This morning, I was both racked and plastered before noon. But let me back track a little. It was about ten days ago, I’d been thinking about getting a brace. On impulse, I called my general care doctor. I’d been seeing him for the last few years, and he’d known me as a para all the time. I discussed back pains I had, and the fact that a prior brace had solved the problem. Doctor was willing to go with my suggestion, and so wrote the script for it.
Made an appointment with the orthotist, and this was today. I went in at ten, and sat in the waiting room a bit, then filled in the paperwork. I was then led in one of the examining room, told the orthotist would be right there. It took a few minutes for him to come by. When he did, he reviewed what I’d discussed with my doctor. I talked about the brace I’d had before, and he seemed pleased that I had an idea of what was going on. He asked about how the old brace was made, told a few things. Bivalve TLSO. Need for vents. Fact that the straps at the time had worn out rather quickly. I asked about vanity thing, the colours possible. Asked about dark green or purple, and the only green he could provide was neon green, so I opted for purple 🙂
He showed me a couple of examples of newer designs. One was a “Flex Foam” brace, where most of the brace was of about 1/4″ of fairly rigid, though supple foam. With a rigid armature of plastic. The other had the armature actually sandwiched between two layers of foam. But I had my mind set on a full plastic brace, and I told him that I respected his judgement, though felt that the other brace had worked, so wanted to stick with it.
We then discussed the best way to cast me. Given I use a chair full time, some of his usual options were out. He suggested the use of a special table. He left to get the table in question and set it up. I kept an eye on what was going on. Table made mostly of old plumbing pipes, obviously a home made device, well used. A moveable top, and a place for legs.
When the table was ready, I was asked to undress, and put on two layers of stockinette, two long tubes with small holes for the arms. Not quite the latest fashion, I tell you, but it worked for me, given the upcoming results!
Getting me on the table was another adventure, as the table stood about 4 feet off the ground, a height I couldn’t transfer to. They lifted me up, and plopped my butt on the table, swiveled me in position. I laid down, and they ran a 3″ strap between the two layers of stockinette, and hooked it on both ends of the table. Adjusted the tension on the strap, so it was really tight. They (had I mentioned that an assistant had come in for that part?), so they dropped the surface of the table, so my weight was supported by the strap, but I was stable, held by the legs, and kinda holding myself with the arms too. I admit, the strap really made me feel like my back was MUCH straighter.
The orthotist marked a few high bony points and “landmarks” on me with a black pen. Then he took all kind of measurements, waist, hips, axilla, and so on and so forth. They then started wrapping me in plaster. Had a bit of trouble with reaching as high up in the back and front as they wanted. As the orthotist pointed out, it’s best to have more to work on than less, and have to recast later. The cast started to feel warm, but didn’t smell much. Perhaps due to my raging allergies that started a few days ago! They then removed the cast, cutting it out with an X-acto knife, and cast scissors, not with a saw. A little scary.
And in the end, I was back in my chair, dressed and cleaned. They did a good job, almost no plaster spilled on my arms. Made an appointment for two weeks from now.
Can’t wait!
Three times’ the charm!
Here I am, at home, sitting at my computer. I am wearing my new brace. I went to pick it up this morning. It was mostly a waiting game.
I had been waiting two weeks since I was measured and casted for it. The waiting over those two weeks was fairly easy, though by yesterday I was beginning to be really anxious. Many more trepidation’s yesterday than I had before going for the measurements.
I had a hard time going to sleep last night. Actually, I took a nap for about an hour and a half. Then I couldn’t get to sleep. I had to get up earlier than usual, as my appointment was at 8:30, whereas work usually starts at 9:00. So I should have gotten up a half hour earlier, which I tried, but of course, I missed! I had a fitful night, turned and tossed, woke every hour or so. Woke up about 10 minutes late, and given I’d only given myself a half hour, I ended up doing my morning routine in twenty minutes.
I shouldn’t have rushed so much, as I waited about 25 minutes in the lobby before I was called into one of the “patient room”. Then, once there, I waited another 15-20 minutes. An examining table was on one end, covered in an old rose pink vinyl. Stepping on a pedal would make it go up or down. Two seats and a stool on wheels were also in the room, all covered in that same vinyl. On a wall, a cast saw.
Everything around mostly quiet, though as time went by, more customers were going in and out. I noticed a couple staff walking by, and by the gait, I assume they were leg amputees. Makes sense that an orthopedic/prosthetic outfit would hire amputees. Breaking the quiet once in a while came the sound of the air conditioning kicking in.
Finally the orthotist appeared in the corridor, carrying the brace. I could only see a mass of purple. Exactly what I’d asked for! I exchanged a few niceties with the guy. He apologized for taking longer than expected, he’d been trimming the brace as he realized that it was likely too long in the front. He lowered the examining table, and un-strapped the brace. He laid the back part of the brace on the table, and I transferred to it. I pulled my sweatpants down a little so they’d not be caught in the brace when I got in it.
I laid backward and landed in the half shell, not quite in the right place. I pulled myself in the shell by grabbing the shell. It worked and my back was nicely lodged in the brace. Here I was, laying on my back with the half shell under me. The orthotist came closer and placed the front half of the brace on me, lining it up carefully with the back half. My t-shirt was a little too big, got in the way. I moved it around a little bit. He placed the straps as they needed to be, first somewhat loosely, then a second time, putting more pressure.
It felt good to be in the brace. This is my third custom made back brace (one was purged, the other was sold after it didn’t fit me anymore). I had to pull my pants back up on the brace, then I had to sit up, and that wasn’t easy without using my legs. I had to somehow turn on my side, then push myself up, while my legs slid and flopped off the table. Immediately the brace rode up.
Too much of the brace at the bottom, near my hips, and too much of the brace under my armpits. The orthotist used a white pen to trace an outline of how much material to remove. The brace came off, and he disappeared. I started the wait again. And waited. It seemed like it took eons. I looked at the time, and I’d been there for nearly two hours by then. I could see and hear a few people go by in the corridor outside the room.
Finally, he came back in. The same steps were taken to get into the brace for the second try. It felt much better. I transferred to my wheelchair this time. The transfer was not as easy as most of my transfers usually are. The brace saw to it to get in the way. Nevertheless, gravity took care of most of it, and I was in my chair, braced. Moving arms around, lifting myself up. The orthotist encouraged me to move around in the chair, put the brace through its paces. I said it felt good. I thought it did. But then, as we talked more, I decided that I could use a little more trim under the right armpit. And so we pulled the brace out another time. This time we noticed that one of the straps had come loose of its rivet! A quick thought crossed my mind: “What a piece of sh*t, brand new and broken already”. But that was only a fleeting moment. He laughed, and said not to worry, it would be fixed easily. He disappeared again.
While I waited, more staff walked by. One of them asked me if I’d been helped. I told him that I was beyond help, but that yes, someone was working with me. He smiled, then went on to do whatever he had to do.
My orthotist came back with the brace, and the guy who asked if I had been helped. This second guy was curious as to why I needed the brace, as I seemed to have good upper body control. So he asked me to tell him a little bit about my disability. I don’t think he was grilling me so much as feeding some level of curiosity he had. I explained that it was because of back pain, and his eyes brightened. He then said that was the missing piece of the puzzle. Again, went on his merry way.
For a third time I transferred to the exam table. Laid down in the back half of the brace, had the front half adjusted on me. Sat up, and this was it. It felt right. Transferred back to my chair, and moved around some more. Yes, this was it. I asked the orthotist if I could come back for more adjustments and trimming if I found something more in the next few days, and he assured me that was not a problem.
I left the clinic, and wheeled back to my apartment, a few blocks away. As I was going by on the street, I looked at my image in the shops’ windows. Purple brace, white leather straps. Great shape. Pushing my chair was more difficult than it usually is. I couldn’t reach my hand rims as much, so didn’t have as effective of a push. I headed for home, as I didn’t want to wear the brace at the office yet. At home, I took the brace off, and went in to work.
During the day at the office, I couldn’t help but think of the brace sitting at home, waiting for me. And I finally got home, and saw the brace there again. I did my coming-home-from-work routine, leaving the brace where it was. A little bit of waiting, making things all the sweeter when I finally put it on.
I lay on the bed, watching TV for a little while, then got up to write this. In a few moments, I’ll take a few pictures and hopefully you’ll be able to see them with the text.
