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I’m having a rough time over here—I can't even get any sleep because the pain is just relentless, and I still have to wait until Wednesday for my follow-up appointment.
It isn't even the actual spot where the bone fractured that's killing me; it's the area just above the break where there shouldn't be any issues at all. Because of that pain, my entire arm starts throbbing like it's being held over an open flame... honestly, it feels like they didn't set the cast quite right. I haven't the slightest clue what's going on!
12/17/2007.
Diagnosis:
Fracture of the subcapital base of the fifth metacarpal bone, right hand.
Contusion of the radiocarpal joint and thumb area, right side.
Treatment:
Splinting for the 4th and 5th fingers.
12/20/2007.
There's still some slight swelling on my right wrist.
X-ray results: Right hand shows satisfactory alignment of the fracture fragments; recommended extending immobilization with a splint.
12/27/2007.
That was the day they reset the fifth metacarpal on my right hand, and after that
X-ray: Fracture alignment looks good; cast applied; follow-up in 2 weeks.
01/10/2008.
The cast is slightly damaged and needs repair; follow-up and removal scheduled for 1 week from now.
During that exam, I was honestly expecting them to take another X-ray just to make sure the bone hadn't accidentally slipped out of place again. But instead, he just glanced at my hand for maybe two seconds and told me everything looked fine.
01/17/2008.
At the follow-up appointment, they couldn't even access my previous X-rays because my medical file had gone missing from the archives... everyone was just baffled—how does a file like that just vanish??? And on top of that:
Remove the immobilization and perform a follow-up X-ray: A slight angulation is visible at the subcapital fracture site of the fifth metacarpal.
However, clinically, the fracture is stable.
Minimal palpation tenderness.
Apply a protective splint for the 4th and 5th fingers; follow-up in 6 days.
Once he took the cast off, he pressed down on the spot after the imaging and asked if it hurt. I told him it hardly hurts at all—just a tiny bit of discomfort—though I couldn't really move those two fingers very well. It’s almost like they aren't even there.
Nothing seems out of place; my hand looks identical to my left one, at least based on my own assessment.
Everything I've written here is quoted directly from the trauma report.
My question is this: I'm honestly at a loss here. Am I being treated properly or not? Does any of this even make sense—running back and forth to the clinic so many times only for everything to end up exactly where it started?
Should I go back in a week? A friend mentioned it's possible the bone could shift again, which would mean another month stuck in a cast. Or should I just let it heal however it wants? I've heard that if you just let it be, you won't have any issues. If anyone has some useful advice on all of this, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks ~