Rinella Prosthetics & Orthotics - April 2020

Rinella Prosthetics & Orthotics - April 2020

1890 Silver Cross Blvd., #255, New Lenox, IL 60451 • 27W130 Roosevelt Road, #2E, Winfield, IL 60190 • 522 Chestnut Street, #1D, Hinsdale, IL 60521

THE POWER OF ‘PLEASE’ AND ‘THANK YOU’ How Dan Rinella Overcame a Turbulent Workplace

APR 2020 RINELLA REPORT The

You learn a lot from working with people. I’ve learned that it’s especially difficult to have a good medical practice without having good people. I’m sure many of the health care providers reading this would agree this is true, especially in our field. After earning my masters in prosthetics and orthotics, there was an experience that once caused me to quit my field altogether.

worked a lot of nights, and you can guess how that might interrupt typical dating hours, right?

“What are you doing?” she asked. After all, I had earned a great education and people often told me that I had a talent for helping people in great pain. Many of my patients suffered through a lot of pain, and I was not put off by that. My wife believed in my goals to help people and really fostered my desire to get back into the prosthetic and orthotic field again.

At one workplace, I had a horrible boss. My

supervisor would ask me to do an extremely complicated task in only 15 minutes then blame

After some time and a better working atmosphere, I decided to start my own business and become my own boss. Working for myself was a huge game changer. I felt a fresh passion for and dedication to my job. I love

WE SPECIALIZE IN: • Below Knee, Above Knee, & Upper Extremity Prosthetics • Compression Stockings • AFOs • CAM Walkers • KAFOs • LSOs • LS Corsets • TLSOs • Collars • Helmets • CROW Boots • Hip Abduction Braces

me for not completing it. My boss didn’t mind

gaslighting me or making me feel at fault in our toxic workplace. My work required a lot of case planning, taking measurements, and administering care. An ill-fitting brace can really injure patients. But the management at this job felt it

coming to work every day, and it truly feels like I’m helping people. This experience has given me the conviction that treating employees right,

—Daniel Rinella I hope this simple tip for showing your appreciation to your staff helped! Until next month... Have a great April, friends! treating your staff well and recognizing them for the work they do. Sometimes you’re just not having a good day, even if you’re doing your job well, and hearing “thank you” from your boss or coworker can make all the difference. especially in the medical field, is so important. There are many things you can do to make your employees feel like they belong. And they will, in turn, make patients feel like they belong. For example, I strongly believe in the power of saying please and thank you. My team hears it from me 10 times a day. I can’t overstate the importance of

was more important for providers to see a lot of patients, rather than pay attention to the quality of their treatment.

I started to wonder, Is it like this everywhere? It was crushing for me. I couldn’t stand not being allowed to give every patient the attention and care they deserved because of a corporate system’s demands. So I left the field and went back to waiting tables at the United Center in Chicago where I’d worked before getting into prosthetics and orthotics.

Then, I met my wife.

I re-met her actually. She was in my eighth grade class, and we had always been friends. But when I saw her again at our reunion, I found myself interrupting all the other men who were hitting on her and said, “You’re amazing. Let’s go out.” She somehow said no, which I knew had to be a mistake (at least, I hoped it was). That was the first time we had seen each other in years, and I think I might have caught her off guard actually. Anyhow, we were nevertheless inseparable after that, but there was a problem. I

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Biannual dentist checkups are a part of most people’s health maintenance routine, but if you’re an amputee, you may not know that you also need prosthesis checkups every 6–12 months. Just like teeth require upkeep to retain their technical and biological function, a prosthesis needs attention too! Having a prosthesis doesn’t mean you no longer need to see your prosthetist. Last edition, we told you the general reasons that checkups are so important, but in this edition, let’s get more specific. NO. 1: PREVENTIVE CARE WILL ALLEVIATE FUTURE PAIN. Just like visiting the dentist will prevent plaque buildup and help you avoid future dental problems, your prosthetist can help prevent future pain and even injuries. Depending on your injury, your affected limb may shrink or change shape, which can cause the liners that secure your prosthesis to fit improperly. This happens all the time and can cause issues with balance and posture. An ill-fitting prosthesis can also cause you to walk differently or make other adjustments. NO. 2: IMPROVED HEALTH DOESN’T MEAN THE PROSTHESIS DOESN’T NEED ATTENTION. Good dental health doesn’t stop people from going to the dentist. We know our amputees work really, really hard. We see you make impressive progress with your health all the time! And you can continue this progress by checking in with your prosthetist. We can diagnose issues with your prosthesis that you Share this newsletter with the amputees ‘WAIT … JUST LIKE A DEN

In a time when it’s so easy to let technology and school run your child’s life, what’s your role as a parent or guardian? We often hear motivational quotes talking about the importance of risk-taking and resilience, but it can be tough for little girls to learn from just YouTube videos and school alone. Here’s how you can encourage your daughter to spark her own confidence during her toughest moments. ENCOURAGE BRAVERY AND A GROWTH MINDSET. Even children can feel pressured to perform to high standards yet stay within their comfort zone. They might think, “I’m not strong enough to climb this tree.” But whether it’s climbing trees or building things with others, small feelings of bravery can grow larger as they grow older. Self-empowerment will be a crucial skill in their lives, so encourage a mindset focused on growth through the process of learning. Teach them how the brain grows and adapts rapidly whenever we encounter failure and that failure and mistakes are a part of life. Once they understand that failure isn’t permanent, they’ll be inspired to take risks and solve their problems. TRUST YOUR DAUGHTER WHILE TEACHING GRIT. Psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth studies successful people in a wide variety of fields, from business to the military, and has found that the quality most successful people share is grit. The ability to stay engaged with tough tasks for a long period of time is a skill that takes a long time to build, but it’s not impossible for your girl to begin developing grit right now. Duckworth believes the growth mindset can start young girls on a path to embracing failure and moving forward from it. ENCOURAGING YOUR LITTLE GIRL Tips for Raising Strong, Confident Women

One of the more perplexing symptoms of post-surgery amputation is phantom pain. This condition refers to the tickling, burning, itching, or pressure someone feels in a limb that is no longer there. While phantom pain can be mild — meaning a person may feel like their missing limb is asleep — others may experience a more painful sensation. Diagnosing this condition is difficult because it varies from person to person, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t treatable. In fact, we offer several treatment methods that we encourage our patients to utilize to help them manage their phantom pain. There are two vital steps to helping your patients through this process. Encourage Communication Pha N to M Pai N HELPING OUR PATIENTS THROUGH THEIR TREATMENTS

However, a lack of trust in your daughter can suffocate her growth. Despite all the adult-directed activities we give our kids, we need to step back and let them make some of their own decisions. We can give them encouragement and help along the way, but for the most part, we need to trust they can solve problems on their own. When you put faith and trust in your little girl to handle her most difficult problems, she’ll learn to do the same for herself.

First, it’s essential that our patients talk to us about what they’re going through. A patient may stay quiet about their phantom pain because

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can’t see (e.g., worn-out parts) and switch out components to be lighter or heavier, depending on what feels right for your gait, health, and activity. NO. 3: THE PROSTHETIC INDUSTRY MAKES ADVANCES ALL THE TIME. Many can remember when Invisalign became popular in dentistry. While no one has invented an invisible prosthesis yet, the prosthesis industry makes breakthroughs all the time. And those breakthroughs often result in our components decreasing in price or increasing in functionality. We hope this resource helps you understand a little more about your prosthesis. And above all, remember this: If you don’t have much mobility right now, that isn’t a problem for Rinella. We’ll come out to you for free. Just give us a call at 815.717.8970! More Little-Known Facts About Prosthetic Follow-Up Care s in your facility. Really important information! NTIST?’

Take a Break Have a Laugh! & We can travel to your facility

SOLUTION ON PG. 4

they’re worried they might not be taken seriously. It’s up to us as providers to ensure that our patients are both comfortable and heard every step of the way.

Take some time to ask how your patients are doing and to explain the importance of expressing any discomfort they may be feeling. If they’re still feeling uncertain, recommend a counseling service for them to express those thoughts. Continue Your Education Depending on the severity of the patient’s phantom pain, we recommend a range of treatment options, including medications and medical therapies. Though we medical professionals and caretakers know the importance of treatments like acupuncture, massage therapy, antidepressants, and narcotics, the patient needs to understand too. After you’ve decided on the patient’s course of treatment, take some time to tell them about it and why it will work. Although there’s no medication specifically formulated to treat phantom pain, providers should tell patients how tricyclic antidepressants can relieve pain caused by damaged nerves. Likewise, take patients through lesser-known treatments they might receive, such as acupuncture, by explaining the process and what to expect from it. Rinella is proud to work with medical professionals, caretakers, and amputees. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us! It’s up to us to take care of our patients. By following these two vital steps, we can accomplish this and much more.

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1890 SILVER CROSS BLVD. #255 • NEW LENOX, IL 60451

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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THIS NEWSLET TER IS INTENDED TO BE SHARED. PLEASE GIVE THIS TO THE AMPUTEES IN YOUR FACILIT Y. THEY WILL LOVE THE FREE INFORMATION!

THE POWER OF ‘PLEASE’ AND ‘THANK YOU’ 1 TIPS FOR RAISING STRONG, CONFIDENT WOMEN MORE ABOUT BIANNUAL PROSTHETIC FOLLOW-UPS OVERCOMING PHANTOM PAIN 2 TAKE A BREAK & HAVE A LAUGH! 3 ECO-FRIENDLY DIETS 4

THIS NEWSLETTER IS FOR HEALTH INFORMATION ONLY. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR FOR MEDICAL ADVICE.

THE TOP 3 WAYS TO EAT ECO-FRIENDLY

Eat Plant-Based Diets The main goal of a plant-based diet is to replace animal products as the centerpiece of the meal. At least three-fourths of your meal should be vegetarian, but you don’t necessarily need to cut meat out altogether. For example, eating a Mediterranean diet can be very sustainable. Red meat is rare, and there’s a strong focus on legumes and vegetables. Adopt Meatless Mondays or Mornings If you’re not ready to commit to a plant-based diet, going vegetarian one day a week can be a great option. Adopting a plant-based diet one day a week or eliminating meat from one meal a day is a great way to reduce meat consumption. Go Flexitarian If you want to eat more vegetarian meals but find animal products are too hard to give up, going flexitarian is a good compromise. A flexitarian eats mainly plant-based dishes but also includes a modest amount of poultry, fish, milk, and eggs with a limited amount of red meat. If you’re able to dedicate even just one week to trying a plant- based diet, it can help you get a feel for if you’re capable of making the switch. You may even realize that it’s not hard to change your diet, and you might find it fun to try a whole different range of flavors through vegetarian food as you “reinvent” your favorite meaty dishes.

Can your diet save the planet?

It can be difficult to see the connection between your plate and the planet, but

scientists say that eating less red meat and processed foods can greatly reduce your environmental impact. About 25% of climate change today is fueled by agriculture and factory farming, particularly the large quantities of the greenhouse gas methane that cows produce. This means that the fewer animal products you consume, the more sustainable your diet will be. Producing and packaging beef is 100 times more emissions-intensive than producing legumes. While a lack of protein is a common concern about plant-based diets, many dietary experts say that plant-based diets can meet nutritional needs. Also, proteins aren’t the only nutrient your body needs, and dozens of vegetables and starches can offer a combination of proteins that are as complete and healthy as beef or chicken.

With April being Keep America Beautiful Month, here are some eco-friendly diet adjustments anyone can make to help preserve the planet.

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