From accident to recovery to court...

[fossyant]

Ergh a clavical that moves ! My soulder bobbles about if I walk with my arm at my side and no muscle tension.

Oh, and I was 'only' hit by a Fiat Sciencento FFS !

I'm also attending CBT training to teach me how to deal with the nerve damage side - i.e. about positive thinking/relaxation techniques etc. as it really messes with my sleep - I only get a decent night sleep after taking meds !

 

[thefollen]

Never been able to move it independently so I guess it's stable. Is yours in the joint? Mine's in (just about) at a slightly different place than before. Bump's not nearly as prominent- can't impress the ladies with it anymore ;-) Having a go now it moves with the shoulder and something pops painlessly when rotating round. Pullups and dips go ok. During the recovery I was holding the shoulder a bit high, the exercises corrected all that and worked lots in the mirror to ensure shoulders were level (in a totally non-vain way of course haha).

Wasn't Simon from the Inbetweeners was it Fossyant??

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Mines out, it sticks up about an inch. I can move it with my fingers backwards and forwards.

 

[thefollen]

Crikey, what did the doc recommend for that? Isn't that a grade 5 when it's completely out? Mine was a 3 when all the ligaments are torn but it's just about in.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I think grade 3 is the worst. When I saw the x ray it was very clear what was wrong. Well the nurse was joking at the time saying " I don't think we need an x ray to see what the problem is there" the last doctor who saw it didn't really seem concerned by it. He just said it will heal on it's own, which I find ridiculous I've only ever had an x ray, so how the hell do they know exactly what's going on in there. They just said if I continue to have problems then I could have an operation. And they signed me off. I've got to see a doctor for the purposes of my insurance claim, so I'll see what he thinks of it next.

 

[thefollen]

Did you only see the doc once? With me they initially turfed me out the hospital with just a sling and booked in for an appointment with the fracture clinic for a week later, allowing it to 'settle' so they make a better decision on how to deal with it. Also had a few appointments with the physio. All NHS stuff, nothing private.

Here's a link to the different grades:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder_separation

Differs slightly to the doc's description I was given at the hospital. Think you should definitely get that second opinion, yours does sound a bit worse than my one. I have the claim medical at some point in the future also.

For comparison, here's a pic of my shoulder after the incident- have a slight bump on my left too, but that's from a snapped collarbone when I was 16:

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

this one is normal now and the one below is if I push my shoulder forward.

 

[thefollen]

Whoa! I'd definitely recommend booking an appointment asap, that's properly out. When's the examination for your legal stuff?

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I haven't got to go for that for a couple of months. I know it's out it's been out since the accident, it won't go back unless I have surgery the ligaments just rejoin with scar tissue to where it settles, they said if they operate it would be plated then once healed the plate could be removed, or they do a precedure with an elastic band I think.

 

[MacB]

Very important after these sorts of corrective surgeries is to follow advice, especially if it's around not using/over using the arm or keeping it totally imobilised. Failure to do so can make the procedure a painful waste of time...don't ask how I know this

 

[thefollen]

I agree. It's a tough call, guess when you have your assessment they'll chat over options with you. I was discussing ops with the doctor at the fracture clinic and apparently there are loads of different things they can do. Always good to be totally informed on everything available, and the potential long-term outcomes.

Wishing you all the best with recovery and all the legal bits. Let me know how it goes!

 

[Bicycle]

Refreshing to hear of a black cab driver being nice to a cyclist, though.

Indeed. I was very negative about Cabbies when I was a motorcycle courier, but years later I threw a bike across High Holborn, mashing both it and self. A cabbie stopped (it had been my fault), waited for me to chain the remains to a lamp post, gave me tissues for my cuts and drove me to my meeting in Russell Square. Refused a fare, too. There are some lovely cabbies out there. I still regret not getting his badge number and writing a nice letter, but I was in a lot of pain.

As to the punishment, yes it is surprisingly low, but things are getting better. Back in the 80s a pal of mine (motorcyclist) was killed near Elephant by an RLJ-ing Escort van. The driver got a fine. A year or so later his mother started Roadpeace in his memory. I haven't followed the charity for years now, but in the early days it did help make a difference to the Law.

However slight the punishments seem today, they are MUCH better than they were. Glad to hear the OP is up and about again.

Is Roadpeace still around?

 

[ferret fur]

http://www.roadpeace.org/

 

[fossyant]

I haven't got to go for that for a couple of months. I know it's out it's been out since the accident, it won't go back unless I have surgery the ligaments just rejoin with scar tissue to where it settles, they said if they operate it would be plated then once healed the plate could be removed, or they do a precedure with an elastic band I think.

Christ - is that what happens if you push it in - that's not right. Both my A/C's protude, but fortunately the same - like thefollen's not busted left shoulder. But if your clavicle is doing that now, sheesh - I'd get it operated on.

What you want to do is get onto the solicitor - as a minimum you need professionally guided re-hab to get those tendons strengthened. That needs sorting. The only issue with surgery is it can make it worse. Mine is getting better, but it's taken 12 months to get the 'less pain' benefit to even out. Do you have any sports physio's near you - I'd get off to one of them, and get the bills to the solicitor. It will cost you. I spent an initial £2k (£40 a time) on physio in the first 6 months post accident, and have been going back to another physio for more since my op - I've kept this down to on average once every 2-3 weeks (and it's discounted through work - so £25 a session).

I'm having a mare getting a treatment plan sorted with my solicitor/third party- was promised this in the summer, but it's still messing about - so I just go myself and get physio and acupuncture. The physio has made a big difference since they did some heavy work on my top rib (basically shoving it (manipulating) down through my shoulder).

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I don't really want an op. I do a physical job so have to use my shoulder as much as I can. That's as good as any physio in my opinion. It's alot better pain wise since the accident, but I still struggle with certain things. I'm sure it will continue to improve with time. At the end of the day it's been 5 months, and after that sort of injury I'm sure it's still healing.