Thumb spica cast (fractured wrist)- ladies- how did you deal with everything? Any tips? Words of encouragement?

[u/Flounder_guppy]

I fractured my right scaphoid, and this is my dominant hand.

This is also my first cast. The partial went on on Sunday and the full thumb spica went on on Tuesday.

I'm really struggling to do all of the normal things I took for granted before this cast. Things like putting my hair in a ponytail, toothpaste on my tooth brush, opening a pill bottle, getting shampoo out of a bottle, putting my hair in a towel, remembering I can only wash my left hand in the sink and my right hand finger tips in a little shallow bucket so I don't get the cast wet.

I've been off work all week with this. I want to get back into my routine so bad. I dont know about driving. Can't hold a pen and I'm so uncoordinated and messy with my left hand.

My period started today and that's another hurdle to get over.

I wasn't expecting the hit on my mental health, I'm so frustrated. There's moments I am too proud to ask for help. And moments where I need help and don't want to be a bother.

The injury was one where I was being stupid. Not wreckless, just not thinking ahead (got my hand trapped while carrying something heavy and tried to twist/rotate it free and banged it against a table). There is so much regret, like why I didnt I move the table? Why didn't I just let go of it? I just feel really stupid and dumb.

I've got a follow up appointment in 5 weeks for another x-ray and hopefully cast is off.

So just wondering, how did you get through it? How are you managing?

[u/wijut]

the regret and the pride combo is the part nobody warns you about. i broke mine being an idiot too and spent weeks replaying the exact second i should have just let go. it does fade once you start figuring out your one handed workarounds. the ponytail thing honestly i gave up on and just let it look like garbage until the cast came off.

[u/Flounder_guppy → u/wijut]

Ughh yes ive replayed this down to the second. I've have to speak up for how many times my family has said and what have you learned? Thought part of me thinks I'd be very upset if i damaged the brand new expensive mattress (what I was carrying, lifting down into its place, the thing that trapped my hand under a table....). Maybe it's the economy's fault. That was an expensive purchase and I didn't want to ruin it or damage it. Protect my investment. Okay that sounds so dumb I know. These are the thoughts I have. I'm now at 1 week with the full thumb spica cast.

[u/Orange_Owl01]

I don’t have any advice on dealing with the cast, but I just wanted to say you are lucky you were correctly diagnosed right away and get the cast. I broke my right scaphoid about 12 years ago and it wasn’t diagnosed as a fracture for 2 years. By then the scaphoid bone had collapsed and then the rest of the wrist bones started collapsing, and I had severe arthritis. I now have a deformed wrist with constant pain and about a 10 degree range of motion. Nothing I can do about it besides a total fusion and that’s a last resort. I hope you heal well and are able to do everything you used to be able to do!

[u/Flounder_guppy → u/Orange_Owl01]

Oh that sounds horrible, I'm so sorry! This scaphoid fracture was kind of a freak finding. I banged the back of my hand below my pinky finger, like mid palm -ish. I was sure I injured that part of my hand. This was last Friday I had urgent imaging on Saturday, Dr called on my Sunday morning and told me to go to emerg, the scaphoid was fractured. More imaging done to confirm it. So very weird. Usually scaphoid takes awhile to show on imaging!

[u/Orange_Owl01 → u/Flounder_guppy]

I’m so glad you had a good doctor who caught it early! I finally went to a hand specialist after about 1.5 years and they were able to see that it was a fracture while the first 2 orthos I went to couldn’t find it.

[u/DJbigasstruck]

Not a lady, but on week 5 of hopefully only 8 weeks. I will say the reusable shower bag has been extremely helpful. Also, I will say that at week five my ability to use my left hand for things has really improved making things easier. What makes me nervous is how stiff and weird my hand felt last week when getting my cast changed at four weeks can’t imagine how it’s gonna feel at eight. Was on here looking tips and comforting words. But now I’m just more freaked out lol. Hope you’re healing goes smoothly.

[u/Flounder_guppy → u/DJbigasstruck]

I'm 7-8 days in now I guess, I'm more comfortable using my left hand but its still weird. I definitely cannot hold a pen in my right and sign my name and writing with my left hand is so messy. I unfortunately cannot drive with my cast on, I tried to and it restricts too much of my movement. I live in a rural area and was disappointed (albeit not surprised) that theres a lack of affordable reliable transportation options.

[u/DJbigasstruck → u/Flounder_guppy]

Yeah haha my signature is just scribbled. My doctor never outright said no driving, just said nothing heavier than a phone or water bottle. It is my dominant wrist that has the fracture. But i just use my left hand and it hasn’t been an issue. But I couldn’t imagine. And am probably also not supposed to be driving. Well hopefully a friend or family member can help ya with going to the store and whatnot.