Harry's Mom, Sally, flew in on Sunday afternoon to see her son and to help out with his recovery and allow me to get back to work. He had his first follow up doctor visit at Duke on Monday. They took the casts off of his wrists - it turns out regardless of the weight and the plaster, they weren't "casts" after all. They were splints. Well, whatever they were, they are gone now. I got to see his arm unwrapped for the first time since Feb. 21. I know this sounds completely dumb but I never thought about scars on his arms. I did on his leg - but not his hands and arms. I only saw his right hand/arm. He has about a 2" long scar down the center of his hand - picture closing your hand like a sandwhich parellel with your forearm...that crease in the middle of his hand is where they made an incision. He has another larger one down the forearm. They just removed his stitches so right now it has that "Frankenstein" look of a center line and holes on either side. The marker the surgeon's used is still on his skin, too. They've wrapped both arms in gauze and now he wears black supportive braces that velcro up the forearm and cover most of his hands. It's so much lighter and easier to manuever. I'm sure that will assist him in getting his balance back as he continues practicing to walk.
More good news....I think earlier I reported that he would have to have surgery on both wrists in a couple of months. I just found out that he'll only need surgery on his left wrist. Evidently, the metal plate in his right wrist stays in. I did not know that.
He has therapy exercises that he can do now for his hands and arms...they are different for each arm because his injuries are different. He tried some last night and I could see how stiff and painful both hand/wrists were. It's amazing how quickly the body accepts it's current circumstances. That can be a great blessing but then when you are ready to rehabilitate it also can be a rough beginning until it recognizes that you are changing it's state once again.
He can get his arms damp now which means he can begin to take showers...no more freezing while I bathe him and rinse him with a cloth as he sits in a chair in the middle of a room. I'm sure he'll really miss that.
Tuesday, he goes to PT for his leg and Wednesday he goes to his post-op doctor appointment back at Duke. It's nice to have Sally to help with all of these appointments.
The kids and I are catching up on homeschool and I'm able to get back to work. I don't think I ever posted it but while Harry and I were at Duke I received a phone message (at Midnight) from the Oxford Police Dept. saying that there was an emergency having to do with my gym there and to please return the call right away. Well, I had my phone ringer off, so it didn't wake Harry, and I didn't get the message until early the next morning. I called Diane (my partner) right away to see if she had already spoken with them. She had and she was able to tell me the details.
Evidently, a car was speeding down the main road right in front of my store and the driver decided to pass the car it was quickly approaching. When it did, the speeding car lost control and ran into a large, metal city trash can hurling it into my (floor to ceiling) glass windows. It then proceeded into the tree directly in front of my store....and it hit the next tree a couple of store fronts down. Wow! (Okay, God....you have my complete and undivided attention.) Whoever said when it rains it pours was a genius and we should have really listened better to his warning!
Anyway, Diane had actually gone to the scene that night and was able (with my Grandy's help) to get some plywood covering the windows. We have insurance and all of that but I feel like I need a secretary just to deal with all the paperwork we are generating...between medical, prescription and business insurances I'm beginning to feel just a wee bit overwhelmed. But I must say that God has also put such wonderful people in my life and they are all helping in so many ways.
Still, every so often I find myself wanting to shout..."Calgon, Take me away"......
No comments:
Post a Comment