See previous post Ute Valley DNF for why I ended up here..

ER
My friend dropped me off at the ER. I walked in and told them I think I has a broken rib. They asked me to fill out some paperwork, that's when the adrenaline wore off and the pain settled in. They got me into a wheelchair before I passed out! Back in the ER it took 3 hours before I could get into the cat scan machine, then another hour before the doctor read it. He walked in and told me I had broken rib #7 in the front, #12 on my back, had a pneumothorax and I needed a chest tube. For some reason I thought he was joking. I guess that's what happens when you have body trauma and no pain meds, you think it's a joke! They prepped me for a chest tube, but when the Trauma Surgeon walked in and talked to me for a minute he decided I was a healthy enough patient that my lung might get better on it's own. But that's when I was also informed that I was not leaving the hospital for a few days and no way I could fly in the next few weeks. John was near Brianhead, UT mountain biking for the weekend. Being the amazing husband be is, he hopped in the car and began the 600 mile drive to be with me. In the meantime, my aunt drove 2 hours to sit with me until John could make it.

Cat Scan machine, yes, even before I had pain medicine in me I was fascinated about what was happeneing

Cat Scan-it's like a slice of bread, right through the middle of your body.

The right side of the scan is a healthy lung. The arrow on the top left is pointing to a fractured rib # 7. The top left of the photo that is plain black below the ribs is the pnuemothorax (air outside of the lung). The bottom left of the photo shows the bruising in my lung (the milky part).

Waiting in the ER. Getting bored.

DAY 1
Less than 24 hours after being admitted to the hospital, I started going for short walks on the 9th floor with my oxygen. I was sure everything was healing and I'd be out shortly. Sleeping was sporadic and uncomfortable after a couple of hours. I'll spare you details of what narcotics+hospital food do to your digestive system. But everything else was running smoothly. The leg compressors were making me feel like I was doing something for the athlete in me. I even started leg bends and calf raises (the only exercises I could do while hooked to oxygen and that didn't engage any core muscles).

DAY 2
Monday morning I went for my 3rd x-ray, expecting to be discharged. Instead they said my lung must have a small hole in it because the pneumothorax wasn't improving. It was time now for a chest tube. However, this was a better scenario than a chest tube in the ER because they could have a Radiolgist/Surgeon insert it while watching a live x-ray of my chest. Additionally, they could use a smaller tube and put it up higher, not between the ribs. Overall, this was a better option for an athlete, much easier to recover from. The tube they insert in the ER is put through the ribs is much larger in diameter and cuts muscles. They wheeled me to surgery, gave me some happiness in my IV, but let me stay conscious. It took less than 10 minutes once I was prepped. They hooked the tube up to a box that applies revers pressure on the lungs. It sucks the interstitial air and forces the lung to inflate. It also collects fluid and monitors the air that comes out. That meant I was tethered to my bed, with a 5 foot leash. They increased my oxygen again (hoping to promote rapid healing in the lungs). I was on less pain medicine and alert more of the day. I continued with my little leg exercises next to the bed and tried to organize my room while dragging around 2 tubes. My OCD was beginning to show and I tried really hard to not drive the nurses crazy with questions.

DAY 3
By the third day, my rad trauma surgeon that happened to be a mountain biker and skier, had become friends with me and John. Every time he came to the room we talked about bikes or trails or ski resorts. My chest x-ray showed the pneumothorax has healed and he could remove the tube. It still took 8 hours and another x-ray but I finally left the hospital. I'd entered on Saturday afternoon, expecting a 3 hour visit to confirm a broken rib. I left on Tuesday knowing much more about hospitals, IV's, pain medicine and patience than I ever wanted to know. The fresh air and sunshine was immediately healing!

Stoked to get the chest tube out

Ouch, you are pulling something out of my chest cavity

The wall I stared at for days

Goodbye Penrose Hospital, we shall never meet again!