# 9 screws, 1 metal plate and 17 staples



## cjvdbeek (Jan 8, 2012)

I broke my right wrist on the day before Thanksgiving. The ER took X-rays and set it, but I had to wait until the following Monday to see the orthopedic. He told me my wrist was shattered and that I needed surgery. I had surgery three days later. He put in nine screws and a plate. Then sealed it up with 17 staples. I'm amazed that the surgery didn't hurt all that much. Walking around over Thanksgiving weekend with the broken bones rattling around in a splint hurt much worse. The staples are kind of irritating, but they will probably come out on Friday. It's been almost two weeks and I'm starting to feel better and am really missing being able to ride. Here's a nasty pic of the incision. I'm hoping to get a copy of the X-ray pics of the hardware in my wrist when I see the doc on Friday.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

Looks almost exactly like my wrist looked after my surgery. No cast?


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## cjvdbeek (Jan 8, 2012)

No cast just a splint that I can take off to shower and change the dressing. Doc also told me to try to squeeze a Nerf ball to start rebuilding my range of motion.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

Well, as my pt person told me, your injury is not his injury. In my case, I was casted for six weeks, my hand came out looking like a leather glove, it was months before I could do anything with it. Amazing that after that nasty looking scar and plate you just have a soft cast and can start "working out" in just a few weeks. But good for you!


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## cjvdbeek (Jan 8, 2012)

"Working out" hurts like hell and I can barely squeeze the nerf ball. But at least I'm not completely immobilized. I was in a crappy splint made of plaster and ace bandages that went from my fingers to my shoulder for a week and that was driving me nuts. Plus it wasn't really holding the broken bones stable.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

My cast stopped just below the elbow. I had it for six weeks. I was finally able to squeeze even just the slightest bit on a really easy ball about a month after it got taken off. 

Take the long view. You'll eventually come back. It's hard to come to grips with being messed up but: it took me 1 1/2 years to "trust" my right hand, like I could reach for something with my right instead of my left. The upside was I sort of became left handed so now I'm ambidextrous. Woot!


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## Nail Every Trail (Sep 28, 2012)

whoah, nasty! Hope you heal up fast so you can get out on your bike again. Did you break it riding your bike?


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## cjvdbeek (Jan 8, 2012)

Yes, I broke it riding. Was going uphill. Stopped to wait for my wife and get a drink. Went to push off and the rocks under my right foot gave way and I tipped over. Wasn't even clipped in or anything. Just a stupid accident. Had to walk almost 3 miles back to the truck.


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## Nail Every Trail (Sep 28, 2012)

cjvdbeek said:


> Yes, I broke it riding. Was going uphill. Stopped to wait for my wife and get a drink. Went to push off and the rocks under my right foot gave way and I tipped over. Wasn't even clipped in or anything. Just a stupid accident. Had to walk almost 3 miles back to the truck.


Man, that's brutal. I was hoping you said you broke it in that crazy Red Bull hucking contest or something cool like that. Either way, you still have my sympathy.


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