FridayOp day..........
or not! So I do the usual 'starve yourself from midnight, join the back of the queue for the morning lists, get told to take all my piercings out by the anaesthetist, get to see the consultant before the op'.
So the consultant is sat there and starts writing the operation notes "take out k-wires".
I say, "I'm gonna have to stop you there, because you aren't taking any k-wires out of my wrist - there's none in there, just a screw".
"yes there is" he says "it's in your notes and we don't do ops like this without them".
"No there isn't, I've seen the x-ray" and so on until he goes to check the x-ray and yes, you've guessed it. No k-wires.
So I say, "I've been told I HAD to come in today to have the screw out because it might snap otherwise - in fact, I've asked several times why I need to have the screw out, and whether I even need the operation".
"Oh you can't have the screw out my dear, that holding your scaphoid together"
"But I was told I didn't break anything, just had a dislocation"..........
I dread to think what would've happened if I hadn't noticed what he was writing or understood what it meant. They could've knocked me out and been ferreting around in my wrist causing all sorts of damage looking for K-wires that aren't even there. Add to that the frustration of having asked several times whether I even needed the op, and having to try and get to the hospital without driving because I was told the screw might snap, only to end up having the cast cut off and sent on my way with the screw still in, and given permission to drive, makes a mockery of the whole thing. Thank goodness for the frontline nursing staff who were, as always, brilliant. The consultants though - what a bunch of..........
So anyway, no operation was the best outcome (the less intrusion/association with the NHS the better IMO) and I did get to see the physio on the day (unsurprisingly they seemed to bend over backwards to make sure I got the best treatment after). I had no movement at all forward when it came out of the cast, but I have about 10% movement forward now, and about 40% backwards. There is a very long way to go until I get enough wrist flexibility back to say, squat, or hold onto the bars of my bike properly. But I am lucky to have as much as I have got now, and am working on it everyday. Plus, I am still able to ride
The scar is nowhere near as impressive as I was hoping though
Saturday Rest - getting used to having the wrist out of the cast. The physio gave me a splint which I am supposed to use only as necessary and to wean myself off from asap. I needed to use it several times Saturday.
Also watched a rather gorgeous man build up my Heckler from the components from the HT. Don't have the right sized spring yet, but it was a useful exercise to get an idea of fit etc....which brings me to Sunday
Sunday - 2 hr(ish) MTB rideGot shown around some nice XC trails Woodbury Common. Had the wrist out of the splint for the first hour and it was fine, although starting swelling a bit so put the splint back on for the remainder. I found my confidence was fine just doing normal trail riding, riding down steps etc. However, I totally did not have the balls to bunnyhop the big branches the walkers had been putting over the bridleways. That was massively frustrating as I had to stop to get over them because I was too scared of hitting them wrong and slipping out.
The bike felt good though, even with the 400 lb spring on the back. When it's set up with a 300 lb spring I think it'll be really lovely to ride.
Monday - 45 minutes MTB rideMy drive chain was playing up summut terrible so ended up having to cut the ride a little short as I kept jarring my wrist when the chain slipped. It was good to ride the Heckler back downhill to home as I was finally getting used to the difference in timing from the chammy and began to really pop off stuff. Although, if I am honest, I still prefer the feel and challenge of riding the HT, I really need something I can sit down and pedal all day in comfort that is still going to be aggressive if I need it to be. I really think this Heckler may be it.
by downhillingdemon » Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:28 am 
