Ortho Doctors are A**holes Club-Meeting 2

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Well, it is time for our second meeting to come to order!

I just got back from my appt. and here we go. I was right, I have broken my

patella in yet another area! So he wants me in the soft cast for another 3

weeks and stronger pain pills to see if it will heal itself. I have already

been in traction for 3 weeks with no results just another break to show for

my time and effort. I am back on total bed rest. Only allowed to go to the

bathroom and small walks without the cast being on. The pain is intolerable.

When my knee is in the brace, the pieces from the break all mush together

and the pain is like shards of glass just pushing together. And the reason

for this problem: Yes, you guessed it.......my weight! Now if I lost another

50 lbs, would they guarantee that this problem would resolve itself? I don't

think so!!!!

In the meantime, I must wait at least another 3 weeks to see if there is any

sign of healing, but the surgeon says that it is not going to happen. So he

is trying to get me used to and accept this idea of more surgery. I still

have abdominal surgery, breast surgery and back surgery yet to be done.

Maybe in another 3 weeks, I will have forgotten what he did to me 3 weeks ago

when I first went to see him when he diagnosed the original break. In a

nutshell, what I have now is a ton of smaller pieces in my knee. His plan is

to reopen the knee and take out whatever is not affixed to the patella plate

so hopefully this will not happen again. At least, today I didn't cry all

the way home from the doctor, like I did 3 weeks ago. So I guess that I am

getting better.

Well, maybe not! I went for the first epidural injection on Thursday and

they had me lay down on my tummy on the table. I could not even put my knee

down on the table, so that was the first problem. Once on my tummy, I found

out that I was short of breath and could not breath. I never mentioned it to

the anesthesiologist as I didn't want to bother him and then he came in and I

was extremely tachycardiac. On went the oxygen and administration of versed

in an attempt to calm me down a bit. It never had a chance to work until I

was sitting in the recover room and which time, my heart bottomed out within

less than 30 minutes. The anesthesiologist confirmed that I my next stop is

the operating room as anymore epidural series would be dangerous and really

not effective. So needless to say, it was not your routine procedure, I then

proceeded to have a full blown asthma attack. My next appointment is

scheduled for 7/9/02 and they would like me to have a cardiac work-up and see

what he says. This is not the first time that I have had cardiac problems.

What a day! Now, if I have to have major surgery,

this should be evaluated. This was a very scary event. At this time, I have

not yet had any relief from the epidural yet, however, I usually get some

kind of relief after the second injection.

I guess the stress in my life is only making things worse for me right now.

Ron's Mom is back in the hospital with fecal impaction and he cares as much

about his Mom about as much or maybe even a little less than he cares for

her! I didn't think that was possible!!!!!

Thank you all once again for listening to me whine. Sometimes, I just feel

like my cup runneth over! I knew this disease would be progressive, but I

just didn't think it would progress so quickly in a short period of time.

The other thing that doesn't help is that Friday is the anniversary of my

Mom's passing and I still miss her so muchl

The kids are having friends over for a cookout/pool party for the holiday, so

it is time to put on a happy face!!!!!

Gentle, tender, angel hugs and I love you all!

Debs in FL