andnow for the next stage

 Things were pretty busy at the fracture clinic when /i got there.  Youngsters had gotten their casts wet during our last warm spell, and the fungal growth had become evident.  Working men had hand and wrist injuries, and several old fogies like me were in for post op checkups. The other old fogies and I were all in good moods, so the waiting wasn't onerous.  Finally I got in and had my cast removed.  The med tech immediately scrubbed my arm with antiseptic, then left me sitting while he helped someone apply traction.  my arm looked so frail and withered.   Well, it's been immobilized for a month, poor thing.

I took advantage of my waiting time by gently stroking and inspecting.  The skin, having been deprived of sensory stimulation for two weeks, was just atingle with thrills.  This must be how a newborn feels, suddenly assaulted with sensory input.  No wonder it takes them weeks to focus! 

After a while they sent me alomg to X-Ray.The x-ray tech let me see my pictures which was really cool of him.  I have a plate about three inches long in the underside of my wrist, held in with about 8 screws.  I remarked that the doctor really screwed me over, and the tech, not knowing me, choked a bit. 

                                                                                          Then back to central casting.  They wound up with three of us old fogies at adjoining stations, and we all chatted and laughed like old friends while waiting for our replacement casts.  The med techs said that we were the happiest patients they had seen all week.  One woman was warnedabout Tylenol overdosing.  "If you get too much," the tech told her, "your liver will fall out on the floor."  "I'm keeping my legs crossed from now on!" she told him.  Her cast was green and purple.

Mine is pink!  It's smaller than the sugar tong splints and allows a lot more finger and thumb movement. And, I can hold a knitting needle!  So I am off to ladies' knitting today (second Saturday of the month) andi may even be able to DO something!  YEEEEEEEEEEHA!