Wednesday, September 1, 2004

Fare Thee Well, Elsewhere

Today I saw Dr. K., my orthopedist of record, the very young, very good surgeon who has no sense of the person behind the body part. I have said before that I don’t like him, but I very much like his two partners who have operated on both Rene and me in the past.  Today he gave me bad news and good news. The bad news was that the next step really had to be a cortisone shot, the good news is he’s leaving the practice!

 

It really was our first good office visit. I asked him the questions I had and made him give me info clearly and in human speak (as opposed to doctor speak). I even asked him if he had ever struggled with so much as short term chronic pain, and he looked a bit abashed and admitted he has never really know much pain in his life- not a surprise. After surgery he took me off meds way too soon, and so I demanded a referral to a Pain Clinic-the beginnings of our difficult relationship. I even sounded sincere when I wished him luck in the future! I truly wish him no ill, but I hope at some point he’ll have to be a patient -he needs the learning experience.

 

The cortisone shot in my shoulder hurt like hell, and I used all my breathing techniques not to scream or cry. They were hard learned tecniques, in a veritable crucible of pain, but help a lot.  The shot  turned my arm numb because of both short and long acting numbing agents combined with the cortisone. By the time I got home I had a fever, and I now have a whopping headache. Nasty stuff, cortisone, and I had been putting it off all summer, but I finally got  so desperate that even the 18 hours of the numbing agent sounded good to me. And, indeed, my shoulder does hurt somewhat less. We’ll see as timegoes on…

 

 

Of course, along with the good news of his leaving comes the reality for the practice, which is stretched to the max already. They don’t even have a schedule for six weeks from now- hope they can come up with a good hand/arm man quickly. I need one.

 

 

Not sure where I will be going from here medically, but plan to coast through the next few days waiting to see if the shot works. Take care of yourselves.

 

Blessings, Margo

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you got that shot, I did hear that hurt like "BEEPBEEPBEEP" Roflmao. Let me know how you feel in the next couple of days, I will be thinking  of you :) (((((HUGS)))))  ~~ANGELA~~

Anonymous said...

You know, of course, medical marijuana might help.  But I know of no dotors who are willing to perscribe it ... less they run afoul of the 'federales'.

Anonymous said...

They do hurt like hell don't they, but in a few days you should be feeling much better if the medication works.  Orthopedists on the whole are bloodless humans.  A nurse once told me that they have to be that way because they create such pain.   I don't buy the excuse, but that is what I was told.  Hope you feel better soon.  Pennie  

Anonymous said...

I am thinking of you Margo and sending warm and gentle hugs, judi

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the meds , hopefully it will be worth the awfulness of receiving it. Heres to pain free days!!
take care
Yorks-rose

Anonymous said...

Hi, thank you for your praying for Tootsie, my doggie.

I know about those shots of cortizone. Get them in my spine every 6 months-HURT YESSSSS
I have gotten 2 in my shoulders and they hurt also. But they do help for awhile. If you get a really good doctor, and they know what they are doing...the shots don't hurt as bad. I think alot of it depends on the bedside manner of the dr. himself. It hurts no matter what, but compasion helps some. I've had drs. say this won't hurt at all and then it hurts like HELL. Some drs. say this is going to hurt so be prepared and then I feel just slight pain.

Good luck...bless you and I hope you are pain free for awhile. :0
SHARON

Anonymous said...

I hope you're doing better Margo.  Both my parents have gone through the cortisone shot treatment and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  Although it really did help them out in the end.  I hope the same results happen for you! :)
Steph

Anonymous said...

Some of my most profound human moments have been while I waited in a pain clinic waiting room for my husband.  He had a series of steroid injections in his lower back.  I wanted to give you the name but I could not find the after care sheet, I believe it started with a P, something like protoxxxxx.  He claims it was the best thing he could have done, that he feels 100% better now.  Do take care.