My gracelessness

As irony would have it, I've been working at the gym and have suffered no injuries.  Then last night, as I was opening the door, my dogs lunged against it, and took my arm with it.  OMG!  I was standing on the steps so unable to move forward, and since I was already twisting the knob, my grip was tight, and so I didn't immediately let go.

So I stumbled into the house and cradled my arm and whimpered like a little girl.  I tentatively waved my fingers.  I tried to grasp the edge of the table and found that wasn't such a great idea.  Little by little, I flexed and rotated my arm.  Eventually, I was able to use the full range of motion although it was a tad bit odd in a place or two.

This morning, along about 4:30, I woke.  My arm from elbow to finger-tips was cold and tingling.  So I thought that hot shower would help.

Nope.

I thought to myself, Self, just what sorta damage did you do?  Then I thought, how do I take care of this?  Is it heat or ice, or both?  Do I keep trying to move it or should I immobilize it?

Somehow I stopped just short of convincing myself that I had a mysterious blood clot that was stopping the flow to my lower arm (hence the cool tingling) and that any minute it could dislodge, flow freely, and kill me.  No one has ever accused me of having no imagination.

So, I drove myself to the ER.  They poked.  They prodded.  Then, They pulled.

I saw stars, bright pretty colors, dancing swirling spots, and broke out into a sweat that rivaled that of any muggy mid-summer Mississippi night.

My arm twinged, my shoulder twanged, my collar bone shifted (well, ok, it didn't) and viola!  Proof that all the King's Men can indeed put Humpty together again (but only when a few nurses lend their expertise).

Then They bound me up into a sling and sent me on my way with an Rx and advice to go see the orthopedic surgeon if it doesn't get to feeling fine.

Later in the day, I went to the gym.  The heater is broke for the lap pool.  This was just PERFECT cuz I was told to soak in cold water or ice the shoulder and elbow.  Then use heat.  And alternate.

20 minutes of submersion to the neck and moving my arms about in frigid water (I'd like to note here that I was the only person braving the lap pool) later, I climbed from the polar waters and headed over to the warm hydro therapy pool.  That was sooooo nice.

Then, for good measure, I dipped into the whirlpool.  Ahhh, pure bliss.

Oh, and the arm does feel better, sore, but better.