Dr Visit

I put off the annual exams because of Covid, but went today (been 6 years, actually).  More questions from the Dr than I remember from past visits.  Alcohol and tobacco usage, diet, sleeping habits, socialization, happiness level, activity level.  All of which make sense.  I keep up with medical advice from trustable sources.

It's not like I smoke or drink much, but less is always better.  I probably won't change that, much.  A cocktail while I am preparing dinner and 2 small glasses on wine with dinner aren't exactly binge-drinking.  And I'm not the most face-to-face social person (but I did attend a small party at a neighbor last week, and everything went well).  And I just generally feel pretty happy with myself.  Some people can't stand being alone; I have no problem with that.  And the Dr agreed.

The tests went great.  Reflexes good, diet great, mental alertness better than average (he asked a few odd questions), general activity level satisfied him.  He had me stretch a few times, touch my toes standing up, and reach across my back to have my hands meet (they did, barely).  So, in general, he says I'm in better than average condition at 73 (and 74 next month).

There was the always weird prostate exam.  Woo-Hoo!  But he found no problem.

The technician said my EKG results were excellent.  I'm not sure about the blood pressure.  It was 163 over 80.  She said the systolic is always a bit high in the stress of an exam, so maybe reality is 140 over 80 and she said not to worry about that.  

I have to visit a separate office for a blood panel and a different one for a cancer screening.  And another for one of those general allergy tests (where they stick a board of needles in your back and see if one spot puffs up).  

There were also question about family medical history.  None have died of anything that seems genetic (well Mom had Parkinson's).  The main cause of death in my lineage seems to be old age.  So I might reach 2050.  100 would be cool (if it was in good health).  But personally, I'm willing to "check out" if things get too difficult.

But it was a really positive visit and I'm glad I went.  I even (oddly) feel healthier.  😀

Why Few Posts Lately Here

I used to post more often here.  Mostly about projects, sometimes about world events, sometimes about complaints.  Well, I kind of got inactive for a while.  I simply stopped doing projects for a while...

It's health issues.  I'm not ill, but I've been having increasing physical problems that make it harder to just "do stuff" and it is really annoying .  Let me make it clear that I understand many people my age (72) have far more serious problems and a significant % of the world population would dearly love to have "only" my problems.

So this isn't a competition.  But my issues are MY issues and I'm having some difficulties adjusting to them.  A bit of background and a list:

1.  Back in the early 1960s, my town sent out DDT fogger trucks to kill mosquitoes.  No one thought DDT harmed humans.  We kids rode or bicycles in and out of the fog behind the truck just for fun.  Shortly after, I started to develop slight hand tremors to the point where building plastic models became difficult,  "glue everywhere". The past decade, those have been getting worse.

2.  Two decades ago, my right knee started failing occasionally.  I had to be careful on stairs.  Thge past 2 months, my left knee has been a problem and it has gotten worse.  I even bought a velcro strap knee compression support.  It helps, but I walk kind of stiff-legged lately.  

I'm pretty sure I know what the cause is.  I sit with one ankle up on the opposite knee (either way).  I think it used to be called the "English Sitting Position".  Which is probably OK in itself, but when you have cats on your lap, it puts a torque on the knee (of the ankle on the other knee).  After decades of that, I think I have ruined both of them.

But the result is that I don't exactly run around the house or yard "doing stuff" lately.

3.  I'm getting too many muscle cramps!  At night in bed, I get them in my thigh, calf and ankle on either leg (randomly and never more than one place at the same time.  But they feel like my muscle is about to tear loose from the bone.  I say "bad words" when that happens.  Sometimes no problems for a couple weeks, them every night for days.  Doesn't happen in daytime.  I can't think of a cause for them.  I get enough water.

In daytime, I get rib muscle cramps if I twist around to look behind me or lift something awkwardly.  

I get finger-clenches, too.  Holding anything tightly for even short periods can cause it.  Which means most garden tools can cause it.  Just holding the steering wheel for a while can cause it.  But it doesn't happen immediately.  Usually doing that stuff is OK at the time.  I pay for it in the evening making dinner.  I  prepare a lot of fresh food, which involves a lot of knifework.  All of a sudden, my fingers on the holding hand clench and I can't hold the knife.  Typing for an hour or more also causes problems later the next day.  I don't know what causes the delay, but it is predictable.

I use a lot of Aspercreme and Lidocaine ointments these days!

4.  I've been sleeping badly.  Not that I'm not in bed.  I am sometimes in bed 10-12 hours but getting maybe 6 hours sleep.  Partly, a heated waterbed is addictive and comfy, but I've had heated waterbeds since I was 25 and kept normal sleeping hours most of that time.  I used to be a morning person, but now the idea of getting up at 9 am feels weird.  Sometimes after being up 10 hours, I just want to go to bed again at 9 pm but that means I would be getting up at 6 am and I don't know what to do at 6 am.  I don't know what has changed.  

5.  So I haven't been as active lately as in the past.  And therefore have less to post about here.  But I think I need to take advantage of my medical insurance.  I got a card from them encouraging me to visit a doctor for a "basic exam".  I think I will take them up on that big time.  

My primary Dr (geriatric internist) didn't seem to understand what I was asking for as a "physical" 2 years ago (may have to change Dr).  But I'm thinking of many things to be done.

Full scale physical exam and many tests.  I made a long list based on several websites (I may post it separately in another post).  It may take months to get it all done.  But I've put some things off too long and my New Year Resolution is to get them all done this year.  If there are problems, better to discover them now than later (and it is really already "later").  

Maybe some things that trouble me now can be fixed.  But more importantly, maybe some things that would trouble me more in the future can be fixed or avoided.  

Eating small amounts of meat and lots of fruits&veggies doesn't prevent all problems.  It helps, but isn't a cure-all.  😟

Yet Another Update

Well, I had a followup visit with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday.  I almost cancelled it for several reasons.  First, I couldn't think of anything useful she could tell me  (I was mildly wrong about that).  Second, sitting around the waiting room is really boring.  

Third, half my driveway still has ice on it. And it was raining lightly, so it was slick.  And my driveway goes downhill to the street.  And across the road where the driveway joins it, there is an 8' drop to a drainage easement.  So I was unsure about risking it. 

I was cautious.  I stepped on the ice first.  The light rain HAD made it "punky" enough so my shoes made an impression.  So I backed the car out of the garage so the rear wheels were on the ice and the front still in the garage and then pulled forward again.  Nice crushed tire tread marks!

The street-side half of the driveway was bare asphalt, so I couldn't slide beyond that, and the street was bare of any ice, so I could certainly stop there.  And the car is 4 wheel drive.  So I decided it was safe for several reasons.  I decided to visit the Dr...

And there were NO problems getting the car to the street safely.  If that still seems "un-cautious", I'll mention that I did NOT put on my seatbelt AND kept the door slightly open in case I had to bail out.  On the street, I attached seatbelt etc...

At the Dr's office, a person interviewed me about changes in condition since the last visit, any specific problems and questions, etc.  I mentioned having no specific pain anymore, very mild hip stiffness when I first got up in the morning or after sitting for an hour, not taking any meds (not even OTC Ibuprophen for several days), getting back to some normal household activities like laundry and cat litterbox cleaning, but feeling some weakness lifting anything above my right shoulder (where the clavicle is separated from the scapula.  Complained slightly that I probably couldn't bowl or golf again, and that my gardening activities might be very restricted.

The Dr arrived 10 minutes later.  After asking questions for 5 minutes, she had a few  observations/suggestions.  First, I was healing quicker than average for my age and most people with similar injuries were still on meds.  I'm not playing "tough guy".  If I was hurting, I would ask for a med.  

Second, she asked if I had seen a physical therapist.  I hadn't, but that was because I had visited my primary care Dr (who has the same shoulder injury) and he showed me the mild stretching exercises he was given.  Plus, I looked it up on the net and it was obvious stuff I was already doing.  Drs HATE that, but hey, this was from professional sites.

Third, she mentioned that I might be self-limiting about bowling and golf and gardening.  The clavicle/scapula connections is not a strength joint.  She suggested I try a few frames of bowling (just to swing the ball gently and release it, and try some gentle golf chip shots in the back yard to see how it felt IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

Fourth, she reminded me that surgery IS an option at any time.  She said a minor incision to insert a pin holding the clavicle in place with the scapula is an option, though it takes 6-8 weeks of general shoulder immobility.  She says the operation would essentially return my shoulder to pre-fall condition

That's both a possibility and a concern.  I find the shoulder "annoying" and come Spring when I can do things outdoors again, I might find my new limitations unacceptable.  On the other hand, I can't quite image being essentially left-armed for 6-8 weeks as being manageable.  

But I don't have to make that decision now.  The shoulder problem is more weird than limiting at the moment.  I will see how things go when I'm out in the yard again.  Trying routine yardwork in a month or so will help me decide.  As the Dr said, and this point, the operation would work the same tomorrow or next year.

So I've been testing myself (gently) with indoor things.  I normally clean the cat litter boxes by lifting them to the workbench and doing the scraping/sifting there.  I was doing it on the floor on hands and knees a few weeks ago, but have done it on the bench twice since.  It works, but let's say I'm about 80% good at the lifting.  It doesn't hurt, but the right shoulder is weak.  

Part of my recovery has been adjusting ways of doing some things.  I've always been better at using my left arm and hand than most people.  In fact, I suspect I was originally a "lefty" but was discouraged from it as a child.  In the 1950s, that was considered a "problem" for kids as they tried to fit into society.  

So for now, let's say that I am in pretty decent shape (all things considered), that what I am now is what I WILL be (into every life, some rain must fall), and that at some point "life" was going to catch up to me.

I'm 70.  Some physical problems were inevitable.  I've been lucky.  One finally got me and it was my fault.  Ya can't be lucky forever...

One Month Since The Fall

It's been a Whole Month since I fell off the ladder. Sometimes it feels like a week; sometimes a year! Time just doesn't pass normally when you are limping around and housebound.

On the other hand, I am nearly healed. I had a Dr appt Thursday (more below) and I drove there myself. Surprisingly, driving was easy. I brought the walker with me but I was basically just pushing it along in front as I free-walked.

I went grocery-shopping yesterday without the walker (though I knew the cart would have served if needed). It was nice to choose my own fruits and veggies again! I had the store delivery for the first time last week and it was obvious they didn't waste any time selecting ripe fruits or firm veggies - it is "grab&go").

Deb did a wonderful effort shopping for me before that, but my computer-made shopping has a lot of shorthand to save space. For example, only *I* know that "cukes" means the mostly-seedless mini or long English cucumbers, not the standard kind. So it was great to get to pick&choose.

I've done a couple loads of laundry. The stairs are no longer a problem (but rest assured I am VERY careful). I do time it so that I'm going down to the basement for other reasons as well (Dr visit, shopping). In other words, bring laundry down into the washer as I'm driving somewhere, move it to the dryer when I return, bring the dried stuff back up next day...

I can let the laundry sit because all my clothes are 100% casual cotton. I gradually switched to that after I retired. First, I don't much care about "fashion and fit". I'm a relaxed fit-camo pants kind of guy (though I still color-coordinate. Second, I am a serious static-electricity generator. I used to be able to dimly light fluorescent lamps just be touching them and The Mew's furs crackled when I stroked them! 100% cotton solved that.

Now, the latest Dr visit...

It was very irritating at first, but very satisfactory by the end. When you enter the building you meet a front desk person who wants a form filled out. I KNOW it is all about Covid-19 symptoms, it asked 2 questions I HAD to answer "yes" to. First was "Do you have any body aches"? Well, duh, I fell off a tall ladder, so "yes". Second was "Are you congested"? I've smoked for 50 years, so "yes". I shouldn't have checked those boxes.

It generated 15 minutes of delay while the front desk decided I was save to visit the Dr. You would think I had checked off the "Are you a terrorist?" box, LOL! But I was allowed to pass the desk eventually.

I was still at the Drs office before the appt to fill out the same form I had the previous week (in some ways, Dr offices understand computer records about as well as I know what "acromioclavicular separation" means). Then I was escorted to a waiting room.

What an appropriate name for a room. I waited and waited and waited. After 30 minutes (glad I brought a book to read) I heard some people saying "goodnight, see you tomorrow" and went out to make sure I had not been forgotten.

They apologized that the Dr was running behind but wopuld be there "in a few minutes". Yeah, right. After 25 more minutes, I decided that when it an hour, I would leave. I was JUST about to put on my coat when he came in. I was his last appt for the day. I told him I had just gotten up to leave. He apologized for being "busy". I told him "you're busy; I'm hungry".

Actually, that started us off well. He actually wanted to just talk at first, and not about my problems. World stuff. I guess doctors need to talk too. And I discovered (as I expect he did) that we have a lot in common. Maybe that's a professional thing to decide how to talk to a patient or maybe not. But he seemed sincere about the almost 100% we agreed on. Not that I'm a trained behavioral psychologist, but I've been a keen observor of human nature and I could see him relax.

I suspect he gathered that I was fact-based, anatomically-aware, and generally positive toward information and advice. So he got down to the cause of the injury. I had told that to the hospital (which he had the report of) and his own PA. But I can repeat myself, I can repeat myself...

So I told him the whole sad story while he took notes. He was appropriately sympathetic (unlike SOME doctors I have visited in far-gone years). A pessimist would say he was looking for errors in my recitation of the event; and optimist would say he was looking for me emphasis on certain parts. I just told him my best recollection. Well, maybe he saw something I hadn't emphasized before.

Anyway, he was surprised when I mentioned that the hospital said it had sent him a more-detailed report on their examination (xrays, ctscan, mri). That surprised him (see above about doctors and computers) but he found it when he looked. There were some things I didn't know myself.

One was "spinal stenosis"; apparently that is an arthritic tightening of the lower lumber spinal disks. But that was pre-fall, and he said that at 70, it is normal. Disks wear out, and I've led an active life. So, not to worry overmuch about that.

He did some physical tests. Held my knees firmly and had me push them together and apart, asking about pain (and feeling the strength of movement I assume). Had me try to lift each leg while holding them down. My left leg was fine; the right is weak. Checked my right arm for mobility. Explained that the shoulder joint is a 3-way joint and looser than the 2-way hip joint. Showed me some mild stretching exercises I could do at home.

His basic evaluation is that I am healing faster than average for even younger patients because I am very good shape. Oh, I bet he says that to all the guys, LOL! Seriously, he is likely correct. I don't do deliberate exercises, but I am constantly active (well not THIS month). I bet if I only got 10,000 steps in a "regular" day, I would be slacking. I stay standing up 90% of a day normally (but WOW does settling onto the easy chair to eat dinner feel great).

He says my ribs are healing well but don't stress them another 3 weeks. That wasn't a surprise. The first 2 weeks, I felt some slight movement and an occasional clicking sound, but that has gone away. I don't even detect any pain when I cough or do my deep-breathing exercise (recommended by the hospital).

I think the Dr was glad to have me as the last patient of the day as it was a pretty positive visit. He said most of his patients are hurt, angry, sullen, and just want strong meds. We discussed meds. I told him about the Percoset and my concern with it being Oxycodone. I also mentioned the replacement med was Tramadole and that it seemed useless and ineffective.

I told him I was a bit disappointed that the PA had refused a refill on the Percoset, as it HAD worked. And that I had been off it for 5 days before the PA visit without the slightest odd feeling. He made a note of that.

And then he asked me about my smoking. The connection was obvious. How prone to addiction am I? I described my smoking habit. I'm an odd one. About once or twice a week, I stay up REAL late on the computer. I mean, 10pm to dawn and past (I stayed up 36 hours once). I smoke then and only then. And only there. I can have an open pack of cigs by the computer in plain sight for days and not have the slightest desire for one.

He actually smiled. Well, of course he told me I should quit. But I sort of know that. What he mentioned was that it's a "habituation by situation". I LIKE having a lit cig in my hand handling the mouse. I LIKE having something to do while I sit and think about what to type. I'm not saying he approved of it in any way; he strongly encouraged me to quit.

So I asked him about what the hospital xrays, ctscan, and mri might have shown. He initially said "not much" because it depends on what they are looking for. But then he corrected himself saying the ctscan makes very good images. So he looked through the hospital report and found a part describing lungs.

The lung section was detailed. Apparently, they could tell that I had had a single lung lobe collapse (from hitting the ground I suppose) but that it had reinflated normally and that my oxygen level was 98%. He said that, if there had been any lung masses, they would had said so. So I'm clean of lung cancer. That is a relief.

Not much else to say. As I left the Dr, I told him the hour wait was worth the conversation and diagnosis. He told me that, in return, he appreciated my cheerful outlook and willingness to listen to advice. I like this Dr (internist). Funny thing is that I remember him very differently from my only other visit in 2018 (for an annual physical). He acted like he didn't know what that was. Maybe I'm recalling a previous Dr.

As I left, the doors were locked and I had to find someone to let me out. I had the only car left in the parking lot, LOL! It was THAT late. The drive home was easy and rather enjoyable.

All for now...

Getting Around Finally

I have been healing faster the past couple days!   

1.  I can mostly free-walk now (needed the walker only when I first got up yesterday).  Not normally or fast, but I can walk enough to function now and every day is better.

2.  I got down to the basement to do a load of laundry and it was easier than a few days ago.  

3.  Took the car out for a brief test-drive.  It is easier than even using the walker.  The hardest part was getting OUT of the car afterwards.  My right leg kept hitting the steering wheel.

4.  I have a last regular Dr visit later today.  I probably don't NEED the visit but it serves "for the record" in case something comes up later.  I'll use the walker, but probably won't need it.  Handy for carrying stuff!

5.  I think I will go out on the deck and maybe down on the backyard tomorrow (but not let The Mews out yet).  I have a couple small bags of kitchen scraps for the compost bin and they are starting to make their presence obvious.  :(

6.  I think I will leave the ladder up against the tree as a reminder.  I'll make a sign to hang on it:  "Use of ladders after age 70 can be dangerous to your health".

7.  I initially made a few ill-informed predictions about when I would be healed.  First, I thought 3-5 days.  Then, another week.  Well, Groundhog Day will be exactly a month and that is my more-informed guess for normal mobility.

8.  This January has not been "best  month ever" but I should be back to my normal activities soon:

Sorry, just couldn't resist that!  A sense of humor is important.  "Laugh, and the world laughs with you.  Cry, and you cry alone"...

Orthopedic Surgeon Visit

I saw the Orthopedic Surgeon yesterday afternoon.  After all the initial paperwork, she came in and explained that my insurance had a strange limitation in it.  Xrays have to be done by an xray specialist. Even though she has an xray machine in the office, it wouldn't be covered.  So she was going to write a referral and have me come back afterwards on another day.

So I asked what she would charge if I just paid her myself.  $50.  I actually laughed.  A second visit with her would generate another $40 copay, and the xray specialist gets one too.  Cheaper to just pay her myself and save 2 more trips!  So we did that on the spot.

She showed me the xray  It isn't the shoulder ball/socket joint that was separated.  There is a small bone that attached the clavicle/shoulder blade to the top of the ball/socket joint that detached.  It's not even "broken" just separated.  She recommended NOT repairing it surgically (unless I had a heavy work job or threw things professionally).  I can do all the gardening I want, lift paving stones, etc.

That explained a lot.  I WONDERED how I could be putting my weight on the walker with a separated ball/socket joint.  Plus, there is no pain and I have nearly complete mobility of my arm.  An operation would carry its own risks anyway.  

She further explained that, had I visited within a couple days of the fall, an operation would have been easier and with a higher likelihood of success.  Well Gee, I hadn't even gone to the hospital by "a couple of days"!  She said 3 weeks or 6 months doesn't make any difference now.  But, that if it ever starts to bother me (pain, redness, mobility problem), a repair operation could be done then just as successfully.

I have a follow-up visit in a month, and a referral to a physical therapist.  I will call the physical therapist to discuss what they can do that I can't do at home.  I don't want to travel to (and pay for) stuff I can do myself.  That would be like going to a gym club to do push-ups, LOL!  Plus I'll look this up online tomorrow.

I'm getting around with the walker more easily and can free-walk farther each day.  I will be walkinmg normally soon enough.  I can get up and down stairs without any great difficulty (still doing it sideways one step at a time, but I could BARELY do THAT last week).  

The Dr said I seem to be healing quite well and quickly (from what she read in the hospital report).  My ribs and shoulder aren't causing pain.  There are really only remaining problems.  My right leg/foot is a bit unsteady and hard to lift, though it bears weight well enough when I'm just standing still.  The right leg groin muscle hurts sometimes when I move carelessly or change positions in bed, but she says that will heal on it own.

The nasty-looking bruise on the shoulder is completely gone, and the REALLY nasty ones from hip to hip across the back have gone from solid deep plum purple to "paler pebbly", so they should be gone in a week.  I wish I could show the pictures, but modesty forbids.

I went downstairs to the basement yesterday in order to try doing my own laundry.  That worked fine.  I'm not ready to try getting on hands and knees to do the cat litter boxes yet, but I bet I will in a few days.  Wonderful Neighbor Deb was doing my laundry and litter box cleaning.  

I'm sure she will be pleased.  "Willing to do" and "wanting to do" are very different things, LOL!  

I bet I can drive by early next week.  I told Deb not to be surprised if she sees me driving the car in and out of the garage and up and down the driveway while I test my foot strength, pedal sensitivity, and reflexes.  And if that works 100%, up and down our dead end street.

Deb doesn't mention it often unless there is a timing conflict, but she is home all day because she teleworks (conflict management training).  And in spite of what she says about "liking to help people", I  am sure her generous help is interfering with her work and regular daily routine.

I have an appt with my actual primary care doctor on Thursday.  I am sure it will be mostly a "pro-forma" visit and a complete waste of time, but I suppose I have to go just in case something goes wrong in the future and the insurance company could point to any cancelled appt to disallow a claim.  *SIGH*

Lastly, I don't want to sound like I am disparaging doctors.  They are wonderful when there is something they can actual do.  The xrays/ctscan/mri have been useful.  Checking my vital signs has been informative.  But neither the hospital, primary care PA, or orthopedic surgeon have actually been able to quite FIX anything.  It's THOSE kinds of problems.  The healing of MY problems is more time-oriented than action-oriented.  Just my luck, no quick-fix, LOL!

On the other hand, I was lucky.  If I had hit the ground differently I could have died (and the vultures around here are hungry) or been consigned to a wheelchair the rest of my life.  I have sometimes been amazed at my general good luck (which bothers me because I know things SHOULD be rather random).    But it is a case of my being unlucky in small things and lucky in the big things.

In the small things, life is cruel to me.  If I am playing a game and my opponent needs an unlikely roll of the dice, they get it (and I don't).  But the large things matter more.  I've never broken a bone and I have done plenty of stupid things that deserved one.  I don't catch infectious diseases in spite of roommates and carpool members who were CONSTANTLY sick.  When in danger, I escape.  I was involved in an icy road car pileup once and I had the only undamaged car.  I had EXACTLY the right neighbor to help me this month.  The list goes on...

Well, that's it for today.  Things are improving steadily.  One day at a time and all that...

3 Week Anniversary

Yeah, 3 whole boring (sometimes painful) weeks!  

There is a song with a verse I recall that goes:

Counting flowers on the wall, that don't bother me at all
Playing solitaire 'til dawn with a deck of fifty one
Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo

Now don't tell me I've nothing to do

The entire lyrics are HERE if you are interested.

Things to do when you are bored:

1.  Hand-wash dishes

2.  Fold your underwear

3.  Clean all your light switch covers

4.  Look yourself up on the internet

5.  Look your friends and family up on the internet

6.  Watch a political TV channel whose views you hate and laugh at them

I bought a universal-fit walker tray.  It doesn't fit (no adjustments possible) so I'm returning it.  I may have mentioned that previously or not.  The good news is that I realized I had an old breakfast-in-bed tray.  It fits on the top of the walker!  Not that it attaches, but it stays on well enough (I'm only going 10' with it).

I will become a member of the smartphone world Monday!  My needs are few (phone away from home, camera, navigation app).  I chose an Apple iPhone XR.

Tried my 1st home food delivery.  They were out of half my order.  Naturally, the stuff I wanted most.  Next time, I will try allowing substitutions.

Medical Report:

1.  Feeling somewhat more mobile

2.  Can handle stairs carefully (but can't do that AND bring the walker down with me)

3.  Seeing orthopedic surgeon about my shoulder Monday

4.  Seeing primary care Dr Thursday for (hopefully) final re-evaluation

5.  Gave up on the tramadol (no effect at all)

6.  Ibuprophen is working fine with no side effects so far (but I'm going lightly with it - a 600mg when I get up and a 200 at bedtime)

Day 19

First, I just relaxed all day yesterday watching Inauguration Day events.  Well, actually, it was hard to avoid.  Even channels that never show news (like Smithsonian) were broadcasting it.  Mostly, I am just glad that all the election stuff is OVER!

Second, the pulled groin muscle was temporary.  I can still feel it, but it was a lot easier to sleep last night. Still, I'm being VERY careful of it.

Third, I took the first Tramadol pill 4 hours ago.  I can't detect ANY lessening of muscle soreness.  It might as well be a sugar pill.  At least it isn't making me feel drowsy or dizzy or anything.  I'll take another one this evening, but I think I will just stick with Ibuprophen 600mg pill after that.  

Fourth, I swear I am drinking at least a gallon of water a day, but I always feel slightly thirsty.  I try to avoid any late in the evening, I have to get up at night often enough as it is.  Which, I have to say, is a LOT easier than it was a week ago.  

Fifth, I have an appt with an orthopedic surgeon Monday to examine the shoulder joint.  I will be VERY interested  in what she fines.  I could be anything from "you're healing fine" to "let me try this, it may hurt"  to "I'm scheduling an operation".

Sixth, I have an appt with my primary care Dr next Thursday.  I HOPE I won't need it by then, but I probably will.  I don't know what he can do other than measure vital signs like the PA did.  Maybe he will take some xrays to compare to the hospital ones from Jan 5th.

Seventh, I ordered and received a "universal-fit fold down tray" for the walker.  Of course it doesn't fit!  The leg clamps are 2" too short and there is no adjustment possible.  So I am going to try one that has slots that fit over the walker handles.  Those have very specific dimensions, so hopefully it will work.  And since it lifts right off, it will be convenient.  I only need it for transporting meals to the TV room. 

Eighth, the shoulder bruise is gone.  The hip-lower back-other hip bruise WAS solid deep purple.  Now I see some very slight splotching.  So I guess they will fade away in a week.

Other than all that, it is just "sit, sit, sit" though I do make sure to use the walker about 10 minutes per hour.

Dr Office Visit

Went to my regular Dr office as followup to hospital visit.  Actually, I saw a physician assistant (PA) hereafter).  I have good vital signs!  Blood Pressure 150/65 (the 150 is a little high, but she allowed for the exertion using the walker for 2 weeks).   Pulse was 66.  Oxygen level was 98% (fantastic for a 50 year smoker)!  And to think the primary care Dr suggested I might have COPD in 2018.  Temp is a perfect 98.6.  

Turned out they WOULDN'T approve a Percoset refill.  I told her my last pill had been Thursday and I felt just fine mentally (as in no withdrawal sensations) but they are being cautious and I understand that).  But she understood I WAS in some pain, so I got a prescription for traMADOL (an opiate) and 600 mg ibuprophen.  Grand total cost 49 cents.  WOW!

I researched traMADOL (that's how it is printed on the bottle).  It seems more addictive and dangerous than Percoset!  Well, they only gave me 9 pills.  What bad can happen?

It was funny when she asked my age.  When I said 70, she looked at me carefully and asked me to confirm it.   Yeah, I'm one of THOSE PEOPLE.  I often get carded when I request a senior discount, LOL!  Fair is fair, though.  I sufferred as a teen by looking 14 when I went to college.  Just TRY to date a college woman when you look like you're in 10th grade...  Liquor store guys would study my drivers license to see how I had faked it. 

I ordered a flat tray with raised edges for carrying food to the TV room on the walker (I have a basket but it only fits small bowls) and 2 precut tennis balls to fit the non wheel legs.

I'm actually having a harder time getting around now than 2 days ago.  Apparently, I've pulled a groin muscle.   THAT stings a bit.  The ibuprophen helps and I start the opiate tomorrow.  But I need to favor the right leg for a few days.

BTW, both Deb and John tested positive for Covid-19 last Summer.  Several negative tests since then.  She sanatizered me and had me wear gloves in her car and the Dr office.  Even so, she said she wouldn't go in the Dr office waiting area, and then did anyway.  She did all the paperwork and got the prescriptions afterwards (there is a pharmacy right there in the Medical Bldg).  She is a take-charge person!

When she got me home, she insisted I do a complete change of clothes and put that set into a separate plastic bag (from which she will dump untouched from the bag into the washer for safety).  She is a self-proclaimed "cleanliness fanatic".  My house must look like a horror show to her.  Let's just say I am a "rather careless housekeeper". It just doesn't bother me.  I grew up playing in dirt and creek water, and my adult hobbies usually have me in dirt.  The PA was surprised at my lack of adult health problems (I never catch colds or flu.  I've read health articles about that, though.  Moderate exposure to "the natural world" tends to provide lifelong health benefits.  :)

She loves the truffle sample box I gave her.  Says she never guessed there were so many flavors.  Pumpkin, spice, mint, sea salt, etc.  I have simple tastes in chocolate:  White and Extra Dark!  So, I know what to do with the sample box (basically 2 or 3 of every flavor Lindor sells) that will come with my next White and Extra Dark order I place (I order a 150 piece box of each about once per year).

That will be a few months from now, so I am planning "innocent thanks" flowers next week and prime steaks when I can shop for myself again.  And some fresh garden produce in Summer.  Not many people are familiar with flat Italian green beans, and apparently, she has never had an heirloom tomato.  Hmm, a loaf of my home baked bread next week, too.  I use beer instead of water for more depth of flavor, and add dried minced onion, crushed garlic and oregano.  Really makes a difference.  I LOVE my bread machine!

Other than that, it is "same old, same old".  Wait and heal, wait and heal...

Day 16

Well, here I am again, still part of the walker-brigade...

The good news is:

1.  Appt with regular Dr office tomorrow at 1pm.  My primary care Dr is booked up, but the office says they have a physician asst available then who is fully qualified to poke. prod, and evaluate my progress on the injuries listed in the hospital report.  And it seems little doubt that they will authorize a refill of the Percoset.  My last pill was Thursday and I can really feel the lack.  Though I will say ibuprophen helps quite a lot.

2.  Appt with orthopedic surgeon next Monday to evaluate the shoulder.  It seems odd that I can put weight on that shoulder without pain while using the walker.  But I'm sure the Dr will explain all that after seeing me.

3.  It feels like I have plateaued this past few days,  but I CAN tell some differences.  It is easier to get in and out of bed and it is easier to change sleeping positions.  Also, I can stand up easier and it doesn't hurt much to cough (so I can tell the rib muscles are healing).

4.  Deb insists I am not over-asking for help from her.  I tried to give her an "out" saying I don't really need her to bring in my paper and mail EVERY day, and that with 2 cats using 4 litter boxes,  daily cleaning isn't required.  Ayla uses the bathroom mat lately, which I am OK with for now - it is easy to pick up her firm little poops with the washcloth she uses to cover up with.

5.  Deb will bring me to the Dr appts.  She works at home and SAYS she appreciates a good excuse to get out of the house.  I TOLD her I could just call a cab, but she won't hear of it.  I am SO grateful for her cheerful assistance.

Dr Visit

I haven't been to a Dr since 2008 and thought it was time.  Well, I feel fine, almost all my older relatives died feeling just fine until old age got them, and the family medical history says there is nothing in particular we die of.  Well, 1 Gramma died in her 70s, but that was diabetes from just eating too much gravy and being fat.  Otherwise, we all seem to healthy as horses and die of old age or the ocassional accident.  Mom died at 88 from Parkinson's and Dad died at 92 from general old age and boredom

But you never know what surprise a Dr might find and better late than never.   So I contacted the Dr Office where I last went in 2008 to start getting an annual checkup and blood tests and "all those fun things". 

Every Dr or Dentist I have ever gone too has demanded a paper form describing medical history.  And since my "medical history" is on scraps of paper and letters from Mom and such, I asked if I could come by and pick up the form to fill out at home before the appointment today.  "Sure, just come to the office and pick it up" they said. 

When I did that yesterday, "no such form".  They just ask questions and enter it into the computer.  Actually, the front desk has no idea how the back offices work.  That was STUPID #1

I sat in the exam room for 45 minutes watching green and purple colors flow around under my eyelids before the actual Dr showed up.  Yeah, he's busy, I understand.  But asked a lot of the same questions.  He doesn't use the same computer system the entry people use.  STUPID #2

But he was pretty good.  Asked the right questions to get an idea of my problems (none except some muscle cramps in bed after working hard outside), but I was there for an general physical which takes a 2nd visit.  I told them when I made the appointment that was what I wanted.  STUPID #3

The Dr flexed my calf and thigh muscles after I mentioned cramps and said he could tell I did enough exercise (Yardwork.  If you need deliberate exercise, you don't have enough outside real work to do, LOL!).

I told him about my hand tremors and he suggested I could see a neurolab above the office.  When I was leaving, I asked about the neuro lab referral and he said I didn't need that.  STUPID #4

I'll address that next visit...

I did get some information.  My pulse is 71 beats per minute.  My blood pressure was 130 over 60 (systolic and distolic, IIRC).  My lungs are in better shape than they should be for someone who has smoked for 45+ years.  He suggested I stop smoking (DUH).   I gave a blood sample for lab tests.

I can visit an x-ray lab to look for cancers, but they don't like virtual scans, saying there are too many false positives. 

I sometimes don't understand how professionals operate in such disconnected and confused systems.  In my career as a telecommunications manager for a Federal Agency, I would have been fired if my office had been so disorganized.  And I would have fired anyone who didn't understand the need for coordinated records systems!

Oh, and they let me leave without a new appointment for a physical and a discussion of the blood test results.  STUPID #5

Oh well, I've gotten back on track for regular Dr visits, and that is a good thing I suppose.  Who knows, I might have cancer all through me and better to learn that ASAP.  It would be good to know positive or negative. 

I've reached the age where people start dying of "natural causes" or specific conditions.  That's the only reason I went; to see if I was "OK".  Looks like I will have to wait a few weeks.

Oh Bother!

I was innocently eating dinner last night, and suddenly detected a lump in my mouth.  I won't go into details, but I found a tooth crown that had come loose.  I'm glad my tongue found it before my teeth did! 

I washed it off carefully, then put it in a shotglass of mouthwash to keep it overnight.  My dentist had an opening at 3 pm today, so off I went.  I was admitted promptly at 3 pm (be still my beating heart).   First thing they did was sterilize it of course (mouthwash or not - they were kind about that and admired my intent).  Then they examined the tooth for damage and it looking OK, they tried a test re-fit.

It fit so well, they actually had trouble getting it back off.  So they took it away and drilled off the old epoxy.  The dentist Himself came in and showed it to me.  The gold crown was so old it actually had a hole worn through the top.  Well, I had several crowns 40 years ago, so it lasted pretty well.

And I learned something about crowns.  I always thought gold crowns lasted the longest, but was wrong.  Porcelain lasts longest, followed by silver, followed by gold.  And the gold content is low.  But gold wears at about the same rate as tooth enamel, so the bite stays the same.  Silver is close and can easily be ground down to match the bite. 

Porcelain doesn't wear down.  You would think that would be perfect, but it means that the crown top becomes a high spot over decades and makes your jaw adjust and some annoying stuff like that.  It is mostly for cosmetic reasons.  Well, I seriously doubt anyone other than a dentist will ever see that back molar.

The old crown was replaced, but it is temporary (like a year or 3).  It still has that tiny hole in the top, and that will lead to caries someday.  But "tis enough, will serve"...

But it also meant he looked at my other teeth.  I knew there were 2 other teeth that had sharp tops, which meant damage.  I'd been avoiding it. 

But you have to get such things fixed eventually.  As the dentist said, "you can have them fixed now while I can still put a crown on them, or you can wait until they have to be removed entirely".  So I have an appointment in 2 weeks to start getting those 2 teeth crowned, and then the old (now temporary) one from today replaced over a series of visits. 

I hate dental visits.  Well, no one likes them, but mine are worse than average.  I have a small jaw (apparently genetic) and can't open it as far as most people can.  My cats can open theirs more than I can!  A kitten probably can...  I have the jaw of a 12 year old!  In general, I have great genes - other than my teeth.  I seem to owe that to Dad.  At my age, he had almost no tooth unfilled, uncrowned, and 2 partial bridges.  At least I'm not at that point yet.  Hurray for fluoridation and novocaine (and nitrous oxide on occasion during a root canal).

My jaw is so small, my wisdom teeth never even emerged, and even then my teeth are too crowded.  In my 20s, a dentist said I should have 4 teeth extracted; a left upper and lower; a right upper and lower, make proper room for the rest.  At the time, that seemed horrible!  He said it would be painful afterwards for days.  But now I wish I had had that done.  Nothing like hindsight...

As it turned out, I had to have 2 teeth extracted 4 years ago.  One planned because it had simply fallen apart, and one unplanned because the roots were entangled  in the first.  Fortunately, it didn't bother me.  But the thing that amazed me was that the procedure wasn't the least bit painful (as the old dentist suggested it would be).  It was however utterly boring (no pun intended).  Drilling, spitting, holding my head to resist pulls, etc.  Never hurt in the least during or after!

On the other hand, I have a limited number of teeth, so I would like to keep them as long as possible.  Anything good for 20 years is probably OK.

So I'm going on a journey of dental work, which should last until flu season is over.  Then to a doctor to start getting regular exams and a series of physical and virtual exams that my insurance rep says is covered these days as "preventative medicine".  I plan to get every "virtual" test they will allow, and possible some not covered. 

On sad fact is that I've never been to any one doctor for more than a few years, so my medical history is almost non-existent.  But I went through my age-old medical file today and discovered some valuable information. 

Things like a 1988 letter from Mom (in response to my questions) detailing some family and personal history, some old doctor visit bills - a few of which mentioned some blood test results - etc.  I'll make copies to bring to my new doctor (I chose a geriatric internist over a GP).

But the important thing is that I'm getting back on track for regular medical care after decades of assuming I was immortal.  I've treated my cats and maintained my car better than I have myself.

Time to get myself into the maintenance loop...