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Re: [RC] Horse Accident - rides2farShort version: If your collarbone is going to slow you down or not heal well, I do recommend the surgery. Practically no down time whatsoever. Yakky (oh no, not *that* story again) version: I've had my right collarbone plated twice. Both times I assumed they'd do nothing since after all "it's a collarbone and they don't fix those they just heal with a bump". The first time though there was about a 1 1/2" gap between the two ends so they put a plate with 6 screws in there. That was good and I did a 50 miler 6 weeks later. One year later they took the plate out because they said the collarbone breaking is like a release valve. When it pops it keeps your shoulder from absorbing the shock and shattering your joint (much worse). Several years later I had a bad break there again. This time it was completely broken and the two ends were overlapping about 2". The top bone had a piece broken downward so I guess it was kinda almost in 3 pieces. The first hospital I went to (backwoods KY) just said, 'It's a collarbone" and gave me pills. When I got home and went for a followup visit to my doctor she immediately said, "Oh my, you definitely need surgery!" I'm a teacher and it took them a week to schedule my surgery so I feel ya on the left handed writing. Try being an *art* teacher. I was making like Picasso with 2 eyes on one side of the head that week. >g< So they put in another plate this time with 9 screws and I was ready to go again almost immediately. That surgeon wasn't as adament about the importance of going back and removing the plate and kinda left it up to me. I've been meaning to since 12 months post op, but never schedule it in. I think that was in 02. :-P I do want it out since they say it could even puncture my jugular or shatter my shoulder if I did the same accident again. It also really hurts if something bangs it and heaven forbid somebody come up behind me and start to massage my shoulders. I've learned to duck & yell fast. I feel it pull on the screws if I do pushups...but it's fun to pop it up high now and then and freak out students. (You can feel & count the screws through the skin). Not particularly attractive though. Angie =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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