My Motorcycle Injuries

I finally went to the follow-up visit with the orthopedic hand specialist yesterday. It's been a while, but I've had to wait because of the appointment that he ordered for me with a neurologist, along with having to endure some time with a case of COVID-19 (I was 100% asymptomatic, so a free supply of antibodies for me). The neurologist made it seem as though the nerve damage in my hand was not treatable, and I drove to the appointment with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday convinced that I was going to be told that there wasn't much that could be done for me. I was actually told that there wasn't a single thing that could be done for me. The surgeon said that the nerve damage was not treatable and the issue with my trigger finger should wait until it gets worse. He told me that I should set up an appointment with him if the trigger finger should ever actually lock in an open or shut position. Um, sure, I'll call right away. So I've basically been told that altho...

In my last post I was griping a little about a few of the setbacks that I've been dealing with lately. I guess I should have kept my mouth (or keyboard?) shut. Since then I tested positive for COVID-19. Yay for me. I've been in isolation at home all week and the flip side of it is that I've been able to get a lot of stuff done because I'm not watching my niece while I'm in quarantine. The good news is that I'm completely asymptomatic. I took the J&J vaccine months ago, so yeah, maybe it payed off. I wouldn't have known that I had this virus at all except for the fact that my little niece's dad and sister got sick, so I took a home test to be cautious. I then went to a clinic to confirm the result. The diabetes given to me by one of my accident injuries hasn't caused any problems with COVID-19, and I anticipate that in a few days I'll test clear and be able to join the outside world again.  As a result of my diagnosis I had to cancel my follow...

Although I’m feeling relatively OK, the past few weeks have been a little less than ideal concerning the things related to my accident injuries. I’ve been sleepless and tired the past weeks, and some days I hit periods of time when it feels as though I’ve got nothing left to give. It’s not that I'm running out of gas, but rather that I feel as though the equipment has nothing left to give…as if the different parts are just too worn down. Then, a couple of weeks ago I had an appointment with a neurologist, having been referred to her by an orthopedic hand specialist a few weeks before. The neurologist said that she didn’t see anything significantly wrong with most of the nerves in my hand. Considering the degree of discomfort and pain that I experience daily with my hand, it was a little odd to hear that there’s not a lot wrong with it neurologically. The problem is that the orthopedic surgeon will be basing his ability to help me, in part, on her report. I have an appointment wit...

One of my sisters-in law is facing a very difficult time with her mother. Her mom is in the hospital ICU with multiple health issues and has been subjected to several medical and surgical procedures. She has been placed on pain medication and is a little confused as a result. I realize that every ordeal comes with its own details according to the people involved and all of the specific circumstances, but I feel as though there are certain similarities to my past. She faces her own battle, and I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I do feel that there are enough similarities to my situation eight years ago that allow for me to comment. If I were asked for advice on what it is that my sister-in-law (or you) should consider when dealing with her mother's time in the hospital, these few points would be my simple advice. 1.     Be certain to inform her of major details concerning her medical care. Don’t allow her to get lost within the maze of things being done to her body. S...

I get so tired of being tired. I woke up about four times last night. I haven't slept right since the accident, and last night was super annoying because I kept falling back asleep (lightly) and then waking up after just a little while. I got out of bed this morning and went through my exercise routine. It only took about forty-five minutes. Next up was breakfast, a ton of typing for my job, and working on some online Christmas shopping. I then had lunch, followed by some gardening work out in the front yard of my house. When I was finished I came inside to do some more online browsing. Sounds mundane, yes? Why then do I feel as though I've been hiking in the Andes for a week with no food or shelter? I hate the thought of going to bed tonight because I can't stand the torment involved in "sorta" sleeping. I feel so sore and burned out physically that it's starting to effect my mental aptitude. In other words, I'm feeling as though my mental state just isn...

I went to see an orthopedic hand specialist today. I had to answer a host of invasive questions along with having my hand x-rayed. I liked the guy, but I'm really not too confident about where I'm going with this. My hand has developed a trigger finger from the tendon damage that occurred in the accident, and I also experience a great deal of painful discomfort from nerve damage. He gave me a shot in hopes of avoiding surgery for the trigger finger, and he gave me a referral for a neurologist in order to have the nerve damage tested. Today is Columbus Day and no one answered the phone as I attempted to make an appointment, so I assume that the neurologist stayed home to play with her dogs Nina, Pinta, and little Santa Maria. Anyway, the orthopedic surgeon told me that the test results from the neurologist will allow him to determine if he can help me with the nerve damage or not. So...a fifty dollar deductible payment later, and what I have is several questionnaires filled out,...

I wrote in my last blog entry (see here) that I was thinking of going to an orthopedic hand specialist some time in the future with an eye toward having some type of procedure done at the beginning of next summer. I wrote that I wasn't really certain as to whether or not I would actually pull the trigger on that game plan. Well, I've pretty much emptied the cartridge. I actually made an appointment with a local and reputable surgeon for this coming Monday. I filled out all of the online paperwork today and paid the deductible required for the visit. In a sense I can't believe that I've done this, but in another sense I find myself hoping that this guy can actually work his medical voodoo and make things better for me with a hand/wrist that has been a source of irritation for almost eight years now. It's just that I really hate going to doctors, and filling out all of the info on his questionnaire today was irritating enough without even stepping into his office.  I...