Life returning to boy's hand

2003-09-16 22:15

Elise Tempelhoff

Pretoria - A matric boy from Sasolburg who accidentally sawed off his right hand at the wrist while slicing biltong in a butcher shop two weeks ago can already feel his pulse and move his fingers.

His hand was re-attached during an eight-hour operation on August 30.

Francois Brits, 18, said from his Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, bed on Tuesday that he could feel "life" slowly returning.

Dr Gavin de Aguiar, a plastic surgeon, said on Tuesday that had it not been for the fact that Francois was given physiotherapy and occupational therapy twice a day, he could have gone home ten days ago.

"We are thrilled with his progress. It is wonderful to see how Francois improves daily and that he is getting more and more use back in his arm."

De Aguiar puts the success of the operation down to the fact that one of Francois' colleagues immediately packed his severed hand on ice.

Ronel Terblanche, Francois' mother, said her son remains positive that he will get back the use of his arm and hand.

He is doing the exercises his physiotherapist gave him and he has already learnt to write with his left hand.

Terblanche said that Francois did complain of the terrible pain at times but he knows that it is a good sign because it means "life".

"Then he just sits it out until it's time for his next pain killer."

De Aguiar said that at this stage it was difficult to say just how much use Francois would eventually regain. "It all depends on how motivated he is to work with the physiotherapist. The recovery process can take up to two years."

Terblanche said it has been prayers that have got the family through their ordeal. She drives through from Sasolburg everyday and the car is usually full of Francois friends.

But she is grateful to her son's employers at Butcher Boys. They visit him often and have helped with petrol money, she said.

- Beeld