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WFPL NEWS in Louisville KY, REPORTS HERE that "the nation’s third double hand transplant recipient and his team of doctors gathered Thursday to discuss his surgery and progress. It was Rich Edwards’ first public remarks since last week’s operation."
“I would love to go back to chiropractic. I’m hoping that I can. And I know that if I can’t get back to chiropractic at least I can start doing things again that I never used to be able to do. One of my favorite senses was my sense of touch and I love to hold my wife’s hand, feel her skin and I want to do that again,” he said.
"Edwards lost the use of his hands in a fire four years ago. He says he’s very grateful to the donor family. Doctors at Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center say Edwards is doing well enough to leave the hospital Friday."
New hands: Dr Richard Edwards scratches his face with one of his new hands at The Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center, in Louisville. His new body parts were attached only one week ago
"The chiropractor from Edmond, Oklahoma, had struggled with simple tasks such as holding his keys or eating food since his hands were severely burned in a fire in 2006. Dr Edwards said he feels 'very blessed' with his new hands and is now eager to start his new life."
"His wife Cindy revealed that Dr Edwards had struggled with depression for four years after the accident and she was looking forward to having her husband back with his old 'zeal for life'."
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Moving: Dr Warren Breidenbach of Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center, left, explains how Dr Edwards now has dexterity after they routed his nerves into the new hands
"Doctors say Dr Edwards' progress is ahead of other patients because they were able to route his existing nerves into the donor hands. He had lost seven fingers after his accident but retained most of his original hands, though they were badly burned.""Dr Edwards was the country's third double hand transplant recipient. The surgery was performed at The Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center, the site of the world's first successful hand transplant in 1999."
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Marathon operation: The medical team worked on both donor hands at once during the 18-hour surgery
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High five: One of the new hands which came from the same donor. The doctors said they were very grateful to the donor's family for allowing the operation
"Surgeons removed non-functioning hand tissue from the patient in preparation for the donor hands and five hours later had attached the bones of the new hands to the patient with plates and screws."Enlarge
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Crate expectations: Surgeons transport the donor hands to the operating room (left), while internet users could read updates on Twitter (right)
"The team expect the wounds to take about six weeks to heal and sensation would return after several months. As with any transplant, there is a risk of rejection and Mr Edwards will need to take anti-rejection medications for the rest of his life. Dr Edwards said: 'The very worst thing that could happen could be losing my hands and I thought long and hard about it. But I thought it was well worth taking the risk.""Doctors said the patient is expected to spend about three months in Louisville recovering and undergoing extensive rehabilitation."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1308620/Double-hand-transplant-man-Richard-Edwards-reveals-fingers.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0yTAlMtYv
We thank the WFPL News and The Daily Mail for sharing this news with us.
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