| Your Health Matters | fall 2004 |
|
|
 |
Southcoast Helps Bridgewater Resident Make a Comebackby Chris Rheaume
“After we returned home from Canada, my wife mentioned the accident to our local banker with whom we have done business for years,” Rosenfield said. “Her son was in Ohio studying to become a prosthetist and knew someone with lots of experience working with artificial limbs.” This contact led Rosenfield to Precision Orthotic and Prosthetic Technology in New Bedford, a firm under contract to serve patients in the Southcoast Health System. The team there customized the fit of his new “myoelectric” arm that moves through the use of electrodes placed against the skin that sense the contraction of muscles beneath them. Perhaps the most challenging step was yet to come — learning to operate the arm to perform everyday tasks — tasks most of us take for granted. “Matt Hebert from Precision Orthotics told me about the services at Southcoast Rehabilitation,” Rosenfield said. “But I was never a big believer in physical therapy. I’m a real believer now.” In February, Rosenfield began working with occupational therapist Dave Costa, OT, of the Southcoast Work Rehabilitation & Hand Therapy Team at the Mashpee Building in North Dartmouth. “Initially we worked on simply raising and lowering the arm, then grasping large objects and progressively, smaller ones,” Costa said. “Joe has such a positive outlook and an incredible level of motivation. He’s working very hard and making excellent progress.”
And he can’t say enough about the dedication of the entire Southcoast rehab staff. “You can tell that it’s not just a job to them — they really care,” he said. “They aren’t just therapists to me — they will always be good friends.” “The toughest part is having to learn how to do the simplest things all over again,” Rosenfield said. “Buttoning my pants, tying my shoelace — everything is a challenge. But I’m going to do it all. It’s just a matter of time.” |
|
|
|
|
