Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

I want to thank those of you who knew about and were concerned regarding my up and coming (now been) Orthopedic Surgeons visit. I don't know about you but I love the Internet. it can be good or bad I guess but I was well informed by the time today came and I was right in my thinking as he versed just about everything I read.

I'll start out with (since I worked the medical field myself) how I feel about overbooked doctors. They do not please me no matter how good they are as they give me the opinion of "if I'm not making over $50 grand a day it's not worth me going to work" of "greed greed greed. I'm a stickler for time..yours and mine, I might say # 1 I'm never late for an appointment unless their was an unseen event, and that doesn't mean getting up late or leaving late. I'm always early so as I can fill out that ever present paper work. My appointment was for 10AM we arrived at 9:35 AM. I start counting after 10 BTW. The waiting room is packed. I am also equipped with my x-rays....a time saver unless they do not show what he needs to see. 11 Am comes and goes and I'm still warming the bench. At 11:05 they show me into an operatory. Jim goes too and of course there is only one chair and a table. I take the table naturally. Waiting, waiting, waiting at 5 till 12 I told Jim that at five after 12 I was leaving and the reasons for it. If you are over booked how do you book your surgery...overbook that too? What kind of care am I going to get, then. At 12 he and his assistant walk in and he introduces himself and apologises for the late hour. He then asks me a few questions about where the pain is etc and confirms the findings we already knew. He asked what meds I have tried and I went over the NSAID problem and also the problem I have with my leg....the same leg as the hip problem.I would need to go on blood thinners for a few weeks and some other things. Go on an aspirin routine forever after. I already knew he would tell me I have to check with the vascular man first. He did. He pulled no punches but went right into all the possible things that could go wrong. #1 Dr. Lundgren would have to be in the OR putting this umbrella type thingee in my vein to stop any blood clots...which in all probability will occur due to the other leg problem of swelling. If we got through all that OK which we should with Dr. Lundgrens help I then had to make sure my hip socket stayed in for 6 weeks or months...if it did we would be home safe. If it didn't ...if I screwed anything up or Murphy's law hit they would have to go in and cement my hip leaving me with a real bad handicap and mess. Since the hip joint was being totally replaced...he would try to make my leg as even as possible but in all probability I would end up with one leg shorter than the other. A limp forever in this case. If 6 mos went by I would be in the clear from infections which BTW he SAYS he has never run into. Yeah right! your going to tell me about Mrs. Joe Blow who came down with rejection and infection who is now down the street in Murphys Funeral Home? I have to give him that he didn't paint the happy "this is a cinch operation you'll be playing volleyball in a month thing." All of these things I have already researched. The bad news was now that we know what NSAIDS do they are out of the picture surgery is the last resort and that's where we stand. As soon as I said I didn't think I was ready right now for that the attendant started closing down her computer screen...yup we're done wasting time here this fish isn't ready to sign consent forms. Next fish here we come. He left me with try taking my Tylenol for Arthritis and come back in 6 mos. with a decision.

I'm sitting there this whole time just about in tears...no compassion showed here either OK Dr. House. My feeling on any surgery involving me is I won't make it through...I'm not your best candidate here folks...this is strait fear. Yeah I know its the best way out of pain...if I'm lucky and second worse case scenario I walk like Chester from Gunsmoke or Walter Brennan or worse if they have to cement me back together. Doesn't it make you just chomp at the bit to sign up for it? Me too Heck it sounds like such fun sign me up for the second hip ASAP.

I have till May 5th to see how bad it gets.

That not bad enough there is a message on my phone to pick up a prescription for Folbic Acid. Seems like I have a B12 deficiency oh yes and guess what this does makes you sleepy do not take and drive. I can't win. Hell ask Jim I can't stay awake anyway. I get up and I'm ready for a nap an hour later...put me in the car and zonk I don't get down the road and I'm napping. Oh great Folbic Acid just what I need. Why did I always think B12 perked you up?

Like I said They shoot horses, don't they? Neigh nay snort or however it goes. If only booze didn't give me a headache. I could use a stiff drink right about now and a good cry. Sorry I'm allowing "me" tonight for the poor me's. Tomorrow I'll feel sorry for the other guys.