About a week ago I broke my right femur bone. I was trying to pull my dog up the bed he weighs about 75lbs. As I was pulling on him I heard a loud crack. So I went to the hospital and had a rod and some screws put in my leg. The problem is, no one ever really told me my limitations or how bad everything is. I know I have osteoporosis but I don't know how bad. If anyone has broken their femur bone and has advise I would appreciate it.
It is not how we fall that defines us..
It is how we rise.
You need to get back to the surgeon about limitations which will be dictated by the location of the fracture and the surgery done. You should have received discharge instructions in writing when you were discharged from the hospital...these are required by law and hospital accrediting agencies.
(KLD)
The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.
I broke my distal femur in a powerchair disaster this spring. I got extremely detailed instructions for care and follow up PT from the ortho, as well as scheduled X-rays to keep track of healing etc. things have gone very well, which I attribute at least partially to having and following those instructions. You need to reach out to your surgeon and find out what the heck.
I didn't even meet the surgeon, the whole thing was BS. I was discharged within 24 hours of my surgery. The hospital got me home health care, but the PT hasn't worked with a paraplegic or broken femur bone before. When I left the hospital I started running a fever of 102 because of an UTI. It took me 5 days to get medicine for that. I go on the 14 to see the surgeon and hopefully find out any and everything. It's been a real mess.
It is not how we fall that defines us..
It is how we rise.
Shana, it certainly seems like the people responsible for your care have been neglectful, at best. However, this is not usual for small rural hospitals with inadequate resources. On the positive side, they did not send you home with a plaster cast on your leg. I have had 3 femur fractures, so I am a pro. lol Until you meet with your doc, just handle the leg carefully. The 2 no,nos are twisting the leg, and pulling it away from your body. Bending and straightening the leg carefully are good. That helps to keep the knee from stiffening. The leg should be x-rayed when you see the doc so he can make certain the fixation is holding. Then a followup x-ray should be done about a month later to see if the bone is healing. It is normal to have some swelling, but if the leg starts to get red and warm, get to the ER because you may have a DVT which is a clot. That is life threatening.
You will find a guide to preserving shoulder function @
http://www.rstce.pitt.edu/RSTCE_Reso...imb_Injury.pdf
See my personal webpage @
http://cccforum55.freehostia.com/
I would also strongly recommend that you contact the hospital's risk management department and complain that you were sent home without adequate discharge instructions. If you didn't ever see the surgeon, even before surgery, how were you consented for the procedure? Was a time-out not done in the OR before you were anesthetized? All of these procedures are absolutely required, and you could file a complain with The Joint Commission (for accreditation of hospitals) if that did not occur.
Don't wait until the 14th to contact the physician's office.
(KLD)
The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.
Originally Posted by SCI-Nurse
This also applies to any new problems that may occur over the weekends or on evenings. Contact the surgeon's office phone number. There should be an answering service after hours that will page the person on-call for the practice. A patient-physician relationship exists and the surgeon is required to respond to your problems in a timely manner.
Definitely contact the hospital. Raise a little hell. I am on a first name basis with a "patient advocate" at the local medical system. She really is able to help deal with issues. Something doesn't make sense about not seeing the surgeon.
But the encouraging news is I have broken both femurs in separate incidents 7 or 8 years apart. Rod and screws both times. I was back at work a couple of days later. The hardware totally stabilizes the bone so you are left with wound care which isn't too bad since it is a sewn up incision.
Can use a bit of advice, Broke my femur just above the knee on the 12th Jan, went to Emergency room at local hospital where x-rays done, Yep it's broken, wrapped in elastic roller bandages and sent home to see an Osteo Dr on Thurs (18th)of coming week.
Not really sure about this bandaging thing, since first night bandages had slipped down between ankle and knee. Figured Osteo Dr would do more when I saw him. Boy was I wrong. After looking at the x-rays done in the Emergency room 6 days ago.he just told me that with being Paraplegic there were a lot of complications that he didn't know how to deal with, In fact no one in the area had experience with what I needed outside of Magee up in Phila, or Kernan in Baltimore, but made no offer to refer me or make any connections. Just come back in month for follow up.
My question is what the specialty is called that could help me, and where would I start trying to find informed Dr/get referals for them since I only have Medicare. Looked up Physiatrist, and only found Spine clinics and spine Drs.
The leg seems to be rotating freely left and right, which concerns me when I get dressed, pull feet up to put on shoes, etc. Am I right to be a bit uneasy?
yes I broke mine 13years ago thight bone into to knee joint leg flops over on right right foot is deformed yes u ned to be concerned
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