Category: The Best Healthcare in the World

Pain

~ susie ~ 1 Comment

What I learned through my recent surgery is that once you’re out of the hospital, doctors won’t really treat pain. I was told to take two extra-strength Tylenol four times a day, when finally I said, “Why am I destroying my liver for something that doesn’t even work?” Oh no, my surgeon told me. It was “synergistic” with the other drugs. It was part of their special pain modality.

I don’t think anyone should be in charge of prescribing for serious pain who hasn’t gone through it themselves. The fact is, opioids work. Doctors should of course be careful with them, but I have no history of abuse and no risk factors. I was taking a minimal dose in the hospital.

And then they sent me home with ten pills. It’s really hard doing physical therapy and bending things that don’t want to bend when you’re in severe pain. (Mind you, I have a very high pain threshold. If I say it hurts, it hurts.)

But the pendulum has swung all the way from handing pills out like candy, to pinching them out as if they were grains of gold. Crazy.

Progress report

~ susie ~ 4 Comments

I went back to aqua therapy this week, and it’s already making a huge difference in my ability to move. Everyone keeps telling me how well I’m doing, and all I can think about is how much farther I need to go. Oh well. (I live in fear of the dreaded MUA — manipulation under anesthesia, where the doctor goes in and tears your scar tissue open because you don’t have the expected range of motion.)

The PTs in the rehab center told me they don’t usually get patients who are this engaged in their recovery. It’s more common that patients get the surgery and believe their job is done — when it’s only just beginning. I know what the PTs mean; I met some of those people in aqua therapy. They constantly complained about how the surgery didn’t work and how long they’ve been in pain — while they walked around the pool talking on their cell phones. I mean, there were some people who I never once saw do actual exercises. (That said, the doctor did not give me enough pain pills, and that was rough.)

I, on the other hand, overprepared. Read lots of books, watched lots of rehab videos, asked lots of questions. When I started aqua therapy again, my therapist told me she couldn’t believe how well I was doing. (Which was what I told her all along. I think she just assumed I would follow  the same timeline as her patients who didn’t take an active role in their recovery.)

So far, it’s paying off.

 

 

Sigh

~ susie

So I have one of these same cursed machines, as I mentioned, and mine does seem to be spewing formaldehyde now. I wake up with an awful taste in my mouth and I feel dizzy. Plus, there’s the feeling of impending doom. I have an appointment with a telehealth sleep doctor to get a new, non-formaldehyde spewing machine. Hope to God Medicare will cover it under the circumstances.