Carol's first visit to an orthopedist shows her broken left arm, near the shoulder, already is on the mend, and surgery will not be required for the healing process

Carol Tovich Shuler

The healing process for Carol's broken left arm -- following a fainting spell at the Social Security Administration Building here in Springfield, Missouri -- began in earnest yesterday with her first visit to an orthopedist.

In fact, we learned that nature's healing process already has begun; Carol's doctor said images of her arm showed "stickiness" in the humerus (the large bone in the upper arm), near the shoulder. That means the bone is knitting itself back together.

Carol was fitted with a new sling, replacing the one she received at the Cox South Medical Center emergency room. The sling, plus a number of physical-therapy exercises, is expected to help move healing along. The bulk of that process, it appears, will take place over the next six to eight weeks, with a couple of followup visits set during that time.

The good news is that this break -- unlike the one Greene County deputies administered to the same arm, just above the elbow, during an unlawful eviction in September 2015 -- will not require surgery. The bad news is that Carol almost certainly will experience ongoing stiffness and limited motion in her left shoulder -- something surgery would not help, her doctor says.

We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Meanwhile, financial support and expressions of concern from loyal readers are keeping us afloat. They are much needed and greatly appreciated.