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goshawker

I've joined the walking wounded

goshawker
18 years ago

Well Jeanne, your not alone, I've joined the ranks of walking wounded. A couple weeks ago when I was trying to start my old push mower, the piston siezed in mid pull and I felt a twang in my fore arm right where the tendon attaches to the elbow. It's been sore and bothersome ever since. Then last night my daughters wanted the dog to sleep in their room because a storm was coming it's afraid of thunder. She's getting older, so I picked her up to carry her upstairs and "POP" goes the tendon. My forearm felt like it was on fire and swelled up instantly. I iced it and took pain killers but it is really painful and I can't pick anything up. I did everything left handed today and have 1000 stems to cut for tomorrows delivery, that's gonna be fun....NOT! One of the flower shops is right by my clinic, so if its still huge tomorrow I'll stop by and see what the Doc thinks.

Thank goodness I got another 1000 suns seeded and another 150 ft. long bed of Zins seeded before I blew it out. I am taking our long vacation this week, leaving tomorrow night, so I will be forced to not use it and maybe it will be ready to go by the time we get back.

I hope everybody else stays healthy!!!

Steve

Comments (10)

  • KrazyKim
    18 years ago

    Aww Steve, thats the pits. I'm sorry about that and even sorrier about the work ahead of you.
    My knee is going......going to the Ortho doc next week to see whats wrong.
    Enjoy your vacation and well wishes for quick healing.

  • Noni Morrison
    18 years ago

    HAng onto your body parts everyone..the season is young yet! I haven't done injury to either knees or back yet ths year but every day is an open book! Just fighting a cold but that isn't in the same class as a crippling injury. I did have to have my partner make deliveries of our subscription bouquets yesterday.

    Steve, remember. ICE ICE ICE. IT will numb the pain and help take the swelling down. Can you make a sling and keep a frozen gel pack in it?

  • flowers4u
    18 years ago

    Steve - please do take it easy! Darn, as I was weeding last night I was thinking about Jeanne, I was on my knees and trying to dig up white clover...ugh...so, I made myself be careful! Now, I'll be thinking of all of us! Our job in flower farming is tough physically! Shows me the importance of stretching and proper posture and also not being "aggressive" in certain activities (i.e. bringing buckets full of flowers in...make three trips versus one very heavy bucket!
    Take care everyone!
    Wendy

  • Poochella
    18 years ago

    Steve- Sorry to hear you're on the Injured/Disabled list.
    For your own sake, rest that arm. It sounds torn and that can take a long time to heal.

    I ruined my right forearm tendon 7 years ago overusing it while painting an entire house. I painted WITH an ice compress tied to the arm DUH- later couldn't even lift my arm without my other arm helping it. This senselessness got me a very inflammed, and now scarred for life, tendon that easily took 4 years to resolve to where it only pings in pain once in a while with heaviest use.
    Please do yourself a favor and hire some flower cutters- engage the family, the family dog-- whoever, but do not overuse your arm until you mend- you only get two!
    Never undestimate the value of ibuprofen or naproxyn/Aleve either!

    I hope a speedy recovery is yours.

  • Noni Morrison
    18 years ago

    How's the arm doing, Steve?

  • buckster
    18 years ago

    Oh Man,

    Hey let us know whats up,

    Tim

  • FlowerPower_NC
    18 years ago

    Steve, sorry to hear about your injury. I'm beginning to think this forum should have a disclaimer posted, "Gardening for cut flowers can be hazardous to your health!"

    My dad ruptured his biceps tendon last winter lifting a heavy/oversized box--he required surgery to reattach the tendon to his shoulder. I'm with Poochella--two arms is all you've got---please take good care of this injury, and you!

    Regards,

    Valerie

  • goshawker
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks to all of you for your thoughts. I just got back from a week long family vacation where I didn't do any lifting and the arm is a whole lot better. All of the swelling is gone and it's just a little tender, nothing like it was before. I have a mass of weeds to attend to so I will see how it goes today. I've got to harvest some Blue eyed-grass seeds after I weed and then cut stems tonight for delivery tomorrow.

    Thanks again for all your thoughts,

    Steve

  • Jeanne_in_Idaho
    18 years ago

    I've been out of contact for awhile, just found this post. Welcome to the infirmary, Steve! Actually, by now, I hope you have recovered, although babying your arm a little is probably a very good idea for awhile. Thank goodness for your vacation and forced rest.

    My good news is that I can finally kneel!!!!! - in pillow-soft, just-tilled dirt, that is, but that's all I need to kneel in. The soil is currently too wet to work, and getting wetter, but I'll arrange to get some more alpaca poop and plan my biennials bed. I was starting to wonder whether the biennials would get planted at all this year. Perennials were all in early, remaining unplanted annuals were tossed because it's too late, so the biennals are all that's left. Hope is in sight!

    I'm hoping you're recovering faster because you're younger. That's gotta be good for something.

    Jeanne

  • Noni Morrison
    18 years ago

    Jeanne, welcome back! SO glad you can get down and dirty again LOL. speaking of wet, I put in a major day in the garden today and dug up the lilies I had planted last fall in the bulb bed where I had so much trouble with the tulips. THe soil was like wet cold cement! SOME OF the lilies were getting slimy on the bottoms so I have soaked them in a fungicide and left them out to dry over night. TOmorrow they go into their new sandy bed and I HOPE THEY WILL RECOVER. They were 25 rubrums, Asiatic Italia and some other sets of 5's from VE. Will definitely NOT be planting tulips there again! I had no idea it was so damp and heavy a soil!

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