Just Stick Your Fingers In My Cast

Dear Tattered Angel,


Your current spica cast has added a new challenge to caring for your skin in the heat of the day of the summer months.  Previous casts during cooler winter and spring months where often difficult to deal with when addressing continued concerns of a soiled cast, but the summer time heat adds the new layer of issues to learn and adapt to.  Traveling  and participating in any outdoor activity must take place in the cooler hours of the morning before the sun has had time to intensify it's rays or we must attend in the shadows of the evening when the sun is hidden behind the trees.  If the timing is wrong, your little cheeks begin to develop a rosy color combined with a tacky moist feeling to the surface of your skin.  Once your skin has been moistened with sweat, our little daughter will become determined to find relief from the irritation as the intensity of the itching begins to build.  Several times to help remove the dried layers of skin visible under the layers of a fiberglass cast, a soft bristled toothbrush is cautiously rubbed in and out of your casted legs, bringing with it the sprinkling of dried flakes of skin.  Old enough now to understand the itching can be treated and relief found by a continued rubbing, numerous requests are now demanded for parents to, "Just stick your fingers in my cast!"  If the request is granted, the rough layers of caked dried skin deep inside the cast can be felt with the tips of your finger.  A slight rubbing motion brings instant relief, evident in the facial expressions found in your eyes as you lay there.  If the rubbing is stopped, immediately requests over and over again are demanded to, "Just stick your fingers in my cast."  Even at night as we place you in your bed for a night of sleep, we can often convince you to lie still if we commit to place our fingers in your cast rubbing the dry patches of skin.  Often times you quickly fall asleep as you enjoy the short window of relief from the constant itch of your covered skin. 

A resent visit to your surgeon based on the current lining of your cast gave the advice of a little baby powder would help you find relief.  Once home we sprinkled a little on your leg then moving your leg around, worked the powder down along your legs.  Immediately came the response, "That much better, daddy."