33 and a Third

I don’t like fracture clinics. (*Warning. Tirade coming.)

They were behind by 2 hours today. So many people! And they wondered why Michael looked so tired and withdrawn when they finally saw him. The doctor and nurses were quite kind. I’m sure they’re frustrated by all the people and harsh parents.

I suppose I’m miffed about the lack of information we received. And when I ask for it, there’s an attitude I get that I can’t quite explain. Sort of like… “ya, it’s hard, but you have to figure it out just like everyone else”. They did spend some time showing Michael how he should be using crutches. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get him down the steps and into the car for days now (Reid’s usually around to lift him, but not today). We figured it out, but Michael was pretty apprehensive. (After complaining that I had so little information, they have me a sheet of paper showing how to manage with a cast. Michael took one look at it and thew it back at me. The explanations for going up steps tell you to bend your knee. Ya, right.)

What got to me was the nurse who insisted he could lift his leg. She told me I do too much for him. At least the doctor acknowledged it’s going to be very hard for him to lift because his leg is so long, and it’s all plaster. (Too bad the nurse wasn’t there to hear it.)

When I pulled up to the hospital, I got a wheelchair for Michael. I tried to put his leg into the attachment that would keep it raised, but there was a metal foot rest in the way. I fumbled and fumbled, but couldn’t get him comfortable. All the weight of his cast was on this little metal foot rest at his ankle. I ended up having to wheel him in to find someone, who fumbled like I did for a while until we figured out a way to swing it out of the way (you had to tilt the leg support thingy, which otherwise prevents the foot rest from swinging.) All the while, Michael was extremely uncomfortable.

On the way home, we swung by a mom-and-pop home care shop to rent a wheelchair. What a different experience. They spent lots of time showing us how the wheelchair worked. They charged us a good deal less than Shopper’s Drug Mart, and even said we wouldn’t have to pay until we brought it back (we paid anyway). They said not to worry about it if we keep it for an extra week.

I’m so glad to have come across sweet people like that. Makes up for the rest of the day!