Living Car Free - An old bike injury is back to haunt me

I've been going through a rough time for the last 10 days or so. What I thought was just a little cyst on my wrist turned into a major infection. While the doctor was draining it, he said "My God, you have a screw in there!" A quick x-ray showed that a screw that had been installed 4 years ago was working its way out of my body.

I had surgery on Monday (a week ago today) to remove the screw and clean the wound. I then sent 4 nights in the hospital to get IV antibiotics and pain meds. The pain has been ferocious, but it seems to be under good control now.

Obviously bike riding is out of the question for a while. Even typing on the computer is a real chore with the use of only my left hand. Any words of good cheer will be much appreciated!

Roody, God speed and get well soon. :thumb:

Try to visualize riding a bike to take your mind off the pain. Just get well soooooooon!!:D:D

Eesh! I hope you feel better soon. (tho I'll never get why people have such a hard time typing left handed... the right hand doesn't have enough useful keys...;) )

Get well soon!

Wow, spontaneously ejecting screws... that doesn't sound good.

I hope the recovery is quick.

Hope you have a speedy recovery! You'll be back in the saddle before you know it.

Just tell the doc's to put some anti-seize on the screw next time. Does Phil Wood make medical grade tenacious oil? ;) Just kidding.

Cycling keeps you in good shape, so you'll recover quicker than the average patient and be back on the road before you know it.

probably not uncommon for a car-free person to have at least a few loose screws..

get better soon!!

See? I always knew you had a screw loose. ;)

Mend well!

Get well soon, Good Buddy.

See? I always knew you had a screw loose. ;)


I can't believe that wasn't the first reply!

Roody, hope you're better soon.

I can't believe that wasn't the first reply!

Roody, hope you're better soon.

It was the first reply that I got--from the PA who was assisting the doctor who found the screw. "Yeah, doc, the patient definitely has a screw loose." :D

Thanks for the kind thoughts everybody, it really helps to know you're all thinking about me!

:)

Get well soon.

Get a recumbent so you won't need to put pressure on your wrists. You will be able to start riding sooner.

Darn it. Heal fast!

Is there a story attached to the original injury apart from it being bike-related?

quit screwin' around and heal up! :p :thumb:

....and don't worry, you're not the only one around here with a screw loose. ;)

Drugs are your friend! LOL

That being said, while undergoing intensive physical therapy for my knee, I found I was better able to cope with the pain, when not taking drugs. Gradual intensification of pain is much easier to handle than pain that comes on with a bang.....

Well, if it makes you feel any better, last year I had both hips totally replaced. Feeling better?

Darn it. Heal fast!

Is there a story attached to the original injury apart from it being bike-related?

Ironically, another loose screw might have been involved in the original accident. I was riding home from work late at night. They had just that day finished repaving the street, so I was going faster than usual--probably about 21 mph on my MTB--enjoying the nice smooth ride. All of a sudden I was sliding across that new pavement--only it didn't seem so smooth any more. When I was fumbling around looking for my glasses, I picked up a few screws, bolts, etc. My theory is that the paving crew left some debris, and that's what made me fall.

At the time, the broken wrist seemed to be the least of my many injuries. But it kept me off work for 5 months at that time, and it's returned to haunt me now. :(

Drugs are your friend! LOL


I don't know how I would have done it without drugs. God bless the opioids! ;)

This is the first day I haven't taken any narcotics....so far.

I was referring to being drug free - only during therapy. The sudden onset of hard pain with the drugs in me, made me stop bending. Surprisingly, I was able to bend it MUCH farther without drugs. The gradual increase in pain was much easier to tollerate.

Sitting around the house, or trying to sleep - give me the drugs------ LOL

Well, if it makes you feel any better, last year I had both hips totally replaced. Feeling better?

Yeah, it's good to know somebody else is going through a worse time. ;)

To make you feel better--I met a guy who needed to have his left hip replaced. Unfortunately they replaced the right one instead. :eek:

This is a true story. I met the guy when he was a patient on my psych unit. He was being treated for depression while waiting for them to do the correct hip.

Are you feeling better?

:(

I was referring to being drug free - only during therapy. The sudden onset of hard pain with the drugs in me, made me stop bending. Surprisingly, I was able to bend it MUCH farther without drugs. The gradual increase in pain was much easier to tollerate.

Sitting around the house, or trying to sleep - give me the drugs------ LOL

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind, I'm at the point now where I'm trying to do ROM on my hand and wrist. It feels like all the muscles and tendons have been soldered together.

Get well soon.

And go easy on that wrist, maybe you need one of these
http://www.actionbent.com/jsu3.html
or one of these
http://www.actionbent.com/tadpoletrike.html

Roody,
Heal well, and soon. :)

I hope you make a speedy & full recovery, and that you're back on two wheels very soon. :)

Loctite for loose screws. Hoping you get well and back to riding soon and glad to hear you are off the narcotics.

Get well soon Roody.

Good Luck
to a fast rec overy

It hurts now, but in a few years you'll have forgotten about that - but you'll always be able to say you have a screw loose, and I think it's worth it just for that!:D

Get well soon.

Well, did you get to keep the screw? You should do something fun with it. It may be dificult to find something to do though as screws aren't inherently all that entertaining. Kickass ear ring?

Well, did you get to keep the screw? You should do something fun with it. It may be dificult to find something to do though as screws aren't inherently all that entertaining. Kickass ear ring?

So far I haven't done anything with the screw but entertain friends and family.

I had my followup appt. this morning. I stillhave pain and the movement of the entire hand. wrist and fingers is very limited. I'm getting good at doing things with my non-dominant hand. I even tied my shoes today! :)

The doctor said 4 to 6 weeks of hand therapy before I can ride or work again. :(

Here's an update. I'm still off the bike and off work. I probably have a condition called RSD, which is a long-lasting disorder of the nerves (and brain :twitchy:) that follows about 5 % of trauma cases. I go to rehab with an occupational therapist 3 times a week. The swelling hasn't improved much, but the pain is much better.I have the strangest sensations and hypersensitivity of the hand--writing paper feels like sandpaper, and I can feel the design on a dinner plate. I still can't make a fist, but there is good improvement in functioning. I can type this with two hands now, and I just swept the snow off my sidewalk.

Again, your expressions of sympathy and support have been very helpful. Thanks to all! :)

Brother, I feel your pain: A month ago I wrecked on the bike and shattered my wrist. It required 2 plates and 6 pins to reconstruct my wrist. Hope to get back on the bike sometime after the new year.

Get well soon.

I am drinking a Wyder's (hard) Apple Cider for you!
:beer:

Glad to hear that you're no longer screwed. Heal up dude.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Hope you are feeling better soon.

It may be time to be stylin on a recumbent. That will take the weight off your wrists. Maybe not all the time, but enough to reduce the load.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Hope you are feeling better soon.

It may be time to be stylin on a recumbent. That will take the weight off your wrists. Maybe not all the time, but enough to reduce the load.
While you are laid up, it's probably a good idea to explore ideas like this one. There's also a good chance that over the winter you will heal and be back on the road when the weather is warm. But exploring the options at this time is good to keep your mind active.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Hope you are feeling better soon.

It may be time to be stylin on a recumbent. That will take the weight off your wrists. Maybe not all the time, but enough to reduce the load.

Yeah, get bent. There are many steering styles, some with front wheel drive and no-hands steering. I like underseat steering myself.

Actually I'm thinking of riding again soon. One of the things they want me to do for rehab is put weight on my wrist and hand. A 'bent is a great idea. I really like the look of those Catrikes.



http://www.springcreekrecumbents.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/07catrike_speed.jpg

I'm sad to read this. I've had surgery done in my left knee twice, but after physiotherapy have been able to get back on the bike again and refuse to get off of it, now. Given time and some therapy you'll be back on too.

That trike seems like an ideal solution, and you get the fun of a bit of new mechanics to play with at the same time.l

heal soon and completely Roody.

Don't give up! The quote "No Pain, No Gain" is really true.

You will be happier once you graduate from the "University of Pain and Torture" (Physical Therapy.)

It's taken me a lot of years to improve the ROM and strength of my bad knee.

You have to keep after it forever!

Never give up, never give up, never give up -------------------------------------------

Actually I'm thinking of riding again soon. One of the things they want me to do for rehab is put weight on my wrist and hand. A 'bent is a great idea. I really like the look of those Catrikes.



http://www.springcreekrecumbents.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/07catrike_speed.jpg

+100 on a Cat trike (http://www.catrike.com/) They are made in the USA in Florida:thumb: I have test ridden one of their models and was very impressed. The only other 'bent trike I would consider would be a Green$peed (http://www.greenspeed.com.au/):p

Aaron:)

Your optimism gives me some relief. I hurt my elbow a week ago and can no longer extend it fully which makes bike riding really hard. Hopefully I'll get full movement back. If not, its a trike for me. Its hard dealing with injury, especially if it disturbs as vital an aspect of your life as bike riding.

There's a serious difference between someone choosing to drive a car to work, and a cyclist being forced to do it. Hopefully it will be temporary for both of us, so let's just hope for a speedy recovery.

A fellow sufferer.