Simple Solutions

My doctor listens to me, unlike many experiences with the medical community where protocol is protocol. Many times you are left wondering if the multiple tests and specialists were in your best interest of if it was just to protect the doctor from a legal battle.

Dread of these expensive tests and specialists kept me from going for weeks. But sleepless nights left me waving the  white flag. Having injured the left hand a few years ago, and being sent to a orthopedic surgeon and then a hand specialist for a specialized brace – there was little hope in my mind for a simple solution to this new injury.  The custom made brace was a miracle brace – my joint healed perfectly with no complications. But it came at a cost of time and money.

Knowledge is power, right? The goal was to find a brace like this one and but for my right hand.  Internet searches left me empty handed as did calls to local stores. Apparently, no one else on the planet injures their joint on their hand but me.

You know how sometimes you have no idea what is wrong with you – like a weird rash or funny colored fingernails? But other times, you’ve seen your child with an ear infection so many times that as soon as he tugs on his ear, you know? That’s how this was. It had happened before, it felt the same and it was frustrating to not be able to solve it simply and easily.

So the day arrived for the dreaded appointment with my primary.   Fearing one of many appointments with various doctors, I arrived armed with my old brace and an arsenal of reasons why all that was needed was a brace – no specialists or hand doctors. To my surprise and delight, he examined my hand and pulled a finger splint out of his drawer, turned it upside down and slid it on my finger.  He then got this neato ace wrap type stuff that sticks to itself and wrapped it around my hand and voila!

It was so exciting to see a simple prayer answered in such a quick and simple way.  Turning a splint down – why didn’t I think of that?  The entire endeavor took less than 30 minutes without investing much time or money.  Yeah for a doctor who really listens to his patients.