Don't know about you guys out there who are reading this, but my body has been telling me for some time now that it's definitely not a "spring chicken" any longer. I have aches and pains from head to toe some days. How about you, in the same proverbial "boat" as me? Seems like ALL of my joints have now become home to the infamous "ARTHUR itis". I realize, of course, that it comes with advancing age, heredity, and certain types of trauma (i.e. my bike accident). Stairs have been killing me lately and after the planting spree in the backyard over the weekend, I knew I needed some help. Hoping with all I can, that the two shots of cortisone I received this morning will at least provide some relief from the pain that sometimes occurs. Certainly not wishing to be a candidate for a total knee replacement any time soon. I figure with "old lefty's" current "stash" of hardware, I've got near enough in me that is artificial in nature. I think I can wait for more to come much farther into the future, say 20 years from now.
As I was leaving the clinic, I had to stop and laugh and then take a photo of one of the official "greeters" at the reception / check in area. When I looked at it, I said to myself..."Yep, I know JUST how you feel there!" Been there, done that, and trying hard to NEVER do that again!
Soon afterwards it was time to head over to Wichita to the Kansas Orthopaedic Center. You know I used to keep track of how many times I had been there but after awhile you just don't remember any more. I was glad that my LAST visit there had been in early May and that Dr. Chan, after looking at my x-rays, had decided to wait about doing anything further about "old lefty's" dilemma.
It seemed familiar to walk in there again once more. My very first visit had been August 8th of 2011 only 4 days after my notoriously "stupid" decision to jump a curb in front of my home while I was riding my bike. My left arm had been described as a "train wreck" by someone taking care of me. I have to agree with them~when I do things stupid, I really do them well :) The bones of my left arm, at least what was left of them, were being held in place by an interesting contraption called an "external fixator", done during emergency surgery here in Hutch. It kind of looked like this~
Well after the first of what would be so very many x-rays to follow in this whole ordeal, Dr. Chan and his team came up with a plan to do what they could to get my "humpty dumpty" arm, about as together again as they could. My second surgery was scheduled in the following two days with yet another that took place at Christmas time. When I was finally dismissed from his care in early March of this year, it was hoped that no further surgeries would be needed. As time has gone on though, that part of the recovery has changed a bit.
During the third surgery in December, a section of my ulna bone was removed in order that I could regain at least a little more movement in my wrist. It was working just fine until a wild batch of renegade calcium decided to start depositing itself where it had no business being. The result is something akin to a bone spur and that is what is wreaking havoc in my arm every time I turn it just the least bit wrong. Surgery is in order and was scheduled today for early October.
You know, it wasn't what I wanted to have to do. I've found over the course of the last 6 months that having two hands to use instead of one is actually pretty darned HANDy. In my hurry to get things done in this life, I've sometimes even forgotten that there WAS a time that I only had use of one hand. I say "shame" on myself for that~obviously I had forgotten my vow to always remember what it had been like. Now I am fixing to find out, to remember once again.
Although I am having this, what I REALLY hope to be the final surgery, in order to feel better and continue to regain what use I can of my left arm, I am also doing it for another reason. Somewhere tonight there is a family who misses a loved one who died at the age of 45, an accidental death. That loved one, in his death, donated his body's "long" bones in order that someone, somewhere along the line might benefit from their use. I doubt he thought about them going to a crazy 55-year old schoolteacher from Kansas who was riding her bike like a 10-year old one day. But part of it did. From the day I learned that I had been given the bone material of a Missouri man, I vowed to do my best for him AND for me, in taking care of my arm. If having one more surgery will make things better, then I would be very foolish to not take a chance. That unknown man's gift is within me now....Eleanore lives and I get goosebumps and chills down my spine every time I remember it. God bless him for what he did for me, a total stranger and undoubtedly so many others.
Well, it's the evening now and I've got more than a plenty to get done here. Guess I'll be making a list of things that have got to be accomplished while I still have two good hands to do it. Dr. Chan explained to me that I'd be in the surgical splint (fancy name for a very uncomfortable and bulky cast:) for two weeks until stitches come out. Then we will see where we go from there. I'm not going to make a prediction because sure as shooting, I'll be way off.
Take care this evening everyone of you. I'm a horrible person to even think of suggesting it, considering my track record, but please be careful in all that you do. One thing I've learned is that getting in a hurry has been the cause for so many of the bad things that have happened to me in life. Slow down, please all of you. Really, it will wait :) You know, right now, I'm ok with what will have to happen. It will mean some adjustments once again but I still remember how to dress myself one-handed and just for the record, I'll be making peanut butter sandwiches ahead of time. Long story, you'd have had to been there. No wait, it was an ugly scene that night~try not to think about it. LOL
I will get better, just you wait and see! I am still more determined to be completely healed from this than I would ever be afraid. Good night friends and family....We will make it, I'm positive.
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