysabel Kid]

Thanks for the medical advice fellas!

[AJMD429]

.
Not to make OS get any more puffed up than he already is, but guys (or gals) in his profession are better at fixing the soft tissue stuff than MD's. (...now that I think about it ...from the pics he posts, I think he has a special love for 'soft tissue'.. )

There's PT's &OT's & craniosacralists & osteopaths & all sorts of others too, but the main thing is most Family MD's are good at medications and orthopedic surgeons are good at bone-carpentry, and BOTH are sometimes crucial, but neither is typically good at THERAPY, which is what heals and strengthens.

In exchange for the free advertising now, OS really OWES us some gratuitous soft tissue pics....

[Ysabel Kid]

(...now that I think about it ...from the pics he posts, I think he has a special love for 'soft tissue'.. )

That he does!

In exchange for the free advertising now, OS really OWES us some gratuitous soft tissue pics....

I would second that motion, but Mrs. YK might read this, and I wouldn't want her bending or twisting as she beats the tar out of me!