Did you have a happy 12th Night? Mine has been great.
I never knew the healing of a broken hand could be such an interesting a process. If typing weren't so tiring, I'd go on and on about all the things I've learned and about all the people I've met.
Today, I met many people. Things were quite backed up at the doctor's office so I "entertained" in the waiting room. No tea was served, you understand. No songs were sung. After another round of X-rays, I saw the doctor. "Fine," I said in reply to his query. "Oh, but I suppose you're supposed to tell me how I am." He and the nurse were so pleased at my reply. He told me I was the one who was supposed to decide how I am and the nurse broke into a chorus of "no one has been fine today" while he apologized for moving so slowly through the morning. It had been a bumpy morning. Everyone had had some sort of problem that needed tending. [Needed talking out more likely.]
Once again, the doctor admired my scar. Full marks to me. It is I who was given the task of massaging and desensitizing. We counted screws today. I have 9 screws and a plate. "Tell people they're very small screws," he told me. The doctor is very pleased with my progress. Flexibility is excellent and he tells me that I should begin strengthening exercises in PT. [I think we did that yesterday.]
Yesterday in PT, the therapist bypassed the heat pack, something I'd looked forward to having after scraping the car windows. She, also, ignored the silly therapy putty. After measuring flexibility for the doctor's report, she put me to work on a large steering wheel and, then, on a computer game which is operated by a rolling handle. This wrist flexibility will come handy should I ever take up motorcycle riding.
The doctor says I can begin to remove my splint for longer periods of time "which I assume you're doing," he said, glancing toward the knitting I had put aside when he came into the room. So, now, I can do light duty with no splint and general heavy duty with my splint. After all these weeks, I have plenty of each to do. I'm to see the doctor again in 4 weeks. He says I, probably, will have finished PT before that appointment and can, then, take off the splint when I'm ready.
I took the doctor's time with a request and explanation. I told him that I agreed with his assessment of the medical community and services but I had a question about the recovery resources. I said that, if I'd had to go home from surgery by cab, it would have been an expensive ride because of the stop at the pharmacy and I'd have gone home with no food. No cab driver is going to suggest: "Hey, lady, you're gonna need some food, too," and I know I was prepared not at all. Most of us don't think about a trip to the pharmacy and about eating. We want to get home. A good recovery requires food, water, medication and sanitation. What concerns me are those who have no transportation home -- the place recovery begins.
I asked him if he knew of anyone who was providing this service. He and the nurse were thoughtful but could think of no one. I gave him some details to chew on and check on and asked him to call me if he learned anything. He did suggest that I contact the volunteer department but I told him that volunteer departments have to be aware of the needs before they try to fill them. I believe such a query would best come from the same day surgical department.
The nurse and the doctor were sure that this was not a common need. "I'm sure you're right," I told them. "And that's why it would be so easily overlooked and so easily accomplished." The nurse lingered to say she'd worked in same day surgery clinic and remembered that, sometimes, there were people who needed cabs only to have the cab company refuse to transport post-surgical patients. She was delighted with my tale of my ride home. Dale brought me a big tub of homemade chili, stopped to get me (and Dan) food I could eat with one hand and reheat (or not) for the next couple of days. Dale, also, saw to the pharmacy visit, dragging Dan along to use his card and his money. The nurse thinks Dale is great. Little does she know how great!
You can see that I've been idle far too long. Given the time, I do invent things, don't I?
Well, I'm off to exercises, a little time in the splint and, maybe, a light task or two.
