Dear George,
Readers who’ve been following this blog probably remember that Katja fell off a wobbly stool and fractured her right arm about eight weeks ago. That turned our lives topsy-turvy. Though we take our functioning limbs for granted, it’s been a powerful reminder of just how crucial one’s right arm is for daily living, from cutting one’s steak to getting in and out of the car. For the first two weeks Katja was in acute pain, heavily medicated, and unable to do much beyond lying in bed. By the fifth week she’d begun physical therapy over at University Hospital, and, though it hurt a lot, you could see the progress after each session. Katja was highly motivated to do her homework too, pulling her arm up and down on a pulley, stretching out across the table, swinging her arm like a pendulum, etc. Yesterday she went in for her four-week checkup with Dr. J, her orthopedist. They took X-rays first, and he put two of them up on a lighted screen (see the picture above). Dr. W smiled. He showed us where the new bone had grown in and how the fracture had almost disappeared. It had been a really bad break, and now it was doing really well. He asked Katja how her flexibility was. She lifted her arm straight upward, then outward, then to the side, all with no difficulty at all. Dr. J said, “That’s amazing!” Maybe it’s just good doctoring, but he seemed truly impressed. He wrote a note clearing Katja to return to work on Monday. He said she’s probably not ready to drive 150 miles a day, but she’ll do things as she finds herself ready for them. We both felt a little intoxicated as we walked out to the elevator. Katja drove us home, the second time she’s driven this week. A big gray cloud was lifted from above our heads. Things do work themselves out. Hooray!
Love,
Dave
G-Mail Comments
-Donna D (11-18): this is so wonderful. wish i knew how to read what is on the xray! donna
-Vicki L (11-18): Hi David, Thanks for the x-ray shot... (doesn't Katja have delicate and feminine bones?) What a relief! And how inspirational. Tell her I'm very proud of her. Love, Vicki
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