November 13, 2014

Always Tell Why...

I recently fractured my ankle and got a cast on it at the hospital. They gave me a little booklet saying not to get the cast wet. However, I didn’t know why and didn't bother to ask.

In the next few days, it was pouring rain and I had a few classes to give so I was out and about. Even though I covered my cast with the required green garbage bag, it got wet on the bottom. On the weekend, my foot was starting to get pins and needles and it didn’t stop. I did know this was a sign to contact Emergency. So I called 811 and they said go in right away.

When I got there, they chastised me for getting the cast wet. It turns out my cast was a gremlin. (Never get it wet! Thank goodness I didn't feed it after midnight.) It was no longer a cast, but a piece of wet plaster, and not helping my ankle at all.

If I had known why a wet cast was a problem, I would have gotten into the hospital a lot sooner.

The moral of this story is always tell why (and if you're not sure why, ask!)