What a day!

JJ401

DH hasn’t driven in six weeks (since his first cataract surgery). His car needed inspection this month. It’s 19 years old and not in the best shape, so I thought this was the perfect time to get rid of it. I made arrangements with the mechanic who services our car for him to call DH and say the car did not pass.

perfect plan. Everything was fine until our phone rang this morning. DH has become obsessed with answering before the answering machine picks up. This morning as he hurried he tripped and went down hard. He landed on his elbow and his head hit the rocking chair. Two staples in his head. A chipped elbow and a ‘small’ radial fracture just below the elbow. They splinted the arm and he needs to see an orthopedist to see if it should be cast.

So far DH has been pretty good. I expected more resistance to wearing the sling to bed. I’ll take it.

Five hours in the ER as they also did a head CT. They said at his age (80), they automatically do a head CT for falls. Good news - no brain bleed. I’m exhausted — early to bed for me.

Pat6177

Oh goodness, JJ401, hanging out in the ER is always an experience! Now, if only you could get one of the many docs to tell him that the state rule is that seniors over 75 can’t drive for 6 months after a fall. Yes, a fiblet, but it might help. When my DH had an episode of syncope (sudden drop of blood pressure leading to sudden unconsciousness), the hospital doc told him the state law is no driving for 6 months which really got him off the road. He drove a few times after that but now hasn’t driven for almost 3 years.

JeriLynn66

Agree with Pat.. a fiblet now is a perfect solution should you need it… prayers for your DH and you!

White Crane

I’m so sorry this happened. As the others have said, this would be the perfect time for the doctor to step in and tell him he can’t drive.

JJ401

He’s not going to be driving again. There is no way he’s getting another car. We are going to be “sharing” my car. He actually has been barely driving for months. I have done 99.99% of the driving. So it won’t really be much of a change.

We went this morning and turned over the title. So it’s officially gone. I had cleaned out the trunk and glove compartment the other night so there was only some items in the center console to pick up. I was afraid he’d notice they were gone when we dropped the car off for its fictitious service so I left them.

l’ve already told him the doctor at the ER said he can’t drive while his arm is in a sling. He said but I can. I replied I know you don’t remember, but the doctor said no, and he has accepted it so far.

It’s the holiday weekend, so he can’t get into the orthopedist until Tuesday. Anticipating a constant refrain of - yes you need to wear the sling — don’t use that arm - etc

ButterflyWings

Oh my stars! That is the scariest, but can really happen in a blink of an eye. One minute they are testing the margins of rational and seemingly on sound footing and then -- broken bones and stitches. Yikes!

I am glad it wasn't any worse, but the wear and tear on caregivers' stress response, blood pressure, sleep schedule, peace of mind and everything else is huge, I know. I hope his healing is swift, and that you don't have too much trouble keeping him calm and cooperative with the sling and after ER discharge plan.

Disappearing the car was a game-changer for us. Out of sight, out of mind worked wonders. Good for you. I hope you can get a little R&R moment too, as I know how much these emergency experiences take out of you as the one in charge.

JJ401

DH was pretty complainant about wearing the sling until... Last night DH got ready for bed and then hopped in without his sling. I retrieved the sling and made him put it on. This morning he was still wearing it so I foolishly thought resistance had ceased. When he dressed he hid the sling. Where I have no idea. I've searched and searched. No luck. He was not happy that I went out to CVS and bought him a new one.

Adding — found original sling. It was in the cellar at the bottom of the dirty laundry. I didn’t think he had been down there.

Ed1937

Not sure how I missed this thread, but I did. Sorry you both had to experience that. My wife broke her wrist during a fall. After ER she went to orthopedist doctor who put a cast on. I told him I was afraid she would take it off. He assured me she could not do that. Well, about 2 or 3 days later, the cast was off. Back to ortho again. This time she would not be able to take this one off -- until she did. They wound up saying it started healing, and she could just wear a sling now. That worked! They're magicians.

JJ401

Orthopedist yesterday. They redid the X-rays. Turns out the ER radiologist was wrong. He has one small fracture, not two. What the ER radiologist saw for the second, they explained as something having to do with osteoarthritis. The fracture he has is a small radial head fracture, what many call a chip. They removed the splint. He only has to wear the sling if his arm really hurts. He’s not to lift anything heavier than his lightweight sneaker and go back in two weeks to reassess. It should heal in six to eight weeks.

He’ll get the staples out this weekend. Yesterday he remarked that he had a ‘scab’ on his head. He doesn’t remember getting the staples.