Bad road trip!!

BearBio

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Jun 30, 2025
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Well, we just got back from a 10-day trip to bring my niece Robyn from SoCal to Washington State to live. Things DID NOT go well!

Day One: Stopped at the Rest Area just North of Redmond, OR. I do not like this rest stop since I suffered a bad reaction to some heart medicine and had to go to the ER at St. Charles Hospital. Undoubtedly the WORST I have ever been in! Compounded that after being released, I had to get paramedics to take me back!

Anyway, I tripped on a curb, stumbled, corrected too much and went down. Bleeding fairly well, pain in right knee, and in the right hand. I insisted we NOT go to the ER at St. Charles!!

Day Two: Hand hurting. Suspicions I had broken possibly (I have broken my left one twice) my kneecap, and a finger. Went to the ER in Yuba City and got x-rayed. Results: Ruptured bursa in my knee (The sacs of fluid that lubricate and protect the knee). Fractures in my right little finger and a metacarpal. Given a finger splint and told to wrap it.

Day Three: Strap came undone on the roof rack coming over the Grapevine. Stopped in Lebec to tighten. While tightening it, I felt a very sharp pain and a "POP". Knew it was NOW a complete break instead of a fracture!

Day Four: Went to Los Alamitos Medical Center ER and got re-x-rayed. This time they said I had fractures in my little finger and a metacarpal (bone in the back of the hand). Outcome: A fiberglass splint from the tip of my little finger to almost my elbow! I don't like opiates and refused to have some prescribed! Large doses of Tylenol and Advil to reduce swelling and control pain

Days Five and Six: Anita called Ce Ce (our dog sitter) who also works in Ortho here in Wenatchee to get an appointment for a surgical consult. He said they wouldn't schedule one w/o a referral from my Primary Care (PCP). Anita couldn't access my chart, so she contacted our PCP through hers, explained the situation.

Day Ten: We arrived home and there was an appointment scheduled with Ortho. Find out if I will need (a) My old plate re-done, (b) a second plate installed, or (c) both of the above. (Or just wear a splint for a while).

Good news: Came through Portland and hit VooDoo Doughnuts on the way home and pigged out when we got home!

Needless to say, typing this has been a challenge!
 
I learned from past experience that I recover better and faster from surgery than from simply splinting/casting bone injuries. 🙏
 
Met with ortho hand specialist. Surgery scheduled for Tuesday for up to 4-5 pins! Two possibly at the base of the little finger, right hand to re-align the joint and two at the fracture on the metacarpal (bone between the little finger and the wrist). This will reduce wrist pain from shooting large calibers and future arthritis and en sure dexterity in the hand! I kept my Federal health insurance when I retired (Blue Cross-Blue Shield) and supposedly they will cover everything!
 
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