Shanksteps #36

Shanksteps #36
So what do you do when you get a broken arm? If you lived here you would go to the local bonesetter and get it put in small wood splints like the Chinese did of old. If it is an open fracture, sometimes the local bonesetter sends the patient our way. So we had a gentleman who came here just that way. We only see the open fractures because all the others are done locally. So he arrived with his radius and ulna poking through the skin near the wrist. We were able to get an x-ray to see that that was the only place broken. Then I took him to the OR and debreded all the dead tissue and junk out of the end of the bone. Then I casted him from fingers up to his upper bicep. He came back in two days complaining of significant pain and wanting the cast off. I refused after looking him over. Every couple days there after he said I needed to take it off. I continued to refuse. After weeks of beratement I at 6 weeks shortened his cast to the forearm so he could exercise the elbow. He regained full movement in the next two weeks. He again requested it be removed. He refused any x-rays, “not having any money”. So I took off his cast finally when I thought he was healed sufficiently. I would feel much better about subsequent x-rays but can never convince anyone to get them because of the cost. Up front they want them but not later. So when I examined him without the cast I saw that he had a little deformity of one of the bones on physical exam but his function was very good at the wrist and hand. I put him in a splint and sent him home with the precautions to not fall with it or ride a bike… or it could refracture as was not completely healed. Well the interesting part is a week later he returns to return the brace. He had gone to the bonesetter and had it rebroken to change the deformity and had it in wood splints all around. The mentality is sooo different. Some don’t care at all of appearance and walk around with huge umbilical hernias and others like him seem to be bothered by slight imperfections. I guess that mentality is all over the world.
Well we sit at home without electricity for 4 days now. Another small rainstorm blew through and knocked down some power poles. They are usually weakened by termites then finished off by the wind. Things have started to green up again and starting to get pretty. The rains bring beauty and cooler weather but also the mosquitoes and worse roads. But I like this season overall.
I’ll make this short, as the generator will not be on long. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and thoughts. In His Service, Shanks