MRI: Never Again
Well, I had an MRI yesterday and there is indeed a fracture. For you docs out there, the radius is fine but the capitellum (the tip of the humerus, or upper arm bone) is fractured. I have also apparently torn the ulnar and medial collateral ligaments (ulnar completely, medial partially). Put another way, I screwed up my elbow big time.
I see the orthopedist tomorrow; we'll see what he makes of this.
I had never had an MRI before yesterday; since I'm fortunate enough not to suffer from claustrophobia, I thought it would be no big deal. Wrong, wrong, wrong. To fit my bulky splinted arm in the MRI tunnel, they had to strap it above my head. They then proceeded to take twice the usual number of pictures (because, the tech later explained, the radiologist wanted details of the humerus as well as the radius). Imagine having your arm strapped above your head, bent at the elbow, for 35 minutes and not being able to move... it was excruciating. By the end, I was doing yoga breathing, the Jesus prayer, counting the seconds and begging the tech please for the love of God to let me out, and I'm not exaggerating.
I hope that I will not need surgery or to be casted for very long, but I'm not sure what to expect since ortho is not my strong point. (Thanks,
Allen, for your input!) More updates tomorrow.
To leave you on a more cheerful note, check out
this amusing website put up by Alaska Airlines. It's the airline from hell! I especially enjoyed their Global Baggage Tracker - check it out.
posted by Dr. Alice at #
