...a P.T. farewell

Pine Street Physical Therapy in Mudville...



about 2 miles from my house...
my afternoon destination on Monday, Weds & Friday...
for about 90 minutes a day for weeks...
[24 sessions = 8 weeks...]

Monday was my last PT session...
and I took along my camera...
so I could memorialize the journey...

when I first arrived each day...
I signed-in, then came back to the "hand room"...
to wash my hands and get prepped for the hot parafin...



first, the assistant wrapped my left hand in coban...
holding down my injured finger...
after I made a fist...
[or as close as I could come to one...]



then I dipped the wrapped hand into the parafin...
5 times....



after the 5th time, my now parafin encased hand...
was wrapped first in plastic wrap...



then swaddled in a towel to sit & wait 10 minutes...
while the warmth loosened all my tendons & muscles...



after 10 minutes of lovely warmth...
off came the cocoon of wax & wrappings...

and then came the "high tech" time...



you can see the ultra sound machine waiting...
but first, in the black case, the ASTYM technique...



the ASTYM [augmented soft tissue mobilization]...
is a method developed for use on scar tissue...
resulting from injury or surgery...
the heavy plastic tools are scraped across the affected areas...
[which have been liberally slathered with cocoa butter...]
causing the breakdown of the scar tissue...
and the regeneration of new soft tissue...
that will aid healing by allowing the body...
to drain away swelling and injured cells...



the hard plastic tools,applied with some pressure...
cause pain for some...
I was lucky...it worked perfectly...
and never hurt at all...

after the first treatment...
the persistent, rigid swelling in my injured finger...
went away... and subsequent treatments helped even more...



after the ASTYM...came my favorite part...



the massage...

although, at first, when my finger was still very stiff...
all the bending & manipulation wasn't fun...
[it really hurt...]
but, eventually, the pain lessened...
and I began to have healing sensations...
[nerve burning & pain in muscles that had been numb]

that's when I knew "it",[the PT...], was working !

after the ASTYM/massage/manipulation, came the ultrasound...



first the assistant would squeeze a glob of goo into my hand...



and then using her "magic wand"...
proceed to massage my finger for 3 minutes on one side...
and then have me turn my hand over...
transferring as much goo as possible...
and spend 3 minutes on the other side...

then it was "playtime"...

[in no particular order since we all had to share our "toys"...]



there was "putty" is several densities...
[different colors were different densities...]



I started with a light violet...
but soon moved to an orangy tan...
which after squeezing and rolling into a snake...
I was to pinch, using my thumb with each finger on my hand...
fortunately, it didn't hurt me as it did some...



then there was the "velcro" checkerboard...



using my thumb with each finger in succession...
I had to pull off all the squares...
and then replace them...
a total of 3 times...

[this could hurt until I got "warmed-up"]

I amused myself by creating geometric designs...



these dowels were my least favorite thing...



I only used the 4 biggest ones...



and while bending my fingers around them...
had to do 15 reps of finger tip curls...

OUCH !!!!



the graduated cylinders could be painful too...
I had to grasp the biggest one...
lift it up & put it on the next spindle...
then stretch my hand out...

then to the next, repeat...

the smaller they got, the more it hurt...

about 9 reps...



the most annoying task was "moving rice"...



I was to grab a handful of rice...
turn my hand over [so as not to spill...]
move it over the empty box...
turn my hand back over...and drop the rice...



at first, I couldn't close my hand very much...
so it took FOREVER to empty the box...
but as I got better...it took no time at all...

that is, unless I didn't get all the ultrasound goo...
or ASTYM cocoa butter wiped-off/rubbed-in...
then it was rice everywhere...
as it stuck to all parts of my hand & fell off at will..

all in all...

P.T. was a very positive experience for me...
I'd like to thank S, the "hand specialist" & her able assistant,V...
who did more to help me heal...
than anyone, including my doctor...
had ever expected...



so today, I "wave" a fond farewell to Pine Street...
thanking all those who helped me...

I also wish the very best & speediest recovery...
to all those who are still seeking relief from pain...
and restored use of their hands & arms...

vaya con Dios...

...WHY the doctor smiled

[the promised pictures from the last post...]



as you can see, the swelling is gone...
although there will always be a thickening at the joint...
[scar tissue in the cartilage...]



this is as straight as it gets at this point...
too much time with the lateral bands constricted...
it may loosen up, or not...
only time will tell...



when I took this picture...
it wasn't too loose...
sometimes, I can make more of a fist...
but this is a big improvement...



if you look closely on the left of the knuckle...
you can see the beginnings of the scar...
it comes down, perpendicular to the knuckle...
cuts across it...



and then cuts down, perpendicular, again...
creating a large, sideways, elongated "Z"...
across the knuckle...
[it's hard to see unless you make the picture bigger...]

so there you have it...

the next 4-6 months will tell the tale...

...and the doctor smiled....

still not on-line at home...

but today was my final appointment...
with the magic hand doctor...
and he was very pleased...

when he came into the room...
and began to examine my previously dislocated digit...
he smiled and exclaimed...
"that looks much better..."
"...there's a lot more movement...
and no swelling..."

he didn't think that it would heal this well...
I could tell by his level of excitement...

he examined it closely...[which HURT !]

and said that there was more range of motion...
than he had thought would come back....
that I should do as much with it as possible...
and if it didn't completely loosen up...
in 3 to 6 months... to return for more P.T....

my physical therapist had said that she expected...
that I would regain most of the motion...
and that it would eventually be able to be straight...
[as in "flat"...] again...

there's no swelling & I can put pressure on it...

and when it's "loose"...[ie warm...]
I can bend it down into my palm on its own...
when it's stiff, I have to stretch it out...
bending it down with my right hand...

they both say to exercise my fingers...
anything that requires digital dexterity...

such as...

sorting papers, filing things, stuffing envelopes...
[hmmmm...I can hear you laughing, MM ]

typing...aka blogging...
[I've GOT to resolve my ISP issues...]

playing piano...
[HA! if they only knew how bad I am at that...]

and...

"playing other musical instruments..."
[hmm...perhaps a recorder ?]

so, I have 2 PT sessions left [Friday & Monday...]
then...we'll just have to see how it works out...

in the mean time, I'll just have to find some "exercises"...
to keep my hand "busy" & moving...

strange how things work out, isn't it ?

[there will be pictures...today I forgot my camera...]

...my garden is yawning [& I'm shivering...]

as I write this, I'm alternately typing...
and holding a hot cup of coffee...
trying to warm up my cold hands...

our high temp today will be 10˚ below normal...
and is currently only 64˚F...
with a cold wind from the west...
gusting to 20 mph or so...

since the sun is also shining...
I felt the need to water things in the back yard...
as our heat spell kicked a lot into high gear...
and now the persistent wind will dry out everything...
especially...things yet to be planted...

while I was at it...[shivering in the cold wind...]
I also put water on several containers to loosen the soil...
so that I can use them for some of my plantings...
then, "click-click" fever attacked me...
[along with the pollen & wind...]

first, some projects that need doing...



a new hose reel & hose [both were on sale at OSH...]
to replace the back one that died...
after the electrician moved it 2 years ago...
[it had lasted 15+ years...]

I used to be able to do these things myself...
but now will have to have someone do it for me...
my hands just don't have the grip or abilities they used to have...
to do this kind of work... sigh...

then...



there is this...
compost & potting soil...for the garden...
my back hurts just looking at it...
but it will enhance my investment in plants...
[& hopefully, my veggie crop...]

here you see, "the next target area"...



from several angles...



the clump of grass you see has to be removed...
and the hose pulled up & tested...
and a lot of compost worked in...



this underground hose leaks "big time"...
[I cut it with a shovel...oops...]
so it has to be replaced...
ie, I either have to find another in the garage...
[good luck with that...]
or make one from parts...
also in the garage...
[ditto...]



and then, there's the compost to be worked in...



after all the crap is moved out of the way, that is...
and the beans need their string on the poles...
though they're not climbing in this wind...
but it will slack off every day this week...
as it gets warmer...

& the cherry tomatoes ?



they couldn't be happier...

elsewhere...



the blood orange tree is "setting" fruit...
amidst the fragrant blooms...



as is my lime tree...
[doesn't the one on the right...
look like some sort of alien ?]



lots & lots of limes...
[these are so juicy and good...]



the grapefruit tree is also "setting"...
I find it interesting that the tiny fruit...
have the same shape the adult will have...



the grapefruit are very round...
the limes are more oblong...



here's a pomegranate bud...



and here's the first one to open...
there are more, high up...



high up, there are also roses that climb the pom tree...



and a real find...
Fugi apples that set !
now if I can only get them to mature...
& keep the critters at bay...
I'll have my first apples...
[it's been a long wait...]



here's the "mended" whirlygig...



whirling in the wind...

it revels in the wind...
unlike me, who got too cold...
& went inside to warm up...

..."THUNK"...[the sound of the "other" shoe, dropping...]

I've been waiting for "the other shoe to drop"...
[ie : the bill for my finger surgery...]
because I was sure that there was a deductible...
and that it was going to burn a hole...
in my rapidly diminishing financial resources...

it came today...

in a fat creamy envelope from Blue Shield...
& unable to bear the suspense any longer...
I opened it and began to read...

2/02/09 office visit $ 102.44 allowed $ 10.00 patient resp.
2/04/09 surgery $ 827.17 allowed $ 0 patient resp.
2/04/09 anesthesia $ 266.88 allowed $ 0 patient resp.
2/04/09 hospital serv. $4858.00 allowed $ 0 patient resp.

that's a total of $6,054.49, allowed...

they billed $ 9,443.46...
but because my doctor & the hospital involved...
were in the "network"...
the costs were $3,388.99 less than the regular price...

and my share... ? a $10 co-pay for the first office visit...

I also owe a $10 co-pay to the first orthopedist...
and $50 [deductible] to the emergency room...

so if you're counting along at home...
that's $70 the dislocation has cost me in medical bills...
[there was also $20.00 co pay for the drugs...
so it's really $90.00....]

it could have been SSSOOOOOO much worse...

if I didn't have insurance, it would be nearly $10,000.00 I'd owe...

I really thought that I'd have to pay at least $500.00...
I guess having to have an "acute" surgery...
may have saved me...

for whatever reason, I'm grateful...
now... if only the IRS would "go away"...