The wrist

Maija broke her wrist about three months ago. Yesterday she had the pins removed. The wrist is still wrapped up and has stiches in it. She keeps her hand in an upright position, and does not use it very much. It is very difficult for her to work with just one hand. When cutting bread she places the elbow of her left arm on top of the bread to hold it down and cuts with her right hand. She is very careful not to move it.

She has been given another 4 weeks sick leave from the doctor, though that does not mean much since she does not work. She has troubles typing, or tying shoe laces, or buttoning jackets. She has been given some time with the physiotherapist to get her muscles working again. She can not rock her hand back and forth. Her thumb has limited movement. She cannot grip or hold things which makes it impossible for her to drive the car. She has a nasty scar on the underside of her arm where they cut her open to put in a metal plate to strength her wrist. For one month they left her without a cast but with these pins still in her flesh. You could see the points of them protruding agaist her skin. She was afraid to move her arm when the pins were like his in case she would bump her wrist and the pins would poke through the skin and she would get an infection.

It looks like the rehabilitation process will be long and difficult.