How Long Does It Take?
April 12, 2013 at 12:30 pm 14 comments
Charlie Bear here with an important question. Mom Peep wants to know: how long does it take to heal?
I think she’s talking about her elbow that got a crack in it March 6. She’s trying not to be a baby and take too much Tylenol, but I told her she needs to when it gets tough. She sees the orthopedic doctor Thursday and she’s going to ask him about the pain she’s having not just in the elbow but the wrist, the forearm and the upper arm too, especially if she does something funky like twist her wrist.
I remember being in the car with her when she couldn’t turn the key in the ignition with her right hand. She had to reach over and around the steering wheel and turn the key with her left. She can use her right hand now, but something like blow drying her hair with a big brush can be painful.
Then there’s the other kind of hurt Mom is going through. The deep pain-in-the-heart hurt from losing sweet Great-Grandbaby Hailey on January 3rd. I snuggle up with her and try to get her to realize that losing someone precious leaves a hole in a person’s heart that never heals. Heck, even me, little rescue dog me, pines for what I had before (my foster mommy and the freedom I had on the streets). It takes a long time to adjust to change. And the other thing is that a person (or dog in my case) never is the same again. We are changed forever.
Mom wants you to know that she appreciates YOU and how you stick by her during all this turmoil in her life. She knows many of you have had much, much more happen. She would appreciate, though, any words of advice on adjusting to having a hole in your heart and a crack in your elbow. Anyone ever have a cracked elbow? How long did it take yours to get better?
Wiggles and Woofs,
Charlie Bear
Entry filed under: Charlie Chat, Dogs. Tags: broken elbow, hurting heart.
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Taylor's Tips 
1.
Julie Garmon | April 12, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Love Kay’s precious words. Sending a great big hug to your mom peep, Charlie. Tell her I’m praying for her. Tell her I love her and want to talk to her next week!!
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2.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Julie,
Thanks for the hug for Mom Peep. And for the prayers, too. She appreciates you!
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
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3.
Alice W. | April 12, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Charlie B ear, the wrist, elbow & collar bone will heal eventually, I broke my wrist a good many years ago and it took a long time to heal, I was in a cast for 8 weeks and had to have Physical Therapy for about 2 mos. more, had freedom for a good long while; BUT!! You know what; Charlie? Ole Arthar(itis) has took up housekipping in that same wrist that was broke and no matter what I or the DR’s do we can’t get him to leave. One of my Orthopedic DR’s gave me some Cream that I rub on it a few times during the day and at night if needed; it relieves it a bunch. Tell your peep that if she would like the name of it I will e- mail it to her. It is an RX med and she would need a perscription from her DR. to get it but don’t think she would have any problem getting them to order it for her. It’s a wonder salve or ointment-cream to me. Just let me know.
As far as the grief heart pain, that is as the others have said, it will ‘never leave’ nor could another child be able to take “Little Angel Face’s” place, BUT the hurt will be easier to bear “As Time Goes By”.
As she has probably done found out by now; it is as with you & Rex, no other dog(s) could ever take your places either, ever. You just snuggle, wiggle & wag, smother her with love & kisses and maybe that will help her a lot.
Wags and wiggles to all orf you..
Beaugie.
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4.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Beaugie,
The cream sounds good for taking care of the ole Arthur-itis pain. Mom has that a lot already in her joints (runs in her family) and she thinks she’ll probably have it in that broken elbow after it heals, too.
Little Angel Face’s picture is in a special frame upstairs. It makes Mom smile most of the time to remember the sweetness of that little peanut. And you are right: the pain will never leave, it will get easier to bear “as time goes by.”
I’ll keep snuggling with her and kissing her and wiggling and wagging. Thanks for writing!
Charlie Bear
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5.
Susan | April 12, 2013 at 1:44 pm
My grandmother never forgot the son she lost from pheumonia in the 1940s. She never could talk of him either. I wish I could tell you about elbows but I don’t know about cracked elbows, just sore ones. Take care.
Susan
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6.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 11:58 am
Susan,
Your grandmother knows what us dogs do…that we never forget. Mom Peep had a Shepard/Lab mix way long time ago that didn’t like men’s work boots. He snarled, growled, and lunged at them. Seems someone used to kick him with those things. He never forgot it.
As for babies…how could we ever forget our babies? Precious, sweet, smell-like-powder babies? Thanks for sharing about your grandma. And thanks for the well wishes.
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
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7.
Francine Morrow Keehnel | April 12, 2013 at 1:44 pm
Dear Charlie Bear, I’m so sorry your mom peeps broke her elbow last month! Please give her a woof and wiggle from me and tell her she has not only my sincere sympathy, but also my continued prayers for complete healing. [I sympathize because I broke my right arm/wrist last April and, after surgery, the doctor put me on Norco for pain control. It worked nicely and, by comparison, beat the socks off plain Tylenol!] Have your mom ask the doctor about switching to Norco (every six hours) to control the pain. If it hurts in between doses, which it probably will), she can safely take Ibuprophen every six hours (three hours in between each dose of Norco), which will bring the inflammation under control. Driving exacerbates inflammation, so she should limit that as much as possible until x-rays show complete healing of the bones. Healing takes about two to three months for the bones to knit back together, and if the pain continues for a while, tell her not to worry, but continue with the Ibuprophen until the pain goes away. Also tell her it’s a good idea to have a small snack with Ibuptophen, so her tummy doesn’t get upset. In case you wonder how I know all this stuff, I’ve been a nurse for a long time (35 years) and spent a whole summer working at Hume Lake Christian Camps, where there were a LOT of injuried, including broken bones! And then of course, I learned a lot by breaking my right wrist in April and my left ankle in October of last year. I’m really glad I had a good doctor and am doing very well now.
I am so very, very sorry your mom peeps lost her precious granddaughter in January. My heart aches for her and I prayed a lot on her behalf that God would comfort her and sustain her during this horrible time of grief. Your mom is one of my very favorite people. She’s an awesome writing mentor and teacher, as well as a wonderful encourager.I love her very much! Please tell her my prayers continue for her healing in body and spirit and that the God of all comfort is always with her!
Thank you Charlie Bear for being such a good companion and friend to your mom peeps. You are very special!
Love, Francine
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8.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 11:55 am
Francine,
Ahhh….beats the socks off Tylenol, huh? Mom is such a baby and doesn’t want to take pain killers. Me? I’d do it. Wow…what great advice from you as a nurse. It helps Mom to know the pain is probably normal and that it will take longer than she thinks to get better. Especially the part about bones taking 2-3 months to knit back together. I think she thought she could snap her fingers and be all good to go! And the deep pain in her heart is certainly not a snap-your-fingers-and-feel-better kind. She appreciates your prayers and the awesome words you said about her. She’s humbled and in awe.
Thank you. I do try to be a good companion to my peeps!
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
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9.
Penny Childers | April 12, 2013 at 1:10 pm
I broke my wrist last year. It affects everything. I had to have physical therapy for my arm and collar bone. The pain was almost worst there. Hang in there Taylor.
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10.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 11:50 am
Penny,
Nice to know that the pain could be AWAY from the actual break. Mom didn’t know that.
Thanks for wishing her well and to “hang in there.”
Wiggles and woofs,
Charlie Bear
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11.
Penny Childers | April 14, 2013 at 7:19 pm
I just realized there was a lost of a precious baby earlier this year. The lost of Hailey. Praying for healing of the pain. Penny
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12.
bjtaylorblog | April 15, 2013 at 6:50 am
Penny,
Thank you so much for your condolences and prayers. We appreciate that so much.
Love,
B.J. and Charlie Bear
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13.
kaystrom | April 12, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Charlie Bear, Your mom peep’s elbow will get a little bit better every day until it is finally healed. A broken heart also gets better, but it never totally heals. The scar will be there forever. Snuggle up to her and give her as much love as you can. This is a hard time, but when she gets through it, she will be stronger, deeper, even more loving than the wonderful peep she is today. I promise you.
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14.
bjtaylorblog | April 13, 2013 at 11:48 am
Kay,
Great advice for Mom … and I love your promise for her. I already think she’s pretty wonderful, and strong, and deep, and loving, but more of that in Mom Peep would only make me love her even more.
Wiggles to you and Mom Peep says “Thank You” for the call,
Charlie Bear
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