It was a good time to say good bye

Today on Day #219 of the saga of "old lefty" I made the journey to the "land of miracles" for my weekly physical therapy appointment.  I've made countless trips to the Kansas Orthopaedic Center since August 4th of last year.  In fact, I've made so many trips there that I could well make the trip blindfolded, but hey promise you all THAT will never happen.


Today's visit was much like all of the others.  First stop, the "shake and bake machine" for 20 minutes of warm, 101 degree heat.  Oh how I have always loved that part of my visits.  Hard to describe it exactly but just imagine a nice little place where something akin to corn meal is blown around on the inside of a toasty warm box.  When I was in the "shake and bake machine" it seemed like all of my aches and pains from the various surgeries vanished.  I could move my left hand and forearm around as if it belonged to a 12-year old kid, the hurt was no more.  Then as I would move over to the therapist table it was easier to work with, all limbered up, kind of sort of.


And speaking of the therapist, well I guess I couldn't have asked for a better one.  Here we are today, literally "working my fingers to the bone".  Meet Kim Lockwood, just another one of the "miracle workers" that helped to restore "old lefty" back to its new semi-normal state.

I'll NEVER forget the day I first met Kim many months ago now.  I was in the second of my long arm casts with swollen, fat, black and blue fingers that could do absolutely almost nothing.  I was very discouraged and when Dr. Chan suggested I needed to get some physical therapy going, I can remember thinking, "For what?  Nothing works anyway!"  But Kim soon straightened out my #$@& poor attitude (sorry for the encrypted sailor talk) but it was what it was.


I surely never will forget, during my initial visit, some of the comments he made to me...and believe me they were not the kind that you wished to hear coming from your occupational therapists mouth:


*Upon seeing my first set of x-rays
"Holy Moly you really did a number on that wrist!"


*Upon being asked the question of how much physical therapy I would need
"Months"


*Upon describing the condition of the bone formerly known as "Peggy's intact radius"
"You pulverized it!"


*Upon seeing "old lefty's" very crooked little finger
"I'm going to try and manipulate it now."  (You're gonna WHAT?!)


At each appointment Kim would routinely measure the ability of the range of motion of my left hand and wrist.  He'd see how far I could bend my hand at the wrist in a palms up position, how far I could point my hand down with the wrist bent...and my very, very not favorite of all...how far I could turn my palm with my elbows tucked securely to my sides.  


Today we did all of those things as well as measure the strength in my hands.  "Old lefty" has a long, long way to go having scored a very low score of 18.  Comparing that number to the 55 that my right hand scored, it's easy to see that the accident has taken it's toll on my body.  Everything from my left shoulder down to my left hand was affected by the 8 months of recuperation I have went through.  It will be a long time before everything is even close to normal.  I used to think when the doctors told me it would take months to get over all of the injuries that they were referring to the number "2".  Now I know that when they at times mention "years" to me in respect to returning to normal that they aren't kidding~they really mean it.  


At the end of the appointment, Kim took some time to go back to the original x-rays that I had brought over on August 9th, 5 days after the accident.  He was quick to point out just how far I had come.  "Peggy", he began..."you were a train wreck.  It was awful."  In that x-ray I could see the external fixator device that Dr. Goin had implanted and the awful mess I had made of many of the bones of my left arm, wrist and hand.  Even with the "Red Green" hardware that now lies nestled inside of me, my x-rays STILL look better today than when I began this whole thing, long ago.


Then came the end of the appointment....literally.  Kim felt that I had come as far as I could with needing his assistance and any more occupational/physical therapy visits.  In other words, he was dismissing me from his care.  For just a moment in time, I had to stop and really think about what he was telling me.  When it finally sunk in, I don't think my spirit could have been any higher.  After 8 long and drawn out months, I had passed!  And I owe so much of the credit to Kim Lockwood.


As happy as I am to no longer need physical therapy visits, there was a touch of sadness in saying good bye.  You can't make weekly visits to physical therapy without becoming a bit attached to the wonderful people who provide you care.  That happened to me with Kim and his staff of therapists.  Although I have another 17 days to be released from Dr. Chan's care, being done with "official" physical therapy visits was at least a good place to start.


So Kim Lockwood, if you should read this blog post, I would want you to know how grateful I am for the wonderful care you gave me.  For all of the times I thought that you were pushing me too hard, I  know now you did what was best for me.  I don't believe that I will ever think of someone twisting my arm into the right position without remembering you, my taskmaster.  Said of course in a loving and kind way my friend.  There was a time early on that you suggested I save myself such long drives and find a therapist here in Hutch.  Well, I say to you that it was worth every mile I had to drive to be cared for in such a wonderful facility by a caring and kind staff.  For what ever "old lefty's" new normal shall be, I thank you for the part you played in its restoration."


Sincerely yours from me,


My name is Peggy  (shall never hear that again without thinking of you my friend...)