Removal of the Leg Cast

Finally, our prayers were answered. First, the good news: Don’s leg cast was removed today! He’s almost ready to go dancing.

The appointment was at 3:00 pm. At 3:20 we were still waiting, if somewhat impatiently. Or maybe I was the only one who was impatient, after reading all the magazines in the waiting room. I think Don was hiding his impatience by reading a book on his Kindle.

When I checked with the desk staff, they said “Haven’t they taken him for X-rays yet?” Well, no, they haven’t. They finally called for him and the ball got rolling about 3:30. They decided to remove the cast before taking X-rays, so Carol, RN, started to work with a noisy, but effective, rotary saw.

Note: Isn’t it interesting how the RNs (and most other women in the medical profession except for doctors) have nametags with their first names only, and doctors (of both sexes) have nametags with their last names only?

Carol’s the one who put the blue layer on the cast after the off-white one started to fall apart a couple of weeks ago. She gave him a hard time then, accusing him of abusing the equipment. She’s only a year younger than Don, so she’s had some experience doing her job (and the middle child of 12 in her family, born during a 20-yr span!) so she’s a tough cookie, and she loves trading barbs with him. I told him he was in trouble when she started at him with an electric saw in her hand.

Carol was very careful in making a cut, first down the left side, then down the right side of the cast.

She used a seriously strong tool to separate the pieces.

Finally, the cast was removed.

I’ll spare you the photos of the dirty leg and foot. We cleaned it up, and the X-rays were finally taken. Dr. Ravindra Joshi, surgeon, came in to review them with Don, and they ‘negotiated’ his release.

The end result: he’s released! Records and X-rays will be compiled and prepared for us to pick up on Wednesday. We will take them to our family doc in Rapid City, SD for follow-up therapy and any future treatment.

Afterward, we returned to our motorhome, where Don took his first steps on his left foot in 5 weeks, getting from the car to the motorhome. It was raining, as it had been for almost 24 hours, so there were puddles, mud and slick surfaces to navigate. I was nervous and felt helpless to prevent any catastrophe, but he made it inside unscathed. Later, our Escapees Boomers friends joined us to celebrate.

Don’s guzzling a fruit punch, while the rest of us enjoyed a little fruit of the vine. On the left is Laurie Brown, to Don’s left is Odel King (Laurie’s husband). On the couch are Becky Hazen and Lonnie Hodge. It was a coincidence that Laurie and Odel, heading west, were coming through Minot at the same time that Becky and Lonnie were coming through heading east.

The 6 of us met for a late breakfast earlier in the day. How does a Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast or a create-your-own-omelet sound?

Actually, both couples made a slight detour to get here. Becky and Lonnie are picking up the Escapees Boomers banner, which we had planned to take to Goshen, and are taking it to the Escapade, where it will be carried in a parade during the 50th Escapade celebration and used to let people know of Boomers gatherings. Laurie and Odel, Boomers Membership Chairs, are headed for the west coast, and they just came to give us a few hugs and support. Don’t we have a wonderful RV family? Thanks for helping us celebrate this milestone, friends!

We’re still hoping to make it to Indiana, if not for the Escapade, at least to see friends there and collect more hugs. But our first priority is to get the medical/health stuff set. We’re getting the Phaeton serviced at the local Minot Cummins dealer on Wed. morning and doing a final PT session for Don’s wrist afterward. Then we plan to hit the road.

That Willie Nelson tune will be sweet music to our ears! On The Road Again…Soon!

 

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