I went to the local post office in the village this morning. The post lady is very friendly and enjoys a chat if not too busy.
She was wearing a blouse which revealed the top of a plaster in the middle, a few inches under the chin. I was inquisitive but decided to be a gentleman and not ask. La factrice yawned and excused herself saying she didn’t get much sleep due to the pain ( pointing at her chest). Very tentatively I asked what the trouble was and she replied that she had had a nasty cough and that the force of coughing had snapped her sternum.
I’ve never heard that one before, I didn’t even imagine it could be possible !
Seems improbable.
But what does she think of a Trump presidency? 
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Goodness. Is she old or osteoporotic for some other reason perhaps? They say a broken sternum is hideously painful if you cough but the cause is usually a violent impact of some sort ( I can sympathise, especially at the moment!).
What’s that to do with her chest ?
She is probably about 35/40. I did ask about what it could be and said she has had tests for osteoporosis etc and is awaiting results. There’s no family history of it apparently.
She says the most painful moments are when she moves her arms. Sleeping is a problem apparently and I can see why. How on earth does one heal a broken sternum ?
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@Porridge - go and stand in the corner until you have learned the appropriate place in the forum for such comments.
Any more bad behaviour and I will send you to the headmaster’s office.
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Sorry, @Peter_Bird , it was a weak joke referring to the way every discussion seems to lead to that topic!
As for your friend the factrice, it sounds a very painful condition. An uncle was sawn through the sternum for heart surgery, and it healed with the application of staples. But for it to be broken merely through coughing sounds like there must have been an underlying prior condition .
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Very informative source
Not that we should speculate about the OP’s factrice but while we’re pondering it doesn’t hurt us to learn a little. @vero is spot on about osteoporosis in the mix but I thought the seatbelt injury warning was interesting. Not so sure about coughing being a cause but might happen if one was coughing while slamming on the brakes. If it was while driving the postal delivery van, your factrice may have a good case.
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FWIW it was immediately obvious to me that you were making an amusing observation about the forum, and not asking about Trump.
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It’s like ribs, can’t do anything specific, just rest. Strapping can help with coughing etc but can also be not fab on skin. Actually if you cough/yawn/sneeze/laugh you have to hold yourself fairly tightly with your arms, that really helps but there’s not much else you can do.
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Thanks Susannah, an interesting read. Coughing was definitely the cause which is a new one for Albi A and E dept too !
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Sounds unique. I have only seen a handful of sternal fractures in 40 years and all have been seat belt related injuries in very high velocity/deceleration traffic collisions that would have been previously unsurvivable without belts/airbags.
Dividing it intentionally requires a pretty major power tool; perhaps Lidl will have them one day in the middle aisle.
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It’s surprising what coughing can do! That’s how i factured a vertebra… (however, apparently underlying osteoporosis)
Ten minutes ago I had to look up sternum. Now i know the main causes of a broken sternum, additional contributing factors, treatment and prognosis. Why, with so much unemployment, is there a shortage of doctors? It’s easy peasy money for old rope. BTW, that’s just from Google. I never went near Facebook where the real experts are.
Dr Google is the best doctor. I had no idea that I had so many rare ailments.
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Our family doctor (lovely chap) has forbidden me to look at ailments etc on Google… as he reckons it sends my blood pressure skyhigh 
3 men in a boat and the medical dictionary.
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