Monday, April 09, 2007

Discouraged

Saw the ortho doc today. He said there was a little healing occurring on the broken ankle in one (small) spot, put on a new cast and said "4 weeks more" minimum. It is 25 days today since I broke it. I went home, and 4 hours later I'm back at the doctor's, unable to bend my leg at the knee without tourniqueting my leg. Sheer pain! I said, get this thing off, no more casts, I can't bear it for 4 more weeks, and he said, it's either a cast or find another doctor. So I got another cast, AND my x-rays to take to another doctor tomorrow. How dare I object to his medical wisdom? I need a doctor who will work with me on this, keep me from going berserk, and if it isn't healing, go for the surgery. I already didn't like this guy, and he wouldn't even discuss a walking boot, air cast, or anything but a damned fiberglass cast that can't be removed, gotten wet, or balanced on.

Raven got her splint off, and is still a little gimpy, but running and playing all the same. She goes tomorrow for her first trip to the groomer, so hopefully she will smell better for a few days at least. It would help a lot if, when she squats to piddle, she didn't subsequently SIT in the puddle. I mean, isn't that a little dumb? The, ah, aura surrounding her is particularly noticeable when she is draped over the shoulder while navigating stairs.

I got my MacBook back today from repair; somehow one of the hinges broke, and it is all of 3 months old. They were amazingly fast, received and shipped it out the same day, can't beat that. It was a warranty repair; when I Googled "Macbook broken hinge" I got 33,400 hits. I thought from the beginning that the hinges were a little creaky, and I wasn't sure how far I could tip the screen back, because it felt like I was forcing it. Alls betta now!

While I am immobile for so much of the time I am doing a lot of reading and a lot of crossword puzzles. I have never been able to use those books of puzzles because I fall to the temptation to look up the answer when I get stuck. Now I download daily puzzles to my Palm Pilot and can get a hint of a single letter or a single word, if I absolutely have no idea (I am REALLY bad at geography questions). And when I get it totally solved, the screen says "congrats!" It's pretty lame when you have to get your kudos from a inanimate object.

2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Redhead,
I just happened upon your blog and had to comment after what you wrote. I practiced medicine for 15 years before leaving to speak and write, but I know a little about where you are coming from.

Physicians vary tremendously in knowledge and bedside manner. You need to feel comfortable, and should feel free to choose a physician like you would choose a car. Ideally, you should have a physician that you feels cares for you as if he or she was taking care of his or her mother, sister or daughter. If not, find someone who sincerely cares. Of note, a funny comment I used to make when my patients moved out of town and were looking for a doctor. I would tell them to call their local clinic and ask for the doctor that was hardest to get in with and was the most backed up. Why? It is usually the doctor that is most popular (whether for academic prowess or bedside manner), and you know that if he or she is backed up because of taking extra time for someone who needs it, when you really need the extra time, you know you will get it! Good luck to you and you are in my prayers!

Lynne Eldridge M.D.
http://www.avoidcancernow.com

Anonymous said...

Hi there I know exactly how you feel I am also stuck in a cast and showing almost no sign of healing the doctor wants to order some bone stumulator thing if I don't show more signs of healing in 2 weeks.I feel like he spends 2 min of his time with me and out the door to another patient.Anyway hows your foot,has the swelling gone down?Feel free to email me mortgagebank1@gmail.com,David.