What the Doctor Says…

Aug 22nd

Got a more official stabilizer at CVS. Feels pretty clunky, but seems to work pretty well.

I had to wait until this morning for an appointment at my PCP. The nurse practitioner felt it was important to do some x-rays to confirm a simple dislocation. The Newton-Wellesley Physicians – Primary Care office has its own radiology dept., so I was able to get the x-rays on site and with little fuss. But I had to wait to get the film read.

I got the call as I was coming out of Home Depot, carrying a replacement door for the upstairs bathroom. Wasn’t the most convenient time, for sure.

Long story short*, there may be what’s called an avulsed fragment, or avulsion fracture. As I understand it, that’s when a small piece of bone breaks off. I have to see a hand specialist to be evaluated and to determine next steps. I can’t get an appointment until next week, so the suspense will continue for a while.

*Actual note from the radiologist: ‪”There is a questionable linear density adjacent to the proximal phalanx of the fifth digit which could represent a small avulsed fragment. A small density just inferior to this is suggestive of an ossicle.‬”