Getting Back in the Swing of Things
October 31, 2018 2:00 pm
Quality time with family and a friendly game of golf is what Ronnie Armstrong spends his time doing these days. A longtime Savannah, Tenn. resident, and a grandparent to grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Armstrong is a family man through and through.
Routinely, he and several friends will meet to play a round of golf at Pickwick Landing State Park. He is a member of Mount Hermon Baptist Church and has been a part of the Savannah Rotary Club since 1980, still meeting with the club every Tuesday. I guess you could say he lives a structured yet busy life.
A few years ago, Armstrong started noticing his ring finger on both hands beginning to bend, not allowing him to straighten them out. Progressively, the bending got worse, and he was to the point of not being able to shake hands. Although he could still grip his golf club and had no pain, it was starting to really inconvenience his day-to-day activities. He decided it was time to seek some medical help for his issues.
“I was very familiar with the excellent physicians and staff at Magnolia, because Dr. Randall Frazier had performed shoulder surgery on me several years ago,” said Armstrong. “Someone had told me about a new surgeon the hospital now had and how good he was with operating on hands.”
The surgeon referred to is Dr. James Long, Board-Certified Hand and Plastic Surgeon. With years of training and experience, Dr. Long knew exactly what Armstrong needed surgically.
Armstrong proceeded to get an appointment, at which time he underwent a very thorough exam and hear exactly what Dr. Long’s surgical plans were for his hands. Armstrong found out he had a condition called Dupuytren’s disease, a fairly common hand deformity that develops and progresses over years. When someone is effected with the condition, the fingers are caused to be pulled into a bent position and are not able to be straightened completely. As Armstrong was experiencing, Dupuytren’s disease is inconvenient and can make it very difficult to perform even the most basic tasks using your hands.
Dr. Long performed surgery on Armstrong’s hand to ensure that the finger bending didn’t reoccur. It’s been almost two years since the surgery, and Armstrong now has perfectly straightened fingers and an excellent surgical outcome.
“I can’t thank Dr. Long and the entire team at Magnolia enough for the treatment and care provided during my time there,” said Armstrong. “Everyone was extremely friendly and knowledgeable.”
Armstrong added, “During surgery, it felt as though I had just taken a nap and woken up to friendly, smiling faces. I certainly have and will continue to recommend Magnolia and the entire team to others needing medical attention and services.”
If you are experiencing symptoms of Dupuytren’s disease, or other hand related issues, please call (662) 286-6369.
This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center
