A Friend in Need
Fracturing her wrist while helping a friend was not on this Lakewood woman’s holiday agenda. But Ocean Medical Center’s expert care quickly allowed her to carry on without a hitch.

More than three years after her curative orthopedic surgery, active-as-ever Evelyn Deugenio is still impressed with her fully operational wrist and the first-rate care she received at her local community hospital.

Finally getting to the car after a whirlwind shopping trip with four of her friends during the holiday season, Evelyn Deugenio sat down and thought nothing of tossing her pocketbook on the floor of the car along with her packages. When she saw that her friend still needed some help with her bags, Evelyn decided to give her a hand. "What I didn’t realize, however, was that I had hooked my foot inside the strap of my pocketbook, and when I tried to jump out of the car, I went flying."

Barely missing hitting her head on the curb, Evelyn landed on her wrist and immediately knew something was wrong. But hoping that the pain would subside and that it was just a temporary injury, she decided to wait it out before venturing to the hospital. When she woke up the next day and realized that the swelling had not gone down — indeed, it had gotten worse — she knew that she couldn’t wait any longer. So she headed to Ocean Medical Center, where, Evelyn says, "My emergency room experience couldn’t have been better. The staff was so friendly and so expert at getting me the help I needed."

Maintaining Mobility
Evelyn’s X-rays revealed that she had fractured her left wrist and that, in her case, a simple cast would not suffice. Following a consultation with Arthur Vasen, M.D., Ph.D., a boardcertified orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Ocean Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Evelyn decided that surgery was the way to go if she wanted to sustain her active lifestyle.

The very next day, Dr. Vasen repaired the fracture using plates and screws to hold the pieces of her wrist together. "This type of internal fixative procedure used to be reserved for younger patients," he remarks. "Now, with the increasingly active lifestyle of so many seniors, there is every reason to consider this type of surgery for older adults."

Evelyn was very happy to be on the receiving end of this consideration. After her surgery, she underwent three weeks of inhouse physical therapy and then continued her exercises at home. Three years later, she still raves about the care she received and her remarkable recovery. "It’s as if nothing happened. I can’t see a scar, and there is absolutely nothing that I can’t do now that I could do before. I am thrilled!"

Dr. Vasen sheds light on Evelyn’s full recovery: "If we had decided to repair her wrist fracture with a cast, the bones simply would not have healed right. By doing this surgery, we were able to avoid some of the serious complications associated with these injuries, like a limited range of movement and arthritis."

On the Go
Nowadays, Evelyn is busy with a wide variety of hobbies and activities, from playing golf every Thursday morning to delivering her community’s paper once a month. "I am extremely grateful to Dr. Vasen and the specialized care I received at Ocean Medical Center. I can’t imagine being able to do what I’m doing today without their kindness and expertise."

– Janet Schneider