June 2022

2yr update from Dr Selina Leow

Dear patients,

Amazing how time keeps plodding on by. I have now passed the 2 year mark since I lost my right hand, wrist and forearm.

I have been having regular scans every 3 months and recently, this has now moved to every 6 months. This is similar to most Cancer survivors.

In 2021, I had the opportunity to try out the plain spinner knob on a car I hired when in Adelaide for business and again, on a minibus I hired to take my family on a wine weekend in Mudgee ( I don’t drink alcohol! Crazy enough! ) I am happy to say that all went smoothly!

Last May, I was elected as Deputy Chairperson for the Forensic Odontology Sub-working group of the INTERPOL DVI Committee to add to my other roles that help to keep me out of mischief! I continue with my other Forensic roles and work.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been to the practice as often as I had hoped as I can manage the Admin of the practice remotely well enough. I still pop down periodically though and it is always great to see and chat to my patients. I love seeing everyone!!

Last Christmas, I went on a 2 week 4WD trip through the West Coast of Tasmania. There was much craziness getting a PCR test on Christmas morning and then, getting the result before we left Melbourne (this was when all the PCR test wait times went through the roof!). There was much that occurred on this trip but I am happy to say that the one armed woman went fine with the help from Darren & our eldest daughter who came on the trip with us.

Most recently, I have started initial trials with a myo-electric hand. The prosthesis looks like a hand (4 fingers and thumb) that can move through a variety of grips (between 8 and 24 grip patterns depending on the type of hand!) using sensors touching 2 large muscles on either side of the stump. It still won’t return me to treating patients but it does allow me to hold a cup or bottle, open a packet of chips (and other packets but chips are important, right!), reach up or bend down to grab things. All these things were unachievable with the hook prosthesis. I will trial one type of hand for 4 to 6 weeks, then trial a second type of hand for another 4 to 6 weeks before I find out if I can be approved to receive one of my very own! There have certainly been some challenges in these first couple of weeks with my first hand but, I think, well worth the perseverance.

As the world opens up, I have attended a few interstate and local forensic work situations. It was great to feel like I was still able to do my work as I had hoped!

INTERPOL will meet in June 2022 for the 1st time since the pandemic hit the world. INTERPOL HQ is in Lyon, France. I will take the opportunity to lecture at the University of Turin, Italy and engage with business partners to Australia in Denmark as well. As much as it sounds like a great holiday, I take business trips very seriously and so, not much sightseeing for me! More importantly, it will be the 1st overseas trip post amputation. I have been allowed to take along the current hand that I am trialing as well. I will let you know how it all goes!

See you all very soon!

Love

Your Dentist

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