Steve's Injured Arm

by Steve Bamford on April 30 2006

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Not a happy camper.

 

Well it's been 24 hours since my encounter with a 5'x5' mirror as it shattered.  Responding to the call was 2 ambulances and a fire truck.  My shirt and jeans were soaked in blood.  About 4 minutes after the injury I began to go into shock and pass out.......and when I could no longer apply the pressure myself, my neighbour Gary got right in the mess and applied pressure to keep things under control and prevent further bleeding.  A pressure bandage was applied by the ambulance crew to the 1/2" deep gapping wound and I was packed onto a stretcher for the ride to the hospital.  Oxygen in the ambulance helped to keep me from passing out and put some pink back into my pale face.  After a 3 hour long pain filled wait in emergency and I was "wisked" into the treatment room for further waiting.  At this point I was given a morphine shot that didn't do much for the pain....but I began to go into shock and saline was added to my blood to bring my blood pressure back up.  A doctor gently removed the pressure bandage.....the air hit a severed nerves......the pain was way off the scale.....I was laying down and kicking and screaming......I quickly covered my mouth so I could scream at full force.  The doctor backed way off and decided to put me asleep.  I had kept telling them the arm hurt like a bugger.....the full volume screaming got my point across.

I was put asleep for about an hour.  No stitches were applied to the cut muscle ....apparently this tissue can't be stitched and will mend itself.  One stitch was applied to the tissue under the skin.  20 stitches were applied to the skin to close the wound...or so the doc told me.....I can't count them myself......weak nerves I guess.  

I was lucky.....no tendons were cut......muscle damage was minimal......fingers all work fine and have complete feeling in my hand.  Arm works although I'm not moving it.  Wrist works (although I'm not moving it) and the only nerve damage is for some skin on my forearm from the cut to my wrist.....which might eventually heal.

My wife and daughters missed all the gore.....which is for the best.  All things considered.....I was a quite lucky.

My wife and I just completed the first dressing change....with strict care to avoid infection.

Below is a picture of the stitches.

Steve

Click on images to see larger images

It may not look like too much.....but it sure does slow me down.

I don't know how people manage with only one arm.

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford