Me, the day before surgery, with my hair cut easy-care short. The praying woman oil painting behind me was done by my friend Rhody Yule (now deceased) and hangs on my living room wall.
SURGERY DONE. CHECK.
Healing and recovery. In progress.
With a plate screwed into my broken left wrist during surgery Monday morning at District One Hospital Allina Health, Faribault, I am now moving toward mending the bone I broke after falling on rain-slicked wooden steps at a friends’ house 10 days ago.
This marks my second simultaneous summer with a broken bone In late May 2017, I missed the bottom step on a hospital stairway, plunged into the concrete floor and broke my right shoulder. And, yes, that would be the very same hospital where I underwent surgery yesterday morning. That May evening a year ago, I was on my way to donate blood. Yesterday a nurse asked if I would accept a transfusion if needed. I didn’t require one. But the nurse wondered aloud if you get free units of blood if you’re a donor. Nope, not that I know.
Her comment sparked from a document I created on my computer and brought to the hospital for my surgeon yesterday. Dr. Bryan Armitage has a great sense of humor or I wouldn’t have crafted the Frequent Flyer Discount card I handed to him. He was ready with a quick suggestion to submit my “one free surgery after 10 visits” card to the billing department given he just does the surgery. I persuaded him to accept the card, which he intends to hang above his office desk.
You have to find humor in a serious situation. And, believe me, I needed laughter yesterday prior to surgery.
On a serious note, I am grateful for the skills, compassion and care of my entire medical team. Seasoned nurse Kris and about to graduate nurse Shelby provided excellent pre op and post op care. And there’s that I just do the surgery orthopedic surgeon who worked his magic. I am grateful to all the reassuring (no, you won’t be awake during surgery, I promise) staff who cared for me during my six-hour outpatient hospital stay.
And I am grateful to my husband, Randy, for his attentive and loving care. He’s the best.
Likewise, I appreciate the many prayers and well wishes; cards, gifts and food sent and delivered (thanks, especially, to my niece Amber for the meals); and for the flowers from my wonderful husband. I feel so loved.
Me, several hours after surgery. I’m so happy to have more of my fingers exposed.
Other than being overly tired and experiencing some pain, swelling and tingling, I am doing remarkably well. Given my dislike of pain meds, I am taking only the minimum dosage paired with icing and elevating. That plan is working thus far.
That’s the latest from here as I continue in recovery mode.
One more thing: I weighed 20 pounds less on the hospital surgery scale than I did on the ER scale nine days prior. Vindicated for the third time. Read all about that miraculous weight loss by clicking here.
© copyright 2018 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Sorry to hear of this Audrey. Heal fast!
thanks, keith. it’s a challenge to not be able to do photography and to type with just one hand.
Glad to hear surgery went well – now time for healing. Take It Easy 🙂
thank you, renee.
Hip, Hip, Hooray!! Surgery is past tense and now you can get to the business of healing. I’m so happy that everything went well.
Your Frequent Flyer Discount Pass is hysterical. Don’t ever lose your sense of humor.
Such a nice photo of you the day before surgery. You have a beautiful smile. Ummmm, the photo after surgery…..that’s definitely an anesthesia smile!! Just sayin’……
You know, if you keep telling us about that 17 lb discrepancy that’s now a 20 lb discrepancy, we’re all gonna be invading your home and the surgery suite just to get weighed on those scales!! Lol. But watch out, if your son and his girlfriend send you another cookie get-well package, you’ll be singing a different tune, and it won’t be, “I feel pretty…..oh so pretty…….”!!!
Heal well and quickly.
🔹 Ginger 🔹
oh, ginger, your humor is definitely helping with my healing. thank you. you’re spot on correct about that second pic of me. i do look a tad loopy.
You look great Audrey! I love the “get one free surgery” card! Continue to get better, soonest! ❤ ❤ ❤
thank you, penny. humor helps and my surgeon got a kick out of the discount card. my nurse thought it was legit, for a minute or three.
lol! that’s great! 🙂
Wishing you a speedy recovery!
thank you kindly.
My goodness! At least now your scale isn’t cheating you. 🙃. I in the meantime reached for something in the microwave and heard a snap in my wrist. Sigh. Nothing serious, just a bit of a sprain and being over 40. 🙄
i’m sorry. a sprain is usually really painful. did you get it checked? the snap makes me wonder about a possible break. wishing you prompt healing and easing of the pain.
Na… I’m just a wimp. 😊
you’re not a wimp. i just know things can get worse if an injury is something other than what you think. if your wrist has a weird hump…just suggesting a check. but then there’s always the cost of healthcare. I have a $3,600 deductible on top of $1,000/month health insurance premiums. crazy. Health insurance is destroying us financially.
I’m in Canada so I can get it checked for free. Thanks for the reminder…sigh.
free. even better.
Definitely, although not without challenges. Few things ever are. 🙃
i have heard about the long wait to see a provider. true?
Yep. The got to hospital at 9:45 pm and came home at 2 am.
i’m sorry. er waits can be hour’s long here, too. all ok with your wrist?
Better, thank you. My fingers are a bit tender but my wrist seems fine. Nothing serious. 🙃
oh, good. thankful.
I hope you feel stronger soon. The discount card is funny. It is good to have a sense of humor, gets us through a rough time.
yup, humor helps.
Glad to hear you are on the mend!
thank you. today is my first day not taking pain med. so far, so good. i prefer not to take these meds if i don’t need to do so.
It was so good to hear that the surgery was a success. Now rest my friend and let that arm heal. !
thank you. i finally slept better last night.
Glad your recovering is moving along in a good way. Like the haircut, by the way!
me, too. i love my short hair also. way easier.
You look great and with all the prayers I know you are on your way to a speedy and complete recovery.
I had a rough day yesterday, but today is better with less pain and swelling. I also took my last pain pill about 24 hours ago because of side effects. I slept much better last night.
Just arrived home from up north at a friend’s cabin. Glad to hear surgery went well and you are on your way to wellness again. I’m grateful for your sense of humor, and the doctor’s!
i definitely feel much better today than yesterday.
your new haircut is quite becoming and a weight loss is a plus though better ways to do it 🙂
how long do you have to wait before driving? That would be my biggest concern.
Love the humorous note I am sure the staff enjoyed that
good luck adjusting to a heavily bandaged arm will slow down your typing
I see my doctor next week, so will then have a better time frame on recovery then. And, yes, typing is slow.