I had a consult with one of the top hand surgeons in the Philippines the other day. D1 was insistent I see the orthopedic surgeon to make sure my left thumb is A-okay. I said yes and D1 made the appointment.
As I waiting for my turn, some patients were also waiting for their turn. One young man had a whole arm in cast. Another man in sarong sitting on his wheelchair, was in a half-body cast. The other patient to my right had her left leg in full cast too. I looked at my pathetic little left thumb that was in a splint and felt terribly out of place.
I heard my name called and I went inside the doctor's office for the consult. He looked at the X-rays, asked me questions and finally took out the splint in my thumb. The doctor concluded that 3 ligaments were torn and that I was lucky I was able to immediately put back my thumb when it was dislocated. He then asked me how I dislocated my thumb and off I went telling him about my flood rescue. The doctor has his own stories too. As he was re-splinting my thumb, he told me his flood story.
His home in one of the first class villages in Makati was also submerged in flash flood. He said the water was waist-high inside his house which was a good 1 meter high from the road. He said the ground floor of his house and all its contents were ruined and four of his cars were submerged in flood water. He lamented that no house was spared in the village including the steel buildings right outside the village's perimeter. He was really so low because of what has happened.
I told him that he is still luck than most because he still has a home to come to and his family is safe. I said that all that were ruined were material things that could be replaced.
He looked at me and said "You are right!" and his face lit up.
The re-splinting was done and I was told not to bend lefty for four more weeks. The doctor said he'd see after four weeks and will see if my thumb will be needing therapy. I wanted to feel bad about it but as I said, it's good that my thumb is the only "casualty" brought on by the recent flood.
As I waiting for my turn, some patients were also waiting for their turn. One young man had a whole arm in cast. Another man in sarong sitting on his wheelchair, was in a half-body cast. The other patient to my right had her left leg in full cast too. I looked at my pathetic little left thumb that was in a splint and felt terribly out of place.
I heard my name called and I went inside the doctor's office for the consult. He looked at the X-rays, asked me questions and finally took out the splint in my thumb. The doctor concluded that 3 ligaments were torn and that I was lucky I was able to immediately put back my thumb when it was dislocated. He then asked me how I dislocated my thumb and off I went telling him about my flood rescue. The doctor has his own stories too. As he was re-splinting my thumb, he told me his flood story.
His home in one of the first class villages in Makati was also submerged in flash flood. He said the water was waist-high inside his house which was a good 1 meter high from the road. He said the ground floor of his house and all its contents were ruined and four of his cars were submerged in flood water. He lamented that no house was spared in the village including the steel buildings right outside the village's perimeter. He was really so low because of what has happened.
I told him that he is still luck than most because he still has a home to come to and his family is safe. I said that all that were ruined were material things that could be replaced.
He looked at me and said "You are right!" and his face lit up.
The re-splinting was done and I was told not to bend lefty for four more weeks. The doctor said he'd see after four weeks and will see if my thumb will be needing therapy. I wanted to feel bad about it but as I said, it's good that my thumb is the only "casualty" brought on by the recent flood.
