Sternum healing and catching kamikaze kids

[Ryanvs]

Hello all! 5 weeks post opp and I have my follow up with my surgeon on Wednesday. Feeling good, walk for 50 minutes daily and on very minimal pain relief. Just after peoples experiences with a healing sternum. Long story short, my 1yr old thought it would be a super idea to run across the bed and jump. Without thinking i bent to catch her and caught her maybe an inch or two of the ground then sat her down. that said most of the impact was take by my chest due to the way i was positioned. I was in a bit of pain after that subsided, however is their anyway to know if damage has been done, or anything to look out for? Im not in any real pain now, and my xray from the day before showed all my wires in place etc. I guess im just super paranoid as i keep reading not to lift anything heavier than 10pounds/4.5kg for the first 6 weeks or so. My daughter weighs 9kg. That and i know two people who had sternum wires snap resulting in the need for re operation. As i said i dont think ive done damage but that said I have no idea what to look out for. Thanks all.

 

[aetos]

If your not feeling pain I really wouldn't stress over it. If something were wrong you would definitely be feeling it.
Mention this to your surgeon on Wednesday for sure though

 

[Ryanvs]

Yeah i definitely will! I have a tendency to overthink things as it is, so ohs has tipped me over the edge a bit haha.

 

[cldlhd]

I agree I think you would be feeling pain if there was damage. After my surgery last year there were a few times I felt pain during recovery when I pushed it a bit but it subsided so I figured all was well and it was. Ya at one it's kind of tough to explain it, obviously, my son was 8 at the time and was the opposite- he treated me like a fragile egg even after I was healed until I told him I was fine.

 

[cldlhd]

I agree I think you would be feeling pain if there was damage. After my surgery last year there were a few times I felt pain during recovery when I pushed it a bit but it subsided so I figured all was well and it was. Ya at one it's kind of tough to explain it, obviously, my son was 8 at the time and was the opposite- he treated me like a fragile egg even after I was healed until I told him I was fine.

 

[pellicle]

Hi

... I was in a bit of pain after that subsided, however is their anyway to know if damage has been done, or anything to look out for? Im not in any real pain now, and my xray from the day before showed all my wires in place etc..

well firstly there is nothing wrong with being super paranoid to start with ...

to answer your question no there is no way that I know of to tell. X-Rays only reveal the most gross (meaning large) issues and will frequently not even resolve hairline fractures. So you really just have to use pain as a guide. That the pain subsided quickly suggests that its all ok this time.

can not emphasise enough to take it cautiously ... 5 weeks is still a delicate time. I would say "do not put yourself in harms way" with kids running around and plan things so you're sitting. Kids may fall and cry but usually bounce back in moments ... a fracture of your sternum could have the result of adding 6 months to your healing at this stage.

Best Wishes

 

[Ryanvs]

Thanks everyone for your input! I'll mention it to my surgeon tomorrow but I assume im ok. My sternum is tender, but i can function and i haven't had any pain relief for 2 days now. It's just such an idd experience. One day I wake up feelin in fine then within a few hrs the collarbone hurts, then the back, then the sternum... Or I wake up as stiff as a board after feeling fine the night before... ugh! I hope i get clearance for work/driving tomorrow. I need to just move on I think and have something else occupy my brain for a bit.