Lois Lochhead
When I was five, my mother underwent a radical mastectomy (removal of pec major and minor, excision of lymph nodes) for treatment of breast cancer. Improperly administered radiation treatments resulted in severe burns to her chest wall.
Once home, the VON came daily to change the dressings on the decomposing tissue. Since she came on weekdays only, my sister (age 8) and I (age 6) had to change the dressings on the weekends. This inspired me to never become a nurse. I was fascinated, however, to watch my mother work to
overcome the disability associated with the loss of use of her right arm. She had to learn to write with her left arm and could use her right arm to stabilize objects as long as it was supported on a surface. We would elevate her arm daily on pillows to reduce the lymphedema and try to maintain Range of Motion (ROM) in her shoulder with passive movements.
We managed in this manner for about 6 years until the progressive decomposition of the tissue in her chest wall grew precariously close to her heart and she was admitted to Montreal General Hospital where she remained for several years. Flesh grafts were harvested and "walked" up her body from
her lower abdomen. Skin grafts were harvested from her legs. When I would visit, I would help the physiotherapists to wrap her legs in tensor bandages and do ROM and bed exercises. They were very impressed with my self-taught methods and encouraged me to consider physiotherapy as a
career. I was 'a natural', they said. I listened to them and began a very fulfilling and varied career in physiotherapy. I continue to be inspired by the giants in our profession and by the dedication of every physiotherapist to improving the quality of life of his or her patients.