Arm update
Jul. 11th, 2003 02:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annathepiperSpent a very grueling morning at the Bone & Joint place, a morning which involved a lot of waiting, a lot of not getting information when I had been given to understand I was supposed to get information, and a lot of crying just because I'm that exhausted and stressed.
The first item on the agenda turned out to be making a splint for my right hand. This thing is scary-looking, made from form-fitted plastic, velcro, and a system of levers for each finger, made out of little metal rods, rubber bands, and what looks to me like nylon cord. And which reminded me unhappily of guitar strings. >_< There are leather loops for each finger, and the whole point of this contraption seems to be keeping my hand stretched out and letting me pull my fingers up and down. Not that this actually USE this hand for much given that thanks to the nerve damage and the arm brace still being strapped under my shoulder, I can't raise that arm enough to do anything useful with the hand. :P
It took forever to make the thing, too. I was originally told it would take an hour, but the OT was dragged off because some doctor or other apparently wanted her to witness a surgery. So she sent me on to see Dr. Titelman, and asked me to check back with her when I was done.
I had THOUGHT that nerve testing was supposed to happen today. I was mistaken, or else Titelman decided that putting a weepy patient through nerve testing was not a good idea. I didn't think to ask, mostly because I was busy crying as he and another guy he brought in to consult about my arm brace adjusted the damn thing to get it back into place. And making it tight enough to stay more or less where it needs to. I was pretty vexed to discover that my OT and this doctor are apparently not on the same page, because SHE seemed to think my arm brace is too big and that I should have something smaller, whereas Titelman thinks that if I have something smaller it won't properly support the break.
At this point I just want whatever I have to wear to not fucking HURT. But it is aggravating that they can't get their stories straight.
No nerve testing was especially annoying since I had thought that that was the whole POINT of this visit. What they wound up doing was an x-ray, which indicated that my bone has not reconnected yet. The pieces are not as perfectly aligned as I would like them to be, but the doc thought they were 'perfect'. The edges of the break looked a little muddier in this x-ray than they had in the last, I think. And one of the few good aspects of the morning was that the doc thinks I won't need the brace in another three weeks.
And I was given a Krispy Kreme donut by one of the ladies in the OT area, so that part didn't suck.
This thing on my hand is awfully heavy, though. And I want to get the stupid nerve testing DONE GODDAMMIT because I'm still terrified about my hand and elbow not working right. But the boy at the desk where I was to get appointments scheduled was all confused about whether our insurance was "managed care" insurance and apparently couldn't schedule me anything till he found out whether the insurance would actually cover it. He kept asking me all these questions while I stood there trying not to cry and trying not to yell at him.
Guh.
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mamishka came and got me though when I finally escaped, and brought me to work. Now I just have to survive another few hours before I go home and collapse.
The first item on the agenda turned out to be making a splint for my right hand. This thing is scary-looking, made from form-fitted plastic, velcro, and a system of levers for each finger, made out of little metal rods, rubber bands, and what looks to me like nylon cord. And which reminded me unhappily of guitar strings. >_< There are leather loops for each finger, and the whole point of this contraption seems to be keeping my hand stretched out and letting me pull my fingers up and down. Not that this actually USE this hand for much given that thanks to the nerve damage and the arm brace still being strapped under my shoulder, I can't raise that arm enough to do anything useful with the hand. :P
It took forever to make the thing, too. I was originally told it would take an hour, but the OT was dragged off because some doctor or other apparently wanted her to witness a surgery. So she sent me on to see Dr. Titelman, and asked me to check back with her when I was done.
I had THOUGHT that nerve testing was supposed to happen today. I was mistaken, or else Titelman decided that putting a weepy patient through nerve testing was not a good idea. I didn't think to ask, mostly because I was busy crying as he and another guy he brought in to consult about my arm brace adjusted the damn thing to get it back into place. And making it tight enough to stay more or less where it needs to. I was pretty vexed to discover that my OT and this doctor are apparently not on the same page, because SHE seemed to think my arm brace is too big and that I should have something smaller, whereas Titelman thinks that if I have something smaller it won't properly support the break.
At this point I just want whatever I have to wear to not fucking HURT. But it is aggravating that they can't get their stories straight.
No nerve testing was especially annoying since I had thought that that was the whole POINT of this visit. What they wound up doing was an x-ray, which indicated that my bone has not reconnected yet. The pieces are not as perfectly aligned as I would like them to be, but the doc thought they were 'perfect'. The edges of the break looked a little muddier in this x-ray than they had in the last, I think. And one of the few good aspects of the morning was that the doc thinks I won't need the brace in another three weeks.
And I was given a Krispy Kreme donut by one of the ladies in the OT area, so that part didn't suck.
This thing on my hand is awfully heavy, though. And I want to get the stupid nerve testing DONE GODDAMMIT because I'm still terrified about my hand and elbow not working right. But the boy at the desk where I was to get appointments scheduled was all confused about whether our insurance was "managed care" insurance and apparently couldn't schedule me anything till he found out whether the insurance would actually cover it. He kept asking me all these questions while I stood there trying not to cry and trying not to yell at him.
Guh.
mamishka came and got me though when I finally escaped, and brought me to work. Now I just have to survive another few hours before I go home and collapse.
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no subject
Date: 2003-07-11 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-11 03:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-11 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-11 03:53 pm (UTC)That said, after three weeks of enforced practice I am getting better with the left-handed typing.
no subject
Date: 2003-07-11 05:03 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-07-11 08:22 pm (UTC)As to whether anyone in the house can go with me, we'll see... I may be less stressed after a weekend of rest, so hopefully the next appointment won't be so grueling.
OT note
Date: 2003-07-11 08:08 pm (UTC)Nothing personal against OTs, but in my experience they are always pushing you to do too much too fast. They concentrate on current function at the expense of healing.
And *hugs* from me, too. This has got to be the stressiest for you! Ooof.
Cathy
Re: OT note
Date: 2003-07-11 08:24 pm (UTC)