Tuesday Sucked

Just so you know I’m still around…

I had medically related appointments yesterday (Tuesday). Aside from location glitches which had me walking high-speed shuffling with a walker, some went well enough. Recovery from surgery itself is going well.

On the other hand, the followup series of post-op x-rays… went very poorly. Unless prompted by serious self-interest inquiries (“I need x-rays; who should I avoid?”), I won’t give the company name. What was supposed to be a 10-15 minute procedure turned into trips between assorted locations, ending with an hour and a half session with an x-ray machine possibly older than myself.

That Three Stooges (yes, three alleged radiologists) routine should count as 3-4 physical therapy sessions by itself. It was an exercise in painfully sadistic contortionism. I never before saw an x-ray session that required the patient be stretched sideways across the exam table, with the bad-hip leg resting on a roller stool, the head on a waiting room easy chair (with a pile of exam table sheets and a pillow), while the patient grips the head and side of the table for dear life so he still didn’t fall off.

Now add in draping my right leg over the x-ray emitter. Except that didn’t “work,” so they dug up a four foot block of what seemed to be duck-taped foam to hold my leg even higher.

Oops. That didn’t “work” either. Let’s try the same position, but with my head at the foot end of the table.

Wait. Did I mention the various blocks of foam they needed to shove under assorted bit of my anatomy? Bear in mind that block installation always required me to lift my torso for them… while in the above-mentioned sadistic contortion poses.

Naturally that made me late for the next appointment, which turned out to be an odd exercise in hospital bureaucrats deciding my case wasn’t their job (and it turns out they were right; theirs is very specifically limited to Duvall County residents), but finding a way to do it anyway.

Despite the screwed-up aspects of the day, and with a doc’s concurrence, I decided it’s time to begin transitioning from the walker to a three-toed cane. I do need to re-learn balance.

But at the end of the day, when starting to relax, I kinda sorta regretted that transition decision. Between the limited fluid intake during the overly-busy day and over-working my good right leg, said right leg decided I needed cramps. Lot’s of cramps.

So: more fluids, some potassium, wrap the leg in a blanket, walk out cramps periodically (with walker). I got past that. I’ll be doing more cane transitioning today, but I ain’t gonna be stupid about it.

Lest I appear to be a a completely ingracious SOB, I give my niece my most sincere thanks for sacrificing pretty much her entire work day to get me to — and through — those appointments.

Also thanks to my brother and sister who, while I was out, set up an adjustable bed for me that made yesterday evening’s relaxation possible at all.

 

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Bear

2A advocate, writer, firearms policy & law analyst, general observer of pre-apocalyptic American life.

3 thoughts on “Tuesday Sucked”

  1. Bear — you haven’t LIVED until they’ve had you drinking a barium milkshake while inverted — first of all, it ain’t tasty strawberry, and
    it is really creepy running out of your nose, then to your forehead.

    Xray techs aren’t really sadists. They have to get a picture of just the right body part at just the right angle.

    Small consolation, but it could have been much worse. Had a buddy that flipped a snowmobile — the track landed on his head & upper torso. They were drilling holes in his skull to reduce the pressure,
    and he was eating through a straw and breathing through a trach
    tube for months. Several weeks in ICU — $$$$ .

    Glad your family is there for you (God bless them for that).

    Pace yourself, bud — it’s gonna take a while.

    1. I’m hoping to avoid the need for barium shakes. While haven’t experienced it, I’ve heard plenty of sickening tales from victims and medical pros alike. Eek.

      “Xray techs aren’t really sadists. They have to get a picture of just the right body part at just the right angle.”

      I don’t have the energy to give the fully detailed run-down on that fiasco. It was worse than I described. I used the Three Stooges reference to their faces (as part of the shit show reminded me of the 3S episode where they run plumbing all over a room and have water pouring out of electric outlets) for a reason. It was mind-boggling incompetence combined with decades obsolete equipment.

  2. Sounds like they were trying to make do with 2nd hand equipment. No medical advice (way out of my lane anyway) but on the cane thing, my Mom and my Aunt both used hurry-canes for awhile and really liked them.
    Prayers continue

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