On 02 February 2005, Kathy went to an orthopedic hand specialist. Turns out she has scar
tissue in the joints of two fingers from an injury she sustained a couple of months ago. The
scar tissue has caused two of her fingers to swell and curl up, so Kathy now wears braces
on these fingers to pull them straight in order to eventually break up the scar tissue.
The brace applies pressure to the bottom side of the finger in two places, while simultaneously
pushing against the knuckle. The braces are initially worn only for five minutes at a time, then
longer as the healing progresses and the pain caused by the braces lessens.
After the work of the braces has been completed, Kathy will go through a rehab program to complete
the restoration process, which can take up to nine months. All of this is very painful, but the only
other option appears to be surgery, since the condition will only grow worse if left unattended.