Jake’s Hand

By Uncle Hans

So I get this call from Jake.  "Dad, I got my hand caught between the hitch and the bumper and I need your help" 
      The white thing in the depths of the wound is not the bone, it is the extensor tendon, which is still bad...........

........this is what it looked like after placement on one stitch.  That was all that was needed............

.......this is a few days later............

.........a few more days later..........

............and today, about two months later. 

      The sad thing is that if Jake had taken that to an emergency room (in a big city) the would have been hooked up with a hand surgery specialist, a trip to the operating room, and a bill for $15,000.00.

 
     All for one stitch.  Because everyone is afraid of hand injuries and lawsuits.  General surgeons like me won't tackle them.  Orthopedic surgeons, who should see them, generally won't.  They get shunted to the super-specialist "hand surgeons" who can better defend themselves in court because of their training and experience.

  It all adds tremendous cost to health care...........

By Uncle Hans