October 8, 2007
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BARON and MY CONTINUING JOURNEY WITH DOCTORS
i am having keyboard problems so bear with me on this. I really dont want to have to take this thing apart but I may be forced to do it *sigh*.
I went to the orthopedic surgeons office last week and got my wrist x-rayed. I gather things are going well because the big cast was removed and a smaller one was promised. However, one of the *pins* (insert NAILS here) had been kind of beaten down further into the wrist than it was supposed to be. The doctor calmly took out a pair of pliers and pulled it up into it’s proper place. It was gross to watch and there was quite a bit of pressure but no pain when he did it. I then had more antibiotic ointment applied (and I swear to you it is just Neosporin) and then they quickly and efficiently started putting layers of guaze and a type of cotton batting over my hand and wrist and about halfway down the arm. I was pleased to see that because it meant I could bend my elbow finally.
When the doctor reached for the fiberglas packets in his cabinet, he asked me, “What color do you want? I have….” and he proceeded to recite all the colors available. I told him, “Oh surprise me. I’ll take anything but camo…” So he grabbed a packet and unwrapped it and I was definitely shocked at his choice for a 61 year old woman. It was a shocking pink! I mean, it looks flourescent! I was sure it would glow in the dark. It didn’t though because *blush* I DID check. There’s a little kid inside all of us, I guess. I’m not supposed to return for another x-ray until the 19th. I still don’t know if I will have to keep the cast on or if it will be replaced or perhaps, cross my fingers, will finally be off. I suppose only the xray will tell the story.
Meantime, the Beast is setting up more and more items that tell me that he is prepared for New Dog’s owners not to be found. He’s bought New Dog (whom we now call Patch or Patches) his own water and food bowl, his own sleeping pads for both the outside dog house and the kennel set up in our garage for colder weather. He did get BOTH dogs some incredible looking chew bones made from compressed pieces of something or other that must weigh about 2 lbs. each! The dogs loved them and keep stealing the other ones when they are distracted. It’s a kind of game with them, I guess because there is no temper involved in it. I never knew a dog would actually chew on another one’s bones or grab up a biscuit that they had had in their mouths if they dropped it. Incredible! But I guess they don’t have the same inhibitions that humans do. I don’t know why I was surprised since they mate in front of God and everyone, for crying out loud, but I really was surprised.
Meantime, I finally made and kept my eye appointment with an opthalmologist that was one of five recommended to me by one of the nurses I could talk to from my insurance carrier. A very nice, efficient doctor named Charles Woods. I actually made it into the examining room within 5 minutes of my appointment time and there were no long waits in between the various procedures I was subjected to as part of my routine examination. I was there because my optomitrist had told me to see one because I had a cataract in my left eye.
Imagine my surprise to find out that both eyes had cataracts but the left eye was the worst of the two. Well, DUH! I knew that for a fact since bright light would actually almost blind me. The first time it happened, it scared the shit out of me and I was grateful I was within two miles of home and on a familiar road. I got home without incident but it made me reluctant to drive anywhere on a sunny day. I DID, however, have a pair of very dark tinted sunglasses and that helped out tremendously. I also found out that flourescent lighting had the same effect on me. And, of course, the Beast has been, blowly but surely, replacing all our light bulbs with those new curly-cue flourescent ones in an effort to be more energy (insert CHEAPER) efficient. I will NOT let him put them into the lamp on my desk, however, or I wouldn’t be able to have a light on when I am at my computer.
On days when I need lighting to accomplish some task or other, I find that I have problems discerning colors if I am under them for any length of time Makes it tough to play solitaire on Pogo when that happens. I also can’t see the numbers either so it’s an exercise in frustration.
So, I am set for cataract surgery on the left eye on the 25th of this month and then on the right eye on November 8th. I have to start putting two different kinds of drops in my eyes four days before the surgery (supplied to me by the opthalmologist, thankfully) and then I have a prescription for an antibiotic drop that I start the day before surgery. He gave me two kits that include a plastic shield that I will have to keep over the surgical eye when I go to bed (it included the tape to hold it in place) and there is even a pair of very sexy sunglasses! (NOT sexy at all, trust me). I have no idea what his surgical fees will be for this but I even got a nice, reuseable cotton bag to carry it all in. As if I would use it for advertising the doctor and telling the world that I had THIS doctor and inviting inquiries. It’s big enough though that I WILL probably use it to hold the yarn on the crocheting project in progress when I am traveling in the car or truck any distance.
The surgery, I was told, is outpatient and takes about 15 minutes. Now if that isn’t progress, I don’t know what is! I actually saw this procedure (as it was then) about 25 years ago. I observed it when I was an assistant administrator at a medical center in Fort Lauderdale. It was fascinating then (to me) although I was shocked that the patient was awake during the procedure. That still follows to this day. I will be lightly sedated (they said) but awake. I have to warn them that I usually fall asleep when even lightly sedated so they are aware of the possibility.
Twenty-five years ago, they had to wait for the cataract to *ripen* or actually cover the whole iris before it could be removed or they were afraid it would return. Now, with all the medical advances, they have found that this is not true. Perhaps it’s the fact that they have developed tools that ensure all of the cataract is removed (even SEEING all of it during surgery is amazing).
A girlfriend of mine took another friend of ours to have hers done last year and she said she was amazed at how quickly the surgery was done and how fast our mutual friend recovered. I have a very positive attitude about this so I am sure that makes a difference too. I am really looking forward to seeing things well again and not having lights and sunlight creating problems for my vision. If you think about it, say a little prayer for me that all goes well and smoothly.
The Beast is not going to have to go to his brother’s house in Chicago to help him paint his house to get it ready to go on the market. His wife’s sons are in the process of doing that as we speak (for a nice sum of money for them, of course) but they are already about half done. I’m really kind of glad because it makes it easier on both of them (meaning the Beast and his brother) who are both a bit long in the tooth, if you know what I mean. Leave it to the young ones
So now you are caught up on the major events in my life. Boring, I know but it’s MY life and I am growing to enjoy it’s simplicity. Have a great day and a wonderful week.
Love you all.
