frac·ture
[frak-cher] Show IPA noun, verb,frac·tured, frac·tur·ing.
noun 1. the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition.
This case study looks at a patient who was prescribed a finger splint after he broke his finger.
Hanna: So, can you start by describing your ailment?
Participant C: I fractured my finger during a football game, of all things. I was just jumping to head a ball, and at the same time another player came charging towards me, I fell and landed on my finger. At first the doctors thought it was just dislocated, but then I found out it was broken after they did an x-ray. I also damaged the tendon, so it’s trying to bend in a weird angle. Where the bones in the finger broke, I also sustained quite a horrible looking wound that became infected.
H: And how does it affect you day to day?
C: Well, it still hurts a lot. But it’s not so bad now. Because of the tendon injury, it means that as well as being broken the tendon is trying to pull the finger in the wrong position, so I have to wear a splint. I find it difficult to get dressed, and changing the dressings can be difficult as it takes time to put the bandage on and the splint too. It can be quite a faff in the morning. Another thing that is annoying is always having to go back for check ups at the hospital – it takes lots of time and money and just makes me feel really fed-up. I wish I didn’t break my finger, I can’t type on the computer fast any more and having a shower is difficult because I’m not supposed to get my hand wet. The infection was horrible because I got a really high temperature and felt really under the weather for about a week.
H: What do you think of the splint and the bandage?
C: Well, it aint cool looking at all. It looks really big and bulky. The splint is made from some kind of plastic, but it has changed colour as I wear it all the time, and it bloody stinks when I have to change the dressings. Oh my god, you wouldn’t believe how badly it smells. The whole process of changing the bandage and splint is really annoying and long-winded. It can be a talking point though… (laughs)… I get sympathy from girls, which is nice as I’m single. If I’m honest, it really does cramp my style though. I care a lot about how I look if I’m honest and it makes me a bit embarrassed to show it around. I wish it didn’t smell too, it’s not… it’s not the sexiest thing if you’re trying to get in with a lady. Also it hurts a lot, so sometimes I wake up in the night with the splint fallen off.
H: Do you find it difficult to change the splint then?
C: Yes, like I said it takes ages to change and it hurts more if it takes a long time.
H: How do people react to your broken finger and splint?
C: To be honest, I’ve not had too many bad reactions… apart from, well the… I’ve received a few jokey comments, I guess it could be seen as un-pc… erm… (laughs)
H: Like what?
C: Well someone said I had a ‘spaccy hand’ and said I was a cripple. It’s only a joke, but it could, I mean, could seem a bit inappropriate if we weren’t friends. I mean, imagine if you said that to an actual disabled person? It would be offensive if we weren’t friends. I don’t really consider myself to be disabled, but I guess I am temporarily disabled whilst my finger heals. Mostly people just tell me I was a dickhead for getting injured in the first place, that I should have been more careful or whatever, but if I lived life like that then it would be really boring. What would be the point?
H: So you don’t mind having a broken finger, because it was worth it for the experiences you gained?
A: Yes, definitely. I wouldn’t want to be worrying constantly about what might go wrong. Life would be dull, you know? I mean, I wouldn’t put myself in danger on purpose, but who thinks they’re going to break their finger playing football? I’ve been playing all my life, and it’s not happened before.
H: In terms of the research I am carrying out at the moment, what would you say about a finger splint, for example, that was easy to put on but also attractive?
C: I would say that was a good thing. As long as it could still make a broken finger better, then it would be very good I think. If there could be a way to stop if from smelling so much that would be great. I think… because I’ve only got a short term ‘disability’ I don’t mind so much what stuff I’m given to help heal, but I could see that if it was, like, more of, a long-term disability, it might be more of a consideration to make when thinking about medical stuff to use. Like crutches, if you had to use them all the time, they hurt your arms more than help your legs, there must be a better way of designing them…. they look crap too.
H: Thank you so much for your help with this interview…
C: My pleasure, any time. I look forward to seeing what you get up to with your project work.
Hanna Mawbey - Creative Enquiry 