Very sad to hear of Steve’s passing yesterday. The first computer I ever owned was a Timex Sinclair 1000. But the very first computer I bought with my own money was an Apple IIc.
And of course I have an iPod and my beloved iPhone. And I’m saving up for a PowerBook Pro.
You did great things, Steve. Rest in peace, and thanks.
It’s been a week of physical therapy thus far, and while it’s not as bad as I thought it’d be, my shoulders are still killing me. The left shoulder, in particular, which is odd because it’s my right shoulder that was supposed to be operated on. Turns out the left shoulder is worse. I knew it was messed up, too, but didn’t know it was that bad.
It hurts to lay with it flat now, so I’ve taken to sleeping with a pillow underneath it. I’ve always been a stomach sleeper, but have slept on my back the last two years. Doesn’t feel like I sleep nearly as good as I used to, but oh well.
Every day at physical therapy starts with them taking my vitals – blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. Then I take my shirt off for ultrasound on both shoulders. Then it’s the exercises…pulleys, elastic bands, weight machine with very light weights. Some of these are painful, but I’m told the pain will get worse before it gets better. Then comes the simultaneous icing and electrical stimulation.
Then I go home, shoulders aching. Thank God for painkillers. Another five weeks of this and we’ll see where we stand. I know I’m glad I invested in all these button-down shirts. They’re far easier to deal with than my beloved t-shirts. And I’m glad to not need a sling. Going the non-surgical route is always best, if possible.
Odd thing, the V.A. sent me a prescription for a neurosurgeon consult in my local area. I don’t know if this is for after phsyical therapy is over, or what, but they say there’s a backlog of surgeons at the V.A. I’ll have to call orthopedics to ask what I’m supposed to do with this thing.
On TV, I’m glad Supernatural and Fringe are back. I’m also enjoying Terra Nova, Person of Interest, and a Gifted Man. Unforgettable is pretty good, too.
How are you doing? What are you watching?
So I went to go meet with the new surgeon on Wednesday. I was supposed to meet with him and get a new surgery date. What I got was something altogether different.
This new surgeon says that there’s a 75% chance I won’t need surgery, after all. That I could be healed through physical therapy. I said that the last surgeon said physical therapy would be counterproductive.
“Who told you that?” he said.
I gave him the doctor’s name, and he nodded with a smile. As if to say, yeah, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He told me that he recommended 6 weeks of physical therapy. “I’ll be happy to cut,” he said, “if the therapy doesn’t work and it’ll just be a tiny cut, arhtroscopic.” Another thing the other surgeon said was that it would be totally open shoulder surgery.
This explained why I’d received a huge packet of physical therapy paperwork in the mail, as well as two orders of painkillers and anti-inflamatory meds.
So was it Kismet that my doctor called in sick just before my surgery? Would it have been unnecessary surgery? I don’t know.
I have an appointment on Thursday to meet with a physical therapist. There are very specific orders the surgeon has given for physical therapy. We’ll see how it goes.
In the meantime, I know that these painkillers are really helping me sleep, and that’s a good thing. Soon enough, I fear my shoulder will be given such a severe workout that I’ll need those painkillers big time.
So...the surgery. Mom and I drove to St. Petersburg on Monday afternooon - Labor Day - to stay in a hotel overnight. I was supposed to report in for surgery at 8am. I was a nervous wreck, having never had surgery before. Well, I did ...
That's my stack of appointments for tomorrow, which start at 8:30 AM and end after 1:30 PM. SIX of them, all pre-op appointments including labs, EKG, and x-rays. I'm not even sure what some of them are, to be honest. One includes "teaching" of some ...
I’m a writer. A lover, not a fighter. An amateur philosopher who enjoys shaving giraffes and dancing around my living room in my boxers.
