5/7/2014 A Simple Day, Little Medical Junk

A simple day... Work, home...

I DID get 15 minutes in on the exercycle - finally! 

Caught one of the episodes of Call the Midwife I'd missed! 

Unfortunately, though I got to bed earlier than usual - or, rather, less late... 

this bloody Shin Divot awoke me at 4;30, feeling distinctly as though someone were burning me in the shin with a lit cigar, repeatedly. 

The reading I've done tells me that it can take from 2 weeks to six months to heal... or NEVER. WTF?! I think - I HOPE - that this applies mostly to larger wounds. Mine is a litle smaller than a dime... the photos I saw were large sections of calves and ankles. 

It can also be dealt with surgically. For which I haven't a penny to pay. 

Frustrating. BUT - I'll just keep caring for it as best I can. Next Monday is my next appointment with the surgical PA. I hope I can see the other vascular surgeonto look at it... I don't want to see Dr, Park again. He was brusque, dismissive, and n far too much of a hurry- barked out orders for bone scan and antibiotic, and when I asked questions, was essentially non-responsive. First medical professional with Sutter who hasn't been great. So - I'll try the other one, hoping she is not in surgery again. 

Off to put a hot compress on my eyes (Saw the eye doc today - my eyes are OK, but there's a potential issue that can be dealt with using a hot compress for 5 minutes. 

This feel ridiculous. I plan, VERY SOON, to have long long stretches of life where I don't have to take something, smear something on, wrap or salve or ice or heat something on my body. This is crazy!!  I am very healthy, in spite of all these shenanigans!! 

OK - that's me, off. 

5/5/2014 and 5/6/2014 Sleep, Recording, Good Company, Healing, and Muses

Little sleep again last night, but for more pleasant reasons - fascinating and rich conversation with one of the Good ones, about poetry, Portugal, the history of conflict between Portugal and Spain... really fascinating! (until 3am).
This was after a recording session. We recorded the music for Cannery Row (My first show after my new hips). Good fun - it was for a Sound Engineering class at the college... They were respectful and sharp, and did a great job. Also, we'll have a recording of that wonderful music for ourselves now - I love that! Unfortunately, having had the flue last month and just now retrieving my full voice back from that, as well as these weird allergies I normally DON'T have... And the lack of sleep - made for - by my personal standards - sub-par quality to my singing.
There were a few bumbles and cracks which I can live with - the human voice makes noises, and that is all part of the song, after all!
It's the places where my tired and dry vocal chords wouldn't bend in the right direction to help me achieve a note or phrase which I sang with perfectly clarity in the live performances that bugs me.
It will be what it will be, and I know that I'll wince once or twice when I listen to it - but such is life. The last few tracks are the highest, and fortunately, I was warmed up enough by then and I *think* they'll be just fine.
I love recording in a studio - it is usually a very enjoyable experience, and to see the students learning this craft was exciting!
We got a few lessons on sound waves and how they carry and bounce around a room, ourselves!

The Shin Divot continues on... I honestly cannot tell what  it's doing, but I keep elevating it as best I can, changing it morning and night, taking the antibiotics and supplements meant to promote healing. Unfortunately- one of the side effects of the antibiotic is - constipation. Grrrr... well, I'm guzzling water and trying to remember the Metamucil.
I'm sure the lack of sleep is not helping. Thank goodness I have NO plans tonight, so I will go home (With one stop for cat food along the way), and crash. I MUST nap. My desire and hope is to then get up, take a walk and/or use the exercycle before dinner... and then get to bed at a reasonable hour.  Why I think I will be able to do the heretofore impossible, I do not now. But until then, that's my plan. Perhaps keeping focused on the aspect wherein it will help this damned shin heal may be the deciding factor. This is more sort of threatening that the healing hips... I have done my PT faithfully all along the way and eaten well, etc... those are coming along.. but this is an injury and not wanting to heal... THAT is a threat, and I will not play.

Having spoken to a couple of my poet friends last night, I realize I need to sit down and nudge the muse. I usually write poetry only when it strikes me (Sometimes like a damned hurricane!!) and compels me to write it. I have not developed the skill of sitting down and reaching in for it. It seems that since I can write in prose easily enough, poetry should follow.
Not necessarily, at all. But having recently been re-inspired by my Portuguese friend and the poetry of Fernando Pessoa, I have a feeling it's coming. I need to finish my Hips trilogy, now that I am the lion's share of the way through the experience, and detect it sitting there on the shelf, patently waiting to be written.


Todays was rough at work trying to stay awake, but I came home, sat in my easy chair, elevated my feet and promptly fell asleep for about an hour and a half. now's time for dinner... doubt I'll make it outside for a walk again tonight, but the exercycle is calling m. No excuses, girl. The blog is posted, no new material to learn or rehearse tonight (I already sang through the show twice today - I always do, every day of a run. Keep it in your bones.) 

5/4/2014 A Fine Sunday

A great day! 

A relaxed morning, then coffee with a lovely dear friend whom I do not see often enough-  we acted together in a production of "Doubt" and made good friends. 

A lovely time! 

The handicapped parking spot was taken, but parking across the street and down was perfectly great! 

Then home to get ready for the early show. We met a few minutes early. 

To record a little song for a good friend who is graduating from Cal Arts, and since we can't be there, and he can choose any 9 seconds of music by which to walk and receive his diploma, we sang the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars... B-gawki!-ing as chickens. 

It will be the BEST! :) Theatre people are different, and sometimes we have twisted and odd senses of humor. It's one of the things I love best abut them (us). 

The show was excellent!! I had a few teeny bumbles. It happens. We're human, it's iive! The trick is to move right past them and not worry about it - Finish BIG! They'll never remember it! Several friends were there and just went crazy over it! They also were, as has been the trend, just tickled for me, too see me moving around and taking the space.  I am very happy! 

I'm not entirely sure how well the Shin Divot is healing. I'm taking the antibiotic on time, and treating with the pressure bandage as required. It's hard to tell day by day. I'm not sure what else one should do. I asked my doctor, and he said that what we are doing is what should handle it - and keeping it elevated. That is a bit tricky when you have work, performances, etc. But I do it whenever I can. I see the Vascular Surgeon's PA again a week from tomorrow. Fingers crossed, it's getting better. I know for certain that it is almost completely pain free now... so that must mean something good! 

5/3/2014 Stamina... Allergies... Another Great Show

Up early today (for me, on a weekend!)  to take Mariam to brunch for a very belated birthday celebration. 

Good to spend time together - we have been busy! 

A good meal, and she suggested we have a walk afterward. I realized that my stamina has taken a bit of a backslide with this blasted Shin Divot. 

I have slowed down because I was concerned about the injury... the walk was only around half of a block. I was just running out of stamina and getting tired. 

Not great... I need to get back to walking and on my exercise bike. 

It is not acceptable to have my life back, but tired and fatigued at the least exertion!! 

I need to get walking again, and get stronger!! NO PT this week or next, as my PT is on vacation. On my own!

Allergies also - TERRIBLE!!!  I have not had allergies in decades - got rid of them with acupuncture. But this being a drought year, the trees are working hard to propagate, so - LOTS of pollen and sycamore bll fibers in the air. I am shocked how much I am sneezing. 

I hope for another tuneup soon!! 

Fortunately, do a show is some exercise, and some strength building. 

A very good show tonight... very, very well received! Sold out - Standing ovation. 

It feels very very good, that. Connections with the other actors becoming deeper, making for a richer experience and performance. 

Still lots of wonderful feedback from good friends who see my written priogres on Facebook, but when they see me, I look like a different person! 

Tons of love and support. 

And  - moving forward! 

5/2/2014 Results - Good News!

I got the results to my bone scan and culture today for the wound on my shin ( I have been learning - that, lucky me! - shins are one of the most difficult places to heal - so close to the bone).
Bone scan - Free and clear!!! Hurrah!!! Included the hips, and they are happy too.

The culture came back with a Staph infection - surprising because everyone who looked at it seemed to thing that clear fluid indicated no infection... swelling of the limb can impede healing as the inflammation blocks blood flow vital for the healing process. 
*However* - I sent a note to my PCP doc and he said that it is NOT in his opinion a Staph infection. A culture would come back positive for Staph if you took it from any part of the human body.  The specialists protocol would be to give the antibiotics... It's  tad confusing, and my Doc admitted it was... 
But the Compression bandage and elevating it are key to healing. The compression bandage from toes to knee keep it from swelling, and the zinc oxide dressing promotes healing. I started the antibiotics two days ago, so they should kick in soon. It probably already has, because the pain it had begun to create is almost all gone. I will be really happy when this little "setback" which started two months ago with a little "WHOOPSIE"! trip on a low stair, is DONE and I can carry on with the issue at hand!

(Note to self - invest in shinguards.  Perhaps design some pretty ones to wear with a dress. )

A nice thing though, that as I focus on healing the other issue, the hips just keep moving along - I appreciate that.

It occurs to me that I have not even thought of using the cane in a while now... I'm not sure how long! That's a good sign.
A coworker just had the sweetest things to say about seeing me moving so well - I still marvel at the world going by so fast as I float across the floor - *mindfully*.


The show went very well... we're sounding good, and the audience response are great! Full house, standing ovation. That is very gratifying to a performer! This is work I am proud of from all of us! Amazing singing, a beautiful, poignant, ultimately happy and hopeful story - and true! 

Lots of very talented and loving friends were there - not the sort to rave without cause, or just for flattery's sake. The all realllly loved it, and the normally reserved among them were downright effisive! 

Went out with various and sundry people afterward - cast, band, crew, and guests. it was a tad more raucous than we originally intended, but fun none the less! A nice glass of Pinot Noir and a dish of gooey cheese fries. Just the (bad, but delicious) thing after a show! 
I love this band of theatre gypsies!

5/1/2014 Happy May Day!

A MUCH better day today! I reconciled the fact that I was taking a course of antobiotics as well as a radioactive bone scan that may or may not be necessary. If there is any chance that I have an infection that could in any way jeopardize my hip replacements, I should do it. 

I hate over using Antibiotics... a VERY bad idea. but perhaps this is not over-doing. 

I have had a lot of exposure to radiation... so now we will ( very likely) see that there is ni infection - either in the wound or the bone underneath it, in my shin. 

I'll wear black leggings under my cocktail dress in the show, or, as my PA told me today, I *can* take a break and cover it with a bandaid for a half an hour or so without risk. 

The bone scan was really interesting - the tech was great. Go in in the morning, get the radioactive dye injected. You watch the scanner as it detects that your circulation is taking up the dye - fascinating!! 

In the afternoon, after the dye has been able to make its way into your bones and you have flushed as much of it as possible from the rest of your system with LOTS of water, and LOTS of trips to the loo... it's back for the actual scan. He did mine from the waist down(So the would be able to see hoe the hips are doing if there is any concern) and two from the knees down - one sideways, one top/bottom.  Rayn. the very sweet tech, printed me copies of the images. 

I closed the day with a really jolly and very funny IM exchange with one of my favorite people, followed by a nice phone call with same! Made my da, and ended it on such a lovely, happy note. *whew*. 

4/30/2014 Today is Not a Good Day

OOg. 

So, the Shin Divot.   Wellll - here's my Facebook status today: 

"From a band-aid to a toe-to knee pressure bandage, an antibiotic and an appointment for a bone scan(!?!?!?) in 20 hours.

Not my favorite day. I do think this specialist is over -prescribing.... And, while that is not a good thing, I dearly hope I'm right."

Went to my appointment with the Vascular Surgeon's PA today. She thought the wound was awfully  deep - my doc had said - clear fluid, not infected. 

Megan also seemed to think so, but she grabbed on of the surgeons on the run. 

First Sutter medical professional whose care was not that stellar, that surgeon. 

He grabbed a swab to take a culture, jammed it in the wound, jabbed and twirled it about, and said, "Order a bone scan and antibiotics. if it turns out there's an infection in the bone, we'll need to do surgery to clean it out".

Full, general anesthetic surgery. which, of course, I have NO resources to pay for. The hip replacements cleaned me out and then some. 

I was hard-pressed not to cry coming out of the Doctor's office. 

More radiation, more antibiotics. AND MORE POSSIBLE SURGERY. Shit. 

If there IS infection, and if it IS in bone, I am mighty, mighty worried about my healing hips. This is supposed to NOT happen. "Don't fall. Don't get n infection." 

F*ck f*ck f*ck. 

I've been doing the best I knew to get this thing to heal. 

So... I'm reaching for the silver lining that was pretty dented today, polishing it up for an outcome of "no bone infection". I started the antibiotics tonight. 

I have this bandage that involves two different sized Ace bandages, gauze, a huge gob of Zinc Oxide smushed into the wound wrapped tightly, but not TOO tightly, changed twice a day. Don't get it wet. 

(I did have this checked a week after the fall, and the doc said no infection. it took several weeks for it to start looking like it wasn't healing - and what it started hurting, I called right away. apparently it should have been even sooner. 

(Going to have to add black leggings to my black cocktail dress in act II this weekend :P ) 

Tomorrow I will go in at 10 am, get injected with radioactive dye which is given several hours to course through your body and into your bones. The at 2pm, I'll go back for the scan. Information I read tells me that by the end of the day, "the majority of the radiation comes out in your urine. Wash your hands thoroughly. No one you come in contact with is in danger from radiation." 

The lesson here for you, Dear Readers, is that - if you DO do the unthinkable and fall, keep an eye on it. If you get a scrape of some kind, even if, like me, you have no risk of diabetes, heart disease, or other kinds of diseases that might cause vascular problems - this is a "Persistent Vascular Ulceration", BTW - watch it REALLLY closely. 

I though I was. 

If you see any thing out of the ordinary, Get it CHECKED. 

Big hopes and wishes that the outcomes tomorrow are: 

"No Bone Infection, so No Surgery"... and that the pressure bandage and zinc treatment   and the damn antibiotics - have me all fixed up in no time. 

I have concerns abut Antibiotic side effects. I can live with them, but in a show, it is a real issue to have digestive distress - especially if the only loo is in the lobby of the theatre, and you don't have time between most of your scenes to deal with it. 

Fun. "Small bump in the Road" mantra today.