broke my wrist last night...now what?!

[Nadine <3]

Oye, so last night I was walking our puppy and he was WAY over excited and I tripped over him. I put my hands out to catch myself so I didn't face plant, and ended up breaking my wrist. I spent several hours in the ER and now I'm home with my wrist encased in plaster. :( I'll be like this for 6 weeks and I am NOT happy. My hair is still in pigtail braids from yesterday so it's not an issue now...but it will be tonight. It's wash day and my head is already pretty gross. I'm wondering how I'll go about doing this, I'm not sure I can even wash my hair using one hand, let alone putting it up and out of the way... How in the world am I going to manage this? Anyone ever break a bone or hurt themselves? What did you do? I usually wear dutch/french braid to protect my hair, but I'm sure I won't be able to manage that and my mom can't even do an English braid. I do have a friends who can, but she can't always come over to do my hair. I'm sure she wouldn't mind doing it if I asked her, but I'd feel weird asking...should I have her do it and then try and wear the same fuzzy braids? My head tends to get itchy and sore it I don't take it down and scratch my scalp a bit.


Haaalp.:confused:

[katieing]

I'm really sorry about your wrist :( I broke my wrist about a year ago, it was torture. I had to have other people put my hair in ponytails and braids and I had the awkward cast wrapped in a garbage bag to take showers. While I had the cast I usually had it in a low ponytail with a few more bands down it to keep it from getting in my way, or braid it down my back or if no one could help me, just loose. On wash days I would make a weird club with my cast wrapped in a bag and wash my hair with one hand. I had to use my good hand to shampoo and condition as best i could, which didn't work much at all. I found it easier to bring some of my hair over my shoulder while i washed it so i could reach it with one hand. The first week I couldn't figure anything out, but after having to learn to work with one hand, some things became easier.
Which wrist did you break? I had broke my left wrist, which was nice (I guess) because I am a righty. But If you have broken your right wrist and you are a righty, I just hope you can get through these 6 weeks without going insane

[Nadine <3]

Thank you!
I'm a righty and I broke my right wrist. Sleeping with this on was a nightmare, typing is a pain in the butt, and cooking breakfast for myself was an adventure to say the least. I think my best friend is planning on stopping over today to see how I'm doing, so I'm going to ask her to help me out in the shower and put my hair up in braids. I'm kinda thinking my hair is just going to be a very messy, slightly greasy disaster for 6 weeks. :(

[Khristopher]

Oh my, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope your wrist heals fine and soon. I guess being in your situation, your friends will be waiting to help you, at least that's what I would do if any of my friends is in trouble. Did you asked your mom to help you wash? Also, how often do you wash normally?
I know it's above the braiding level of most people, but if you can make someone do a crown braid, that would keep your hair protected, out of the way and hide any greasyness you may get. Some spritz here and there can help refreshing your hair and scalp.
Also! Maybe you can find some fellows long hairs here that live near your zone to help?

[katieing]

I hope that helped a tiny bit haha I'm glad that you at least have someone to help you out a bit. I can't imagine having to work with my left hand... I am very sorry about your dilemma :( After a while you might be able to do more with just your left, but for now I don't think it is going to be a very pleasant experience

[Nadine <3]

With the warm weather we've been having I've been needing to wash every other day at least. I can stretch one more day if I have too but I get pretty itchy so I don't like doing it. My friends is over now and asked if I needed help washing and putting my hair up before I even had to asked. Bless her! :blossom: She said she'll come and help when she can. I do work in a church, so I'll have to look respectable so no hats, or bandannas. I'm sure my mom would be more than happy to wash it if my friend can't but then I'll have to wear it down until I can have someone put it back up. I'll just have to chill out, relax and see what happens. I'm sure I'll figure it out and survive this somehow. If anything my hair will end up happier due to lack of messing with it.

[Timea]

Last summer, just a day or two before I got my plaster, I had just put my hair up in cornrows so I was lucky and I wore them for the whole time I was using the plaster. It's a protective style too. You can wash your hair with them in if you're gentle, and it's actually easier to wash with them in because you can do just one braid at a time. Use less shampoo than normal. They'll get fuzzy but you can slick them down with water.

if your friends know how to dutch braid, they can do corn rows. they're just a bunch (10 or so, maybe more depending on your head) of dutch braids.

[Anje]

Ow!

I'm glad you've got a friend coming over to help wash and put up your hair. I was going to suggest that you try to get your mom to at least wash your hair for the first few days, since I imagine the pain will be a bit much to try to manipulate it.

I'll bet with a little practice you can do a side braid or maybe a rope braid with your left hand and your mouth. Your right hand might be usable to pinch a strand off to the side before long, but you'll be able to judge that better than we can.

[lapushka]

Ouch. Wishing you lots of healing. I hope you get through this time without much trouble. It looks like you have help, which is nice. Be sure to do something nice for your friend for helping you out, not that it's necessary, but it would be a beautiful gesture. :flower:

[StellaKatherine]

I am so sorry! I hope your wrist will heal well and fast! That is some pain to live with, 6 weeks without been able to use your right hand :( Don't hesitate to ask your friends for help, I am sure they will gladly do that!

[Kina]

Ouch! You poor thing!

I didn't think I had any advice to offer and then I did think of one: A SLEEP CAP! When your mom or friend does your hair, do your very best not to touch it, and stick a sleep cap (or similar) on at night so you can keep the style/neatness longer.

I hope you heal very quickly!

[Agnes Hannah]

Cant offer anymore advice, but sending a huge hug, that must have been really painful for you, hope you feel better soon. Accept any help offered. I like the cornrow idea too. Take care of yourself.x

[robin000]

I broke my wrist last fall—so sorry it happened to you!

I found that washing my hair wasn't that difficult; it just took twice as long as normal and I had to work harder not to get shampoo in my eyes. For the first several weeks, I had a heavy splint that went all the way around the elbow, so the only way I could keep it out of the water was to hang my sling from a hook on the shower curtain bar. If you try that, just make sure the bar (especially if it's a tension rod) can support the weight (and try not to lean on it).

Styling my hair / keeping it out of my face was much harder. I'm pretty dexterous and I tried really hard, but the best looks I could manage on my own were a very loose side braid that would not hold up for long and a deranged-looking wad held by a butterfly clip. I used youtube and patience to teach my boyfriend how to make a nautilus/center-held bun. Together (I used my good hand to do some of the wrapping/tucking/tightening), we made a bun right on top of my head each morning (so that gravity was helping it stay secure, not fighting it) and fastened it with a flexi-8. It would usually hold all the way until the next morning when we redid it.

If you live with your mom, I would definitely enlist her help! She may not be gifted at hair styling on her own, but I'm sure together you guys could manage something decent. Honestly, if my boyfriend can do it, well... that means that anyone with two working hands has at least a pretty good shot.

[Viola88]

You could treat yourself and go to a salon for a wash and braid.

[Carolyn]

I broke my arm several years ago. My hair wasn't nearly as long as it is now. It was about arm pit length and I had some layers. I had it washed and french braided twice a week. My head really itched going that long between washes but I survived. I went to the local beauty school most of the time because they were cheaper. You are so lucky if you have someone to help you. I had no one who was able to help. My friends were all short haired. The two that I asked for help didn't want to do it. Mr Cranky? Uh no I wouldn't ask him. MIL the same. The beauty school braid thing worked really well other than the infrequency of washing.

[MINAKO]

I'm sorry this happened to you Nadine. :(
Seconding the cornrows. Maybe its not the prettiest thing in the worlg but at least your hair will stay protected.
Get well soon :blossom:

[embee]

Sorry to read this, what a horrid thing to have happen! Yes, side braid or low side pony sounds possible. Now is the time to have some good hair elastics.

Depending on how your wrist is bound up, it is possible you can do a topknot by bending forward and brushing all your hair foward. I find spin pins work for me, but I did have two hands.... I used to make a topknot with just an elastic, but it was pretty floppy.

Even if you cannot *wash* your hair, you can surely rinse it in the shower. That alone should make some improvement in the itchies.

Good thing you are young, the young heal faster! :) (Sounds like it's time for obedience school for Mr. Puppy.)

[moontree]

I'm so sorry you broke your wrist! I hope you heal up fast.

I'm not sure what it's called but when I busted my index finger I had longer hair, and I would just twist it one handed behind me until it wanted to coil over on itself and secured it with an elastic already stretched over my fingers before I twisted. Worked pretty well to hold it, and left fun no-heat curls.

You could also do loose pigtail braids.

[RapunzelKat]

Aww man, I'm sorry Nadine<3! :grouphug:

Not much advice here, but when I had eye surgery a while back my mom washed my hair in the sink at first since I couldn't get water on my face. Think my length was similar to where yours is now.

[Nadine <3]

Thank you all for the well wishes!:blossom:

It's been an interesting day to say the least. My friend came over, helped me make dinner (and helped eat it of course!) and then washed my hair for me in the kitchen sink with the hose. She even helped put in all my leave-ins! After it dried a bit she combed it out and put it into two dutch pigtail braids. I'm going to attempt making them last, though my hair loves to get fuzzy fast and work itself out of everything. I do have two different sleep caps that I never wear. I have a silk and a satin one and when I could get them to stay I would wake up and my head would be drenched in sweat. I'm already having issues resting trying to get used to this club on my hand, I'm not sure I want to add a sack on my head lol I think I'm going to ask my mom to watch some how to french braid videos on youtube so she can try it on me...When I go back to work I'm going to need my hair looking somewhat respectable. I don't go back until Monday so I have time to figure out a routine. I'll keep checking here, but if I seem to disapear just know that I am reading but responding to everthing with my left hand takes a very, very long time and I'm exhausted. I'm going to go wrap my hand in a bag and try getting the rest of me clean, and then I want ice cream and pain killers and my bed. Goodnight!

[woodswanderer]

Gosh, that's awful. I'm sure it will get easier for you over time. People are so adaptable. If I were at your length, I would just wear it loose. I personally don't think protective styles are very relevant before waist length, based on my experiences, although I'm aware a lot of people would disagree.

[Entangled]

:-(Ahh. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could offer suggestions, but the only time I broke my arm I was in second grade and had shoulder length hair that I wore down every day. I'll second the rope braid suggestion. You might be able to make a rose bun if you can hold it with your broken hand when you pin. Are you in a sling? I hope you heal quickly and with minimal pain!

[Beezle]

Oh that's really tough, Nadine. I'm sorry to hear it. I've found the main problem is depending on one person too much. They end up getting a bit stressed by it all. If you can share the load, then everyone is happier, including yourself! Could you think of anyone at work who would be prepared to braid your hair one day a week? There is usually someone, and often the most unlikely person, who would be happy to help. That way your friend and your mother would only need to help one day a week too.

[gnome82]

Im sorry to hear that you broke your wrist, I hope it heals well for you and that things work out for you!! :blossom:

[restless]

Im sorry to hear about your wrist :(

I broke my own right wrist (and of course Im right handed) a couple of years ago when my hair was around APL. I lived on my own and it sure took some time to adapt to my new life with only one fully functioning arm, but I eventually worked out a routine for hair, showers, applying makeup, making sandwiches.... I could still move the fingers on my broken arm a little though which helped a lot and as the recovery went on, I learnt how to do a simple braid and a nautilus bun. Mainly I used my left hand to do it but with a little support from my right (I held the hair pieces clipped loosely between the fingers on my right hand while the left hand got do the more complicated moves and twists). Im sure you too will come up with solutions for all the daily tasks as the time goes by and the pain releases, but just dont overwork yourself. If it hurts; stop.

Hoping for a speedy recovery :blossom::blossom:

[Majorane]

Heeeey, that stinks, having a broken wrist! I hope the pain goes away soon, and you'll heal above average-fast. :( As for hairstyles, if you twisttwisttwist your hair with your left hand, put your club at the top to hold it, and then put in a claw clip or a fakkare, is that an option? Your ends might not be protected but at least your hair is up that way... I do that on my bike when I have hair sticking in my lipgloss. With one hand. Otherwise I'd crash. Uhm.

Or maybe a nice co-worker could braid your hair if you come in a bit earlier, for on the days your mum or friends can't braid?

Get well soon!

[QMacrocarpa]

Argh, I'm sorry you're going through this! I got some good practical tips when I asked for suggestions after a shoulder injury, so hopefully you're getting some ideas that work for you too! My only suggestion is that your Mom might be able to do a banded ponytail (http://camillestyles.com/beauty-style/pretty-simple-banded-ponytail/) for you. It's not the most protective of styles, but it would help minimize tangles, and it's not very challenging to do (with two hands).

[Nadine <3]

My pigtails fell out today but I managed to brush all my hair to the top of my head, twist it up into a mangled ball thing and clamp it with a claw clip. It doesn't look very nice...but it's staying and keeping me cool. My mom just got home from work, she's getting ready to try her hand at her first ever french braid. Fingers crossed! Even if it looks mangled...I'll just be sleeping in it. Tomorrow is wash day and I'm going to try doing it myself, then after it dries a friend of mine (who has a virgin, classic length blonde hair! So pretty!) is coming over to put my hair up into a dutch crown braid.

Thank you all again for the well wishes!

[Charybdis]

Hi, Nadine, I went through this back at the end of last year. I washed my hair in the kitchen sink one-handed, bending forward from the waist. I put the shampoo and conditioner into small bowls by the side of the sink before getting started, so that I didn't have to deal with getting them out of the bottles with one wet hand and wet hair in my face.

When my injury was starting to heal, I also used a cast cover (http://www.drycast.com/) over the cast so that I didn't have to worry about accidentally wetting it. Be warned, though, you may not be able to get the cast cover over your thumb if you have an undiagnosed scaphoid fracture and they haven't put a thumb spica (http://www.fpnotebook.com/ortho/procedure/ThmbSpcCst.htm) on the cast. (This is what happened to me.) So if you have a cast cover, don't try to force it on if it hurts too much! But it does make taking a shower SO much easier if you can use one.

Wishing you speedy healing! :flower: