Nadia, it so sucks to have bad neighbors. We have one next door who, ever since we moved in, has looked for reason after reason after reason to call the police on us or report us to the zoning officials. Fortunately the officials stopped responding to him eventually. But yuck, what a mess you have. I hope all your detective work pays off.
About the dog - have you ever read "Marley and Me"? I laughed and sobbed my way through it; it's a great book for dog lovers. That dog had ISSUES, especially with thunderstorms.
Hands ... more important than you realise ...
-
SquirmingSusan
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OK ... who flogged the post that Lynne did on Tuesday Feb 5th 2008?
I remember reading it. Lynne remembers not only writing it, but positng it as well. It was inbetween Ann's post and Susan's post.
If I remember correctly, there was nothing inflamatory in the post; merely advice on how to deal with my neighbours and good wishes.
I'd like it returned ... or if it's gone forever, an apology to both Lynne and myself please!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's NOT the way I was going to start this little update, but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As for the neighbours ... I sent a clear and concise letter outlining all their own mistakes and told them that I did not appreciate having incorrect assumptions made about me. Sent that letter a good two weeks ago ... haven't heard a thing from them since ... yay!
Yes ... both feet were removed from my mouth when I wrote the letter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I saw my Surgeon the week before last.
As usual, when I do something medically, I do it very well.
Is it good news or bad? I'm still deciding.
He's had a good look at the MRI's himself and read the report that came with it. The MRI picked up nothing unusual HOWEVER, Dr G is literally stumped as to why it is taking SO long to heal. He cannot come up with a plausable explanation as to why this is happening. He said it's extremely rare to have such a long recovery process that seems to be going nowhere ... really fast.
So, I have two options:
1... Keep wearing the splints (wearing two now) and restart physio, BUT, only very very light physio and hope that it will heal ... yeah, sure why not, like i've really enjoyed the first six months so far ... so what's another 6 - 12 ... months?
or
2... Head to Brisbane for a second opinion from a specialist Hand Surgeon that Dr G knows personally.
I'm well overdue to see my sleep Doc, for an RLS check-in so I could always kill two birds with one stone if I go down. However, it's nearly a 7 hour drive or just over 1 hour by plane.
I'm pretty good with the road trips since we do a four hour round trip ... twice ... every three weeks so the girls can see their mother ... oops, I mean Nana ... mom only shows up if she can be bothered taking the two hour drive from Brisbane (where she's NOT supposed to be living) to Gympie (where she IS supposed to be living). Planes, on the other hand, it's a 50/50 chance of my legs goin nuts or not (even with medication before getting on the dang plane).
I digress ... the options ... the LONG option or the SHORT option which may eventuate in LONG option being done anyway.
Personally, I think that if a surgeon is humble enough to admit that despite being an orthopeadic surgeon, he doesn't know much about hand/wrist injuries, and actually recommends taking the time out to see a Surgeon who specialises in hand/wrist surgery, then there must be something niggling at the back of his mind that says "there's something not right about all this and it's beyond my knowledge; maybe she should see this guy".
I want to consult my physio first, let him have a look at the MRI's and see what he thinks; as he's the one who rang the alarm bells in the first place. However, with ol Murphy slinging mud balls of all kinds during the past couple of weeks (including a stepdaughter having her appendix removed), I haven't had the time to get to see him. Have made it a priority for this week.
My guts say "just go". But there's a slight money issue. Bit hard to buy a plane ticket when we're struggling just to buy a loaf of bread.
Nuff said.
Will update again sometime.
Love n hugs
I remember reading it. Lynne remembers not only writing it, but positng it as well. It was inbetween Ann's post and Susan's post.
If I remember correctly, there was nothing inflamatory in the post; merely advice on how to deal with my neighbours and good wishes.
I'd like it returned ... or if it's gone forever, an apology to both Lynne and myself please!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's NOT the way I was going to start this little update, but hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As for the neighbours ... I sent a clear and concise letter outlining all their own mistakes and told them that I did not appreciate having incorrect assumptions made about me. Sent that letter a good two weeks ago ... haven't heard a thing from them since ... yay!
Yes ... both feet were removed from my mouth when I wrote the letter!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I saw my Surgeon the week before last.
As usual, when I do something medically, I do it very well.
Is it good news or bad? I'm still deciding.
He's had a good look at the MRI's himself and read the report that came with it. The MRI picked up nothing unusual HOWEVER, Dr G is literally stumped as to why it is taking SO long to heal. He cannot come up with a plausable explanation as to why this is happening. He said it's extremely rare to have such a long recovery process that seems to be going nowhere ... really fast.
So, I have two options:
1... Keep wearing the splints (wearing two now) and restart physio, BUT, only very very light physio and hope that it will heal ... yeah, sure why not, like i've really enjoyed the first six months so far ... so what's another 6 - 12 ... months?
or
2... Head to Brisbane for a second opinion from a specialist Hand Surgeon that Dr G knows personally.
I'm well overdue to see my sleep Doc, for an RLS check-in so I could always kill two birds with one stone if I go down. However, it's nearly a 7 hour drive or just over 1 hour by plane.
I'm pretty good with the road trips since we do a four hour round trip ... twice ... every three weeks so the girls can see their mother ... oops, I mean Nana ... mom only shows up if she can be bothered taking the two hour drive from Brisbane (where she's NOT supposed to be living) to Gympie (where she IS supposed to be living). Planes, on the other hand, it's a 50/50 chance of my legs goin nuts or not (even with medication before getting on the dang plane).
I digress ... the options ... the LONG option or the SHORT option which may eventuate in LONG option being done anyway.
Personally, I think that if a surgeon is humble enough to admit that despite being an orthopeadic surgeon, he doesn't know much about hand/wrist injuries, and actually recommends taking the time out to see a Surgeon who specialises in hand/wrist surgery, then there must be something niggling at the back of his mind that says "there's something not right about all this and it's beyond my knowledge; maybe she should see this guy".
I want to consult my physio first, let him have a look at the MRI's and see what he thinks; as he's the one who rang the alarm bells in the first place. However, with ol Murphy slinging mud balls of all kinds during the past couple of weeks (including a stepdaughter having her appendix removed), I haven't had the time to get to see him. Have made it a priority for this week.
My guts say "just go". But there's a slight money issue. Bit hard to buy a plane ticket when we're struggling just to buy a loaf of bread.
Nuff said.
Will update again sometime.
Love n hugs
Nadia
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
Hi Nadia
Thanks for the update and I agree about getting a second opinion. Doing a one hour on the plane would be great but like you said finances are not the best; however the drive could be horrendous with your legs. I hope things turn out for the best. It seems like you are between a rock and a hard place.
Keep us posted and hope that you will be able to find a solution that will work out for you.
Thanks for the update and I agree about getting a second opinion. Doing a one hour on the plane would be great but like you said finances are not the best; however the drive could be horrendous with your legs. I hope things turn out for the best. It seems like you are between a rock and a hard place.
Keep us posted and hope that you will be able to find a solution that will work out for you.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time
Taking one day at a time
N, These days never heard of a 1 hour plane trip. Just guessing that by the time you figure in you how early you have to leave for the airport, checking in time etc, your flight, getting out of the airport, and driving to your destination it surely has become more than a 1 hour plane trip. So, while you might be moving a lot during everything but the flight the car trip may be just as quick. Just guess.
Don't think second opinions ever hurt though sometime they can be confusing and require a third opinion. Can your doc just forward all your records to whomever you want to see for the second opinion for that person's review. Kinda like they do at Mayo. Maybe that would be helpful and based on the results of that "consultation" you might be better able to make a decision about making a personal trip down to wherever. Just a thought.
Hope you will have good luck sorting this out. Best wishes.
M.
Don't think second opinions ever hurt though sometime they can be confusing and require a third opinion. Can your doc just forward all your records to whomever you want to see for the second opinion for that person's review. Kinda like they do at Mayo. Maybe that would be helpful and based on the results of that "consultation" you might be better able to make a decision about making a personal trip down to wherever. Just a thought.
Hope you will have good luck sorting this out. Best wishes.
M.
This post simply reflects opinion. Quantities are limited while supplies last. Some assembly required.
Hey Charlene & Mark
The number of people suggesting I take up the offer of a second opinion is certainly growing!
I feel like i've been stuck between this rock and a hard place for months! The novelty has certainly worn off! I took all my "safety gear" off when I cooked dinner last night and Murphy's Law was quick to remind me that my wrist and thumb still dont work at particular angles and I nearly ended up on the floor just from the shock! Oh well, I'll learn one day lol.
Mark I see your point abou the 1 hour plane trip lol. Sorry I confused you! It's only a 10min drive to the airport and I'm usually there a good half hour before the flight. If its a fly-in-fly-out visit I won't have any onboard luggage, so I'd head straight for the train or a rental car. By 1 hour flight I meant that's how long the actual flight is.
I'm not sure if the specialist surgeon does reviews without having to go down to Brissy. I can always ask! If not, i'm pretty sure my surgeon is more than willing to send every note he has on me; if not my entire file when I do go down.
Thanks guys
Love n hugs
The number of people suggesting I take up the offer of a second opinion is certainly growing!
I feel like i've been stuck between this rock and a hard place for months! The novelty has certainly worn off! I took all my "safety gear" off when I cooked dinner last night and Murphy's Law was quick to remind me that my wrist and thumb still dont work at particular angles and I nearly ended up on the floor just from the shock! Oh well, I'll learn one day lol.
Mark I see your point abou the 1 hour plane trip lol. Sorry I confused you! It's only a 10min drive to the airport and I'm usually there a good half hour before the flight. If its a fly-in-fly-out visit I won't have any onboard luggage, so I'd head straight for the train or a rental car. By 1 hour flight I meant that's how long the actual flight is.
I'm not sure if the specialist surgeon does reviews without having to go down to Brissy. I can always ask! If not, i'm pretty sure my surgeon is more than willing to send every note he has on me; if not my entire file when I do go down.
Thanks guys
Love n hugs
Nadia
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
I'm with Mark, have your doc send your pics and your file to the Hand Wrist Specialist for a look see. Does he really need to see you in person? Perhaps he might suggest additional tests that could be performed back home.
If after looking at your pictures he thinks surgery is in order by all means take the trip. I can't imagine that he's going to learn more by seeing you in person than he would just by looking at your scans.
Perhaps he can't charge you for the visit unless you actually visit?
If after looking at your pictures he thinks surgery is in order by all means take the trip. I can't imagine that he's going to learn more by seeing you in person than he would just by looking at your scans.
Perhaps he can't charge you for the visit unless you actually visit?
N, I did a search and found a Feb. 5th post from Lynne. Is this what you're looking for: http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?p=36091 ... ght=#36091
M.
M.
This post simply reflects opinion. Quantities are limited while supplies last. Some assembly required.
Nadia it's ok, don't let that worry you right now. You Aussie, you know my heart and most likely what I would have said anyway. LOL
Mark, sorry I did post that as well and thank you for finding it. I had more than one post go missing that week, but the one Nadia is talking about was a different.
But thank you for looking. If delelted it gone for good my dears.
Reply to you soon and keep check on that hand even if you have to tie it down to yourself.
Hugs and the Moon down Under,
Lynne
Mark, sorry I did post that as well and thank you for finding it. I had more than one post go missing that week, but the one Nadia is talking about was a different.
But thank you for looking. If delelted it gone for good my dears.
Reply to you soon and keep check on that hand even if you have to tie it down to yourself.
Hugs and the Moon down Under,
Lynne
Well ... it'd been a looooooooooong time coming, but as you know I went to Brisbane during the week.
My dear left thumb ... it's been a battle ... and next week it will have been 8 whole months since this saga began ... it feels like a lifetime!
I must say first up that it WAS a good idea to see the specialist sugeon in person. He was fantastic. I had no idea that there is an entire specialist centre in one of the private hospitals in Brisbane simply dedicated to hand, arm and upper limbs exclusively. That's all they do, day in day out and on my walks in and out of the place I counted at least 20 doctors names!
I digress ... as usual lol ...
The doc was very very nice. Spoke "human" which was even better lol. He played with my thumb for a good 15 minutes stretching it; pulling it; digging his fingers into my hand to feel the joints, ligaments and tendons; twisting it; turning it; doing everything you could possibly do to a thumb pretty much lol. He DID get a few choice words out of me along the way but sometimes he was moving so fast, my "OUCHIE!!!" wud be about five moves behind where he was at and I'd have to go mentally back what he'd just done and pinpoint the sore spot he'd scored.
He sent me for an x-ray of my thumb. Thumb only. I thought "why the heck didn't anyone else think of doin that???" Anyways, he scrutinized it to within an inch of its life, along with the MRI and x-rays that were done in January. He asked if I had any soreness on the top of my hand near my ring finger ... when I said no, he was a bit surprised ... i apparently STILL have a ruptured ligament in there somewhere
BUT it's small and is too fiddly to require surgery.
I asked him about the osteoperosis. He said I'd been told the right, but wrong thing. I have a form of osteoperosis that appears when a limb is not used for a long time ... kinda like a post-trauma osteoperosis ... not the normal kind. Since my thumb and wrist have been either in a cast or splint for so long, my body has been doin a bit of reclamation, startin with the bone. Oh well, i can live with that; at least I know it aint gonna fall off!
I also asked about the effect of my hypothyroidism on the rate of healing and he was surprised that I asked such a question; but said that it could have an effect in some cases, but he could see nothing to indicate it in my case. I told him that my physio and I had tossed that idea and a lot of others around, including chronic tendonitis. He was impressed that we'd done so much thinking and hypothesizing and running all possibilities into the ground.
Oh yeah, he commented that I have the flatest joints in my fingers that he's ever seen in a patient. I had a rather quizzical look on my face and he demonstrated with his own thumb, then mine and the difference was ginormous! I asked if that was a bad thing; he said no, but it was interesting to see.
So, in summary:
* No further surgery required.
* I have post-trauma osteoperosis.
* What I have is ... a case of very, very, very, very, very, very slow healing of the post-trauma and post surgery tissue damage. When he realised that it's been nearly six months since my surgery; it DOES seem pretty slow! I did mention that it was abnormally slow compared to the surgery that I had done on my right wrist back in 1999.
* I don't have to wear my thumb splint unless I'm going somewhere where I might bang it.
* Back to physio. By the way ... he was EXTREMELY impressed that it had been my physio who had literally gotten me in front of him. I'd told him the short version of the long saga and my physio has a pretty big part in it.
* He's writing two reports/letters ... one to the surgeon who did the referral; and one to my physio! I'm impressed!
So, it's been three days since my appointment and i've been going about life as normal; but without the splint. Tonight, my hand is pretty sore and swollen, but it's nothing new to me. I'll see how I go over the weekend get back into doing the rigorous exercises I used to do, slowly, and go see my physio next week sometime.
My referral lasts for three months, so if anything goes wrong, or my physio and I notice anything not going to plan, then I'm just gonna say "Ring Him!" and I'm sure we'll get the answers we need.
Overall, glad there's gonna be no further surgery! Just a bit frustrated that it's gonna be a waiting game ... for gawd knows how long ... but you know me ... patience IS my virtue!
My dear left thumb ... it's been a battle ... and next week it will have been 8 whole months since this saga began ... it feels like a lifetime!
I must say first up that it WAS a good idea to see the specialist sugeon in person. He was fantastic. I had no idea that there is an entire specialist centre in one of the private hospitals in Brisbane simply dedicated to hand, arm and upper limbs exclusively. That's all they do, day in day out and on my walks in and out of the place I counted at least 20 doctors names!
I digress ... as usual lol ...
The doc was very very nice. Spoke "human" which was even better lol. He played with my thumb for a good 15 minutes stretching it; pulling it; digging his fingers into my hand to feel the joints, ligaments and tendons; twisting it; turning it; doing everything you could possibly do to a thumb pretty much lol. He DID get a few choice words out of me along the way but sometimes he was moving so fast, my "OUCHIE!!!" wud be about five moves behind where he was at and I'd have to go mentally back what he'd just done and pinpoint the sore spot he'd scored.
He sent me for an x-ray of my thumb. Thumb only. I thought "why the heck didn't anyone else think of doin that???" Anyways, he scrutinized it to within an inch of its life, along with the MRI and x-rays that were done in January. He asked if I had any soreness on the top of my hand near my ring finger ... when I said no, he was a bit surprised ... i apparently STILL have a ruptured ligament in there somewhere
BUT it's small and is too fiddly to require surgery.
I asked him about the osteoperosis. He said I'd been told the right, but wrong thing. I have a form of osteoperosis that appears when a limb is not used for a long time ... kinda like a post-trauma osteoperosis ... not the normal kind. Since my thumb and wrist have been either in a cast or splint for so long, my body has been doin a bit of reclamation, startin with the bone. Oh well, i can live with that; at least I know it aint gonna fall off!
I also asked about the effect of my hypothyroidism on the rate of healing and he was surprised that I asked such a question; but said that it could have an effect in some cases, but he could see nothing to indicate it in my case. I told him that my physio and I had tossed that idea and a lot of others around, including chronic tendonitis. He was impressed that we'd done so much thinking and hypothesizing and running all possibilities into the ground.
Oh yeah, he commented that I have the flatest joints in my fingers that he's ever seen in a patient. I had a rather quizzical look on my face and he demonstrated with his own thumb, then mine and the difference was ginormous! I asked if that was a bad thing; he said no, but it was interesting to see.
So, in summary:
* No further surgery required.
* I have post-trauma osteoperosis.
* What I have is ... a case of very, very, very, very, very, very slow healing of the post-trauma and post surgery tissue damage. When he realised that it's been nearly six months since my surgery; it DOES seem pretty slow! I did mention that it was abnormally slow compared to the surgery that I had done on my right wrist back in 1999.
* I don't have to wear my thumb splint unless I'm going somewhere where I might bang it.
* Back to physio. By the way ... he was EXTREMELY impressed that it had been my physio who had literally gotten me in front of him. I'd told him the short version of the long saga and my physio has a pretty big part in it.
* He's writing two reports/letters ... one to the surgeon who did the referral; and one to my physio! I'm impressed!
So, it's been three days since my appointment and i've been going about life as normal; but without the splint. Tonight, my hand is pretty sore and swollen, but it's nothing new to me. I'll see how I go over the weekend get back into doing the rigorous exercises I used to do, slowly, and go see my physio next week sometime.
My referral lasts for three months, so if anything goes wrong, or my physio and I notice anything not going to plan, then I'm just gonna say "Ring Him!" and I'm sure we'll get the answers we need.
Overall, glad there's gonna be no further surgery! Just a bit frustrated that it's gonna be a waiting game ... for gawd knows how long ... but you know me ... patience IS my virtue!
Nadia
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
My philosophy is simply this: Life is too short to be diplomatic. Your friends should not care what you do, or say; and for those who are not your friends ... their loss!!!
Just throwing this out there for consideration.. I know that diabetics are infamous for being slow healers.. But I'm not sure if that is just with regards to superficial wounds like cuts, bruises etc..
Have you ever discussed that with anyone? If you are at risk or anything?
Probably way off base, but its a shot in the dark.. The whole special case of osteo-whatsit also sounds very convincing.. I mean if your body is trying to reclaim junk from parts you aren't using, I could see how that would seriously impact the healing process as well..
Have you ever discussed that with anyone? If you are at risk or anything?
Probably way off base, but its a shot in the dark.. The whole special case of osteo-whatsit also sounds very convincing.. I mean if your body is trying to reclaim junk from parts you aren't using, I could see how that would seriously impact the healing process as well..
Nadia, my friend.....
But, your doctor sounds fantastic! I know how frustrating it is--Good gosh! Eight months is a lifetime when it's concerning your hand--well, when it concerns any part of your body! Just the mere fact that he was impressed that you had done thinking on your own, and that you knew intelligent questions to ask him, makes, ME very impressed. So often, doctors will say "I'm the doctor, not you!" in a "how dare you" tone of voice that you even thought about researching or talking to others about what could be wrong. Even though your thumb wasn't repaired and the problem wasn't "fixed" yet, you got answers and found a gem of a doc!
You've been through it, sweetie. But, you keep getting stronger (if that's possible!) and you still have a great attitude!
It sounds like you tolerated the plane trip pretty good. Did you get you "retail therapy" in? hehe
Well, thanks for the update! Take care, my friend!
Love
Jan
But, your doctor sounds fantastic! I know how frustrating it is--Good gosh! Eight months is a lifetime when it's concerning your hand--well, when it concerns any part of your body! Just the mere fact that he was impressed that you had done thinking on your own, and that you knew intelligent questions to ask him, makes, ME very impressed. So often, doctors will say "I'm the doctor, not you!" in a "how dare you" tone of voice that you even thought about researching or talking to others about what could be wrong. Even though your thumb wasn't repaired and the problem wasn't "fixed" yet, you got answers and found a gem of a doc!
You've been through it, sweetie. But, you keep getting stronger (if that's possible!) and you still have a great attitude!
It sounds like you tolerated the plane trip pretty good. Did you get you "retail therapy" in? hehe
Well, thanks for the update! Take care, my friend!
Love
Jan
No one is alone who had friends.
Nadia thank you so much for the update and your dr sounds fantastic. I am so glad that you went for a second opinion. That is so important.
Miss chatting with you on Monday nights and if you are up to it, please join us next Monday which I know it is Tuesday morning for you.
You take care and have a great weekend.
Miss chatting with you on Monday nights and if you are up to it, please join us next Monday which I know it is Tuesday morning for you.
You take care and have a great weekend.
Charlene
Taking one day at a time
Taking one day at a time