107-0705_IMG	107-0706_IMG	107-0707_IMG	107-0708_IMG	107-0709_IMG	107-0710_IMG
107-0711_IMG	107-0712_IMG	elbow02

[08-15-00]
I just thought it would be way more interesting to break my elbow and see how to get things done with my only left hand (I'm right handed). Hopefully, I got just a very small fracture on the right elbow, and if I'm lucky enough it should be repaired soon...
No glory either: I fell down in front of my apartment building, bumping into a watering pipe into the dark :-/
Not exactly the most appropriate time anyway, but it can never be the right moment to hurt yourself...
Never give up, never surrender ! :-)

[08-16-00]
It hurts like hell... I spent the whole night calming down the elbow with ice and anti-inflammatory cream. At least it did not swell. Eventually, I went to the urge care at 5:00 am at Palo Alto, but it was closed and I didn't have the courage to drive to the Stanford hospital where the real urgencies are. I patiently waited till 7:00 that the PAMF opens, noticing that even the discomfort of ice was no longer sufficient to ease the pain. After a couple of hours of painful waiting and 3 x-rays, I could see that hopefully no bone was broken. Cool. They finally put me this splint and gave me some Vicodin (a "pain killer" as they poetically call it here). I went back to work where I slept the rest of the day (either because of the lack of sleep the night before or the analgesic, probably both)

[08-18-00]
The elbow no longer hurts thanks to the splint that keep it in a cool position. I can start using the hand if I don't squeeze too hard. Sometimes a weird movement reminds me I still have to be careful. I had an appointment with the orthopedist. She was very nice and helpful. She showed me the x-ray again, pointing out that small scratch at the bottom of the radius. I just need to play it safe, wear the splint for 10 days max whilst exercising the arm, and be careful afterwards... during months :-/.
And that's all.

[08-20-00]
It's going a lot better. It's mostly harmless now. The only three things I cannot do completely are extend the arm, twist my wrist or put any load on the arm/hand. I wear the splint for comfort because otherwise I tend to twist it naturally or when going out I don't want to hurt the elbow in anyway. But at home I removed the splint for hours and that was comfortable.

[to be contnued...]

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