"Old lefty" has smiled for the x-ray camera so many times now that I have surely lost count! Today's picture taking session was a bite of that proverbial "piece of cake." I just walked in, sat down in the chair and placed my arm where it needed to be without any coaxing from the technician doing the x-ray. Although it was easy for me today, I can well remember all of the times when just simply laying my arm down on the table was a monumentally painful task. And I sure as heck didn't want to have to turn it very much either. I just wanted who ever was taking the picture to hurry up and get my arm off of that table! So very thankful that it is much easier now as well as relieved to not put any x-ray technician through the torment and pain that I put the two young ladies through who took my first set of x-rays here at Hutchinson Hospital. Geesch, I still wish I could find them to apologize!
When Dr. Chan came into the room and took a look at my x-rays, he seemed quite pleased. The bone material from Eleanor has healed quite nicely inside my wrist area and every time I am told that, I am so happy. In fact so much that I could easily cry if I thought about it for awhile. Not a day goes by that I don't remember in gratitude an unknown man in Missouri whose death meant the chance for a new wrist for me.
I had always been concerned about the 'gap' in the ulna from the December surgery. When I asked him if that was a problem he replied, "No, we WANT the gap to be there. It's what allows your wrist to turn now." Lesson learned for me today-didn't realize that to be the case.
Then came the moment of truth~Dr. Chan started taking measurements of my ability to put my wrist into different positions. Just 4 weeks ago, at my last appointment, he took a look at the measurements and with a very "frowny" face said to me that I absolutely had to start working harder at getting the wrist to move. He had caught me "red handed", busted me for my lack of effort in the week before. Today I wanted to make him proud of me and judging from the huge smile on his face, I think he was.
"Wow, now this is great!" he exclaimed as he took the measurement of how far I could turn my wrist over. I knew I had been getting better at it, just wasn't sure how MUCH better. Today my measurement of degrees turned was already up to 74. Since the last time was a measly 45, I think I can count that as an improvement. And the greatest reward for me was to see the look of surprise on Dr. Chan's face as he realized just how much more I could do today. Priceless!
You know friends, I have to admit right now that I owe a debt of gratitude for my improved mobility to some of the students that I teach every day at Lincoln Elementary. When I came back to school after visiting Dr. Chan 4 weeks ago, I told them the story about my needing to do more physical therapy exercises during the day. They seemed interested in knowing what kinds of exercises I did and as we talked about it, I asked if they could help me. After a little brainstorming session, we came up with a plan.
Every morning, at the end of each of my 30 minute reading groups, I have been practicing turning my arm/wrist over for 30 seconds while my students watched the clock to time me. Gotta tell you friends that these guys became sticklers for doing it right and stricter "taskmasters" than my friend in Physical Therapy, Kim Lockwood. I made sure that I stood up straight, didn't lean my head over to one side, and kept my elbow locked close to me. One designated kid would say "on your mark, get set, GO!" to me and the rest would be eyeing that clock, marking off what ever the 30 second mark would be.
It was interesting that in the beginning, most of them chose not to watch me do it. Early on, one of the little first graders said to the others, "Her face doesn't look too happy." as I struggled to even "kind of" turn my wrist over. But heck, as time went on they no longer were afraid to watch it in fact, they soon became the greatest squad of cheerleaders I could have asked for. Because of their encouragement and care, my wrist became stronger and my spirit began to soar.
With as pleased as Dr. Chan was for the most part, he does have some concerns about why two of my fingers and part of the palm are still numb. He scheduled a test for Monday to see how the nerves are working inside of "old lefty". That will help him to determine if further surgery is necessary or if it's just something I will have to learn to live with. And oh yeah, can't forget....Good thing that I like the color pink because I have another 3 weeks to wear my neon pink, get the heck out of my way, splint. Just when I thought I was about ready to "retire" it! :(
Even though the good doc's verdict didn't come back as wonderful as I had hoped, February 24, 2012 has still been a great day to be alive in! But you know what? August 4th, 2011 was actually pretty darned good too. Having a broken arm has been an inconvenience, to be sure. But it has also been the catalyst for my revised way of thinking of how NOT to take this life for granted. From the minute my body flew off of the bike and landed on the curb, things have never been the same. And that, dear friends, is a gift~
"Old lefty" has come a long, long ways since August. Sometimes when my patience runs out I have to stop and look at this photo just to remember where I've already been!
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