Broken Bone help please - Update on pg 1

[Christina_M]

I broke my pinky finger this weekend when a horse reared and the leadrope caught my pinky finger. It was bent outward about an inch from the rest of my fingers and my skin had a small bleed on the side. Right away I put it on ice and when I put the ice around my hand my finger accidentally straightened out a bit. I went to the ER and they took x-rays. I broke the bone that is below my knuckle. They put a metal finger splint on it and told me that it was a compound fracture and I needed to see an orthopedic specialist tomorrow (which is today). I called ortho docs this morning and couldn't get in until tomorrow morning. It is more swollen than it was yesterday, since I kept ice on it. Can someone tell me why the doctors at the ER never fix the break and always send people to a specialist that they can't see immediately. The only thing they gave me in the meantime is Vicoden. No other instructions. I'm guessing I should keep icing my hand, so I am, until it's too cold to hold on it. Is there anything else I can do for swelling, maybe take Motrin since the vicoden has acetaminophen? Everything I read about first aid for broken bones says, ice and go to the ER. There's nothing for what to do in the time between ER and ortho doc. Please forgive me if I rambled, the vicoden makes me fuzzy.

 

[SilverDollar]

I'm so sorry this happened! I broke my pinky finger seven years ago when my horse bucked me off and my hand got caught in the reins. I was referred to a hand surgeon, and for good reason. I broke my finger in four places and had to have surgery to put pins in it. I had to wear a cast and my arm was out of commission for almost eight weeks. I'm glad I was referred to a specialist as the Urgent Care was not the place to have it fixed. I actually didn't have surgery until 9 days after I broke it. I kept a splint on it and kept it wrapped so I wouldn't bump it. After my surgery, my doctor made my cast longer than necessary because he knew that I would still do "horse stuff".

Smart guy. (He'd had horse people as patients and knew better.

)

I do know many people who have had broken bones and lots of times they wait a couple of days before putting a cast on due to the swelling. Not sure what to tell you about the pain killers. Vicodin sounds like an effective one especially if you can get to the doctor really soon. I think icing is recommended for the first 24 hours. Good luck with your appointment with the orthopedist!

Rebecca

 

[Brandi*]

I broke my middle finger in junior high. It was bent completely side ways from the knuckle up! I was so shocked from the sight that I actually grabbed it and "popped" it back into place. It was so painful that I started blacking out! The doctor told me that I was very lucky and that if I ever fracture it again I will have to have a pin put in! It is still weak and painful to this day.

I would think motrin would be good because it also deals with inflammation. Be very careful til' you see the doctor! You don't want it to get any worse!

Sorry your in so much pain

 

[sfmini]

Be sure to tell the ortho doc that the vicodin wasn't effective as there are other options that might work better. I have the same problem with it and he put me on percocet which worked very well. It did make me buzzed, but at least the pain was down to an acceptable level.

Ortho docs are in high demand, very busy and only see urgent emergencies right away. If you were to call and hadn't been to an ER, you would wait a few weeks to get in so a one day wait isn't bad.

And like the others said, until the swelling goes down they don't want to cast it anyway.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

[Christina_M]

Thanks for the reply's everyone.

Silverdollar, That was nice of your doc to leave your cast on for horsey stuff. My doc said 4 weeks b/c my fingers won't move well if we leave the cast on longer than that...how was your fingers when they took yours off?

sfmini I asked the doc about the percocet and she said to try elevation and motrin first and call if it don't work. She don't want me to get used to pain meds b/c I'll need them for sure after sugery.

I went to the ortho doc this morning. She's a hand surgeon. She said that I need surgery then physical therapy so when I close my hand my pinky finger won't stick out to the side, instead it will close inside my palm like it should. Surgery is scheduled for Mon. She's going to use wire or pins and plates to hold it together and that it will hurt.

She said that if I keep it elevated and take motrin it will help the swelling. They put a half cast removable splint on it in the meantime. This splint is much better than the first splint because I kept hitting the end of it on things. I'll have the cast on for 4 weeks, then physical therapy and being very careful not to reinjure it for the next 2 weeks. I'm still going to the Ashland Show this weekend...just have to be very careful.

 

[crponies]

Ouch! That's about all I have to say along with I hope it heels up perfectly for you without too much pain.

 

[sfmini]

I'll look for you in Ashland if I come up Sunday. Just depends on how tired I am after a quick trip to Dallas Thursday thru Saturday night for the AMHA June Board meeting.

If I come, I will have my Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Lily with me.

 

[Christina_M]

I'll look for you in Ashland if I come up Sunday. Just depends on how tired I am after a quick trip to Dallas Thursday thru Saturday night for the AMHA June Board meeting.If I come, I will have my Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Lily with me.

Jody, It would be grat to meet you. I'll be with Buckeye Wlanut Creek Farm and hopefully the only one with a half cast on her left hand. lol It would be great uf you could come on Sat. becuase they are having the exhibitor dinner during Jackpot Liberty...always a great time.

*Please excuse my spelling/typing...its hard to type with a cast pushing on the keyboard.

 

[sfmini]

My flight home doesn't land until 11pm Saturday, so there is no way to make it.

Getitia knows who I am so she can point me out if I make it. That will be a big IF since I won't get home until 12 or 1 am.

 

[Christina_M]

Oh, yawn...that's a late flight. If you feel like it I'll see you there, (I wouldn't because I love my sleep too much.)

 

[nbark]

Not that this is approved for people by the FDA, but when I broke ALL of the bones in my ankle, I had no pain and no pain medication because I rubbed a little DMSO on it..doctor thought I was real tough, but I never told him what I did.....BUT....it is not approved for people, only horses.....so be forwarned...oh yeah, and you taste garlic immediately.

 

[SilverDollar]

Silverdollar, That was nice of your doc to leave your cast on for horsey stuff. My doc said 4 weeks b/c my fingers won't move well if we leave the cast on longer than that...how was your fingers when they took yours off?

My finger is fine but it doesn't bend all the way like it used to. I did lots of physical therapy (OUCH!!) and it helped, but towards the end I was so done with it! My surgeon wanted me to be able to bend my finger more than it does, and he wanted to anesthetize it and force it. I said no more! So, it's functional but it does get sore from time to time. At least it's only the pinky finger and not one of the "main" ones.

I hope your surgery goes/went well. You'll be good as new in no time!

Rebecca

 

[sfmini]

Sorry I didn't make it to Ashland to meet you, but I didn't get to bed until 1am and am bushed. Had trouble on Thursday with my flight, it was canceled, I was moved to another ailrine and had to wait hours for my flight, then hours in Charlotte, then got to the motel in Dallas at 2am central time, 3am our time! I am now playing catch up.

 

[Miniv]

A few years back I broke my MIDDLE finger (typical, eh?) on my left hand and sprained the other two on either side, just because I didn't let go of a lead fast enough when a horse bolted.

It was the top knuckle to the middle finger that was damaged. I "self-doctored" it with a home-made splint. That's what one does when one doesn't have health insurance!!!

So.....the finger is slightly bent sideways, but it's usable. And it hurts in cold weather....... No big deal.......