I got my ‘gunslinger’ cast off this morning! The arm isn’t good for much yet - pretty good mobility, considering it’s been imprisoned in fiberglass for weeks, but no noticeable strength. The doctor is happy enough anyway.
I spent about ten minutes scratching every inch of the arm that had been under the cast. Better than sex, at that particular moment anyway. (At least I knew enough to be gentle; it’s my first time!)
I think I’ll try putting on a real shirt this afternoon. A T-shirt over the cast just doesn’t count. Being in a sleeve will be a new experience for that arm, but at least I can now reach the buttons with both hands.
I just posted this for some sympathy. When I went back to work last week, I didn’t get much. The cast left my hand sticking out in front of me, with nothing moving above the wrist. Don, who works with me, took one look and said (complete with the actions) “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! Danger!” Other people just laughed when I explained how I broke the shoulder rolling over in bed. How can I milk this for special treatment when everybody thinks it’s funny?
Yeah? How’s it smell? I can still remember the stench after I had an old plaster cast removed many years ago. Or does the fiberglass alleviate that? And can you actually take a shower with a fiberglass cast?
Yeah, it smelled pretty foul. The cast only went up to the bicep (it was a brace with a waist-piece and a bar to keep the arm from turning in, which would lift the shoulder out of the socket), so I’ve been having my home-care person run a cloth back and forth under the pit, but there was no room for deodorant there, and I certainly couldn’t wash inside the cast. I headed right for the soap and water as soon as I got home, and managed some sort of wash. Home-care will do better when she gets here.
The glass cast would have been fine in the shower, but they line it with stockinette (sp?) and cotton, and that would hold the water enough to ruin the skin underneath. Even with no extra water the skin isn’t so good. It’ll be fine soon. When I can reach to wash my own hair and dry my own back I’ll go for a shower instead of a sponge bath.
I put on a real shirt without too much trouble, and even tossed the sweat-pants in favour of jeans. I think I can even reach to tie my shoes instead of putting on those Velcro sneakers I’ve been wearing. (I always could tie the laces, but not while wearing the shoes - my feet don’t go all the way up to chest level!)
Well, from one fellow Lower Mainland denizen to another (I’m pretty sure Richmond counts), I’m glad you got your cast off. rjk. Must be pretty liberating, all in all. I’ve never had the experience myself, so I can’t speak from knowing what it’s like.
Note to BlnkingDuck: BC does indeed stand for British Columbia, but there is absolutely NO truth to that rumor!
Ruined skin. Yuck. I hate it when that happens. Anyway, a bit of advice. Do the exercises they give ya. Hurts like a bitch for a while, but they’re the only way to restore full mobility and strength.
I’ve been to physio Thursday and tonight, and it doesn’t hurt too much. The guy says he takes it easy the first time or two so his clients will come back.
I’m getting better mobility already, but still hardly any strength so far. I got some stretchy tubing from them for a couple of the exercises, and tomorrow I’ll go to the hardware store for a pulley and some rope. (Maybe I can find some other use for that later. Any ideas, Zyada ?) Most of the stuff doesn’t take any exotic equipment.
I’ve been doing some of the stuff on my own already, and I will keep it up. Getting out of the cast is great, but there’s still a lot of stuff I can’t do for myself. Soon, I hope!
