Final Report: After the Fall
Title
Final Report: After the Fall
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"I am sure all my friends and family are anxiously awaiting the result of my visit yesterday with Dr. Charles Day, Beth Israel’s Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery."
Date
2009-08-20
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Language
en
Coverage
2009
Identifier
Final_Report
Text
Final Report: After the Fall
I am sure all my friends and family are anxiously awaiting the result of my visit yesterday with Dr. Charles Day, Beth Israel’s Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery.
Four weeks after the fiberglass cast was put on—that’s the cast with the Procel Cast Liner made by Gortex that looks like bubble wrap and costs an extra $41 since you can get it wet and it “…allows you to continue a more normal life style while healing”—the technician who put it on, cut it off with a fancy circular saw.
After the cast was removed, I went for x-rays: one full on with my hand and wrist on the plate, and two profiles. And then I waited. Dr. Day was very busy today (Wednesday August 19). When he finally entered the Examination Room where I was waiting patiently (after all, I am a patient), he announced that I am 80% healed. He seemed pleased. He then squeezed and poked different parts of my wrist, trying to hurt me. He succeeded. Dr. Day then brought me to Rehabilitation Services, sometimes called Occupational Therapy, which is next door to the Orthopedic Clinic. Clever placement.
I met with Linda Della Porta who explained to me that she will be giving me a splint for my wrist, and a series of exercises. I was given a splint on July 14, when I had the fall; the splint was discarded on July 22, when I was given the cast; and now on August 19, the cast is being discarded and I am being given a splint again. I wish they would make up their minds. They could have saved the old splint since they must have known that I would need a splint after the cast was removed. The splint is made from a remarkable material that is soft, and like cloth, is cut with a scissors. It is then warmed and shaped and when it cools, it hardens. I am supposed to wear it at all times, except when bathing, exercising and doing “light daily activities,” whatever they are.
Linda then showed me a series of exercises and said I should do them four to six times a day. Combined with the exercises I should be doing for my knee, I would be spending the greater part of each day exercising. They have the wrong guy. Anyway, I am supposed to put my forearm on a table with my wrist over the edge and lift my hand up and then bend it down 8 to 10 times. Then do the same thing with fingers curled. This is called flexion. I am also supposed to stretch and bend my wrist. The best one is where you place the palms together over your head and move your hands down. You look like a member of an Eastern religion. In fact the exercise—stretch wrist flexors—is called prayer.
Linda explained that the muscles have become weakened in the cast. Another example of the medical profession screwing up one thing to fix another. Not only is my wrist in pain now as a result of the cast, I have developed a terrible itch on the back of my hand, and I suspect there will soon be a rash. I will be seeing Linda over the next two weeks, and I am sure she will scold me for not doing the exercises. I believe I have seen the last of Dr. Day. I will try to remember not to extend my hand the next time I fall.
Lift hand with fingers straight. Bend wrist as far down as possible. With fingers curled, lift up at wrist. Bend wrist down. Stretch wrist flexors. Pull back hand gently, etc.
August 20, 2009
I am sure all my friends and family are anxiously awaiting the result of my visit yesterday with Dr. Charles Day, Beth Israel’s Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery.
Four weeks after the fiberglass cast was put on—that’s the cast with the Procel Cast Liner made by Gortex that looks like bubble wrap and costs an extra $41 since you can get it wet and it “…allows you to continue a more normal life style while healing”—the technician who put it on, cut it off with a fancy circular saw.
After the cast was removed, I went for x-rays: one full on with my hand and wrist on the plate, and two profiles. And then I waited. Dr. Day was very busy today (Wednesday August 19). When he finally entered the Examination Room where I was waiting patiently (after all, I am a patient), he announced that I am 80% healed. He seemed pleased. He then squeezed and poked different parts of my wrist, trying to hurt me. He succeeded. Dr. Day then brought me to Rehabilitation Services, sometimes called Occupational Therapy, which is next door to the Orthopedic Clinic. Clever placement.
I met with Linda Della Porta who explained to me that she will be giving me a splint for my wrist, and a series of exercises. I was given a splint on July 14, when I had the fall; the splint was discarded on July 22, when I was given the cast; and now on August 19, the cast is being discarded and I am being given a splint again. I wish they would make up their minds. They could have saved the old splint since they must have known that I would need a splint after the cast was removed. The splint is made from a remarkable material that is soft, and like cloth, is cut with a scissors. It is then warmed and shaped and when it cools, it hardens. I am supposed to wear it at all times, except when bathing, exercising and doing “light daily activities,” whatever they are.
Linda then showed me a series of exercises and said I should do them four to six times a day. Combined with the exercises I should be doing for my knee, I would be spending the greater part of each day exercising. They have the wrong guy. Anyway, I am supposed to put my forearm on a table with my wrist over the edge and lift my hand up and then bend it down 8 to 10 times. Then do the same thing with fingers curled. This is called flexion. I am also supposed to stretch and bend my wrist. The best one is where you place the palms together over your head and move your hands down. You look like a member of an Eastern religion. In fact the exercise—stretch wrist flexors—is called prayer.
Linda explained that the muscles have become weakened in the cast. Another example of the medical profession screwing up one thing to fix another. Not only is my wrist in pain now as a result of the cast, I have developed a terrible itch on the back of my hand, and I suspect there will soon be a rash. I will be seeing Linda over the next two weeks, and I am sure she will scold me for not doing the exercises. I believe I have seen the last of Dr. Day. I will try to remember not to extend my hand the next time I fall.
Lift hand with fingers straight. Bend wrist as far down as possible. With fingers curled, lift up at wrist. Bend wrist down. Stretch wrist flexors. Pull back hand gently, etc.
August 20, 2009
Original Format
application/msword
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Final Report: After the Fall,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 28, 2024, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/90.