[JRHill02]

This thread has been quiet. so here is my recent journal:

I've had a total hip, later the opposite knee, then later the other hip since we've been here. Always in the off season. Oh, boy, the stories of medical people freaking out because you are snowed in and can't get to check ups or PT. When the knee happened and we got home and a snow storm happened afterward. We were snowed in for 3+ weeks. The staples had to come out so I grabbed the hooked and straight needle nose from the gun cleaning kit and removed them. No big deal. The surgeon and hospital freaked out - YOU CAN'T DO THAT. So what? you gonna get here by snowmobile? That's all past. And a fun memory. I still have those notes in my chart.

Next up recently is Carpal Tunnel on both. The surgeon wanted to do both. The DW said H*** no (she had both done years ago) separately. So being a good boy and following DW instruction I only did one. Why? Yesterday I had Carpal Tunnel restoration. TG I followed the DW's directive. All is good but if I did both? Oh, dang. It's not wiping the butt or anything similar but city people who have no idea about living rural. Just moving around is critical. Of course you don't ever fall, right? We don't have paved sidewalks and driveways. The surgeon, bless his heart, has no idea. So you have to override the surgeon? You betcha.

Just some journal thoughts.

 

[robin416]

Yeah, most have no clue. The last time I was at the cardiologist they finally got it when I got my phone out and showed them the pics of what it is I do on my property. Seeing the trees laying in the burn area I had cut down finally got them thinking that just because I'm 72, a woman and have heart disease does not mean I sit on my butt.

For the gallbladder the surgeon said X weeks. After I mentioned the lifting of 50# feed sacks, he added two weeks to the don't pick up excessive weight orders.

 

[JRHill02]

Hope you are well in the aftermath.

Right now I am of wood burner duty. Some cleaning inside and arranging wood. This light duty won't last long.

 

[robin416]

Oh yeah. I'd live in an apartment if I wasn't. People in the building might have an issue with my Guineas though.

 

[Forcast]

. . order a medical staple remover from amazon

 

[Danaus29]

My hip surgeon was a real sweet heart. He glued my incision so I wouldn't have to come back to have the staples removed. It wouldn't have bothered me to pull them out myself. I pulled them out after the first construction surgery.

I remove stitches too. The emergency room people always want you to come back to the ER to get them out. That's an all day visit.

Major surgery should always be done in the off season if possible. It's depressing to see all that work that needs doing and not be capable of doing it.

 

[doc-]

. . order a medical staple remover from amazon

When I first started private practice I ordered from a med supply company a small, white air pump for delivering asthma medications ...it ran ~$100....A couple weeks later, walking thru a K-Mart sports equpment section, I noticed among the bicycle paraphenalia a small, gray air pump for tires-- EXACTLY the same machine...for $25....Apparently the medical grade white paint must cost about $1000/gal....

Same for "Exfoliative Cytology Fixative Spray"-- an aerosol can cost $10. Under the paper label it said "Clairol Hair Spray"-- 79c.

RE: CTS surgery- both at one time--- About 50 y/a the Vikings had a corner back (Paul Krause) who broke both wrists and had two casts. Asked in an interview how he was doing, he answered, "Well, it's at times like this and you have to go to the bathroom, you find out who your real friends are in the locker room."

In the good old days, it had definite survival value to live in three-generation households....Living alone, I don't hink you can count on BigBrother to come out and plow your drive or chop firewood even if he will pay for your food stamps.

 

[oldaseocks]

I've sewn myself up on occasion if I can reach where I need stitches.

 

[Danaus29]

A friend of mine told me that part of his military training was starting an antidote iv on himself should he ever be exposed to toxic gases or instances of germ warfare. I would just have to die horribly, or in peace after I pass out from looking at the iv needle. I don't do needles very well, not even when it comes to removing splinters.

 

[muleskinner2]

I have never had to sew myself up, but I have sewn up other people, and cattle, horses, dogs, and pigs. I have removed hundreds of stitches from people and animals. I have delivered exactly three human babies, and a lot of critters. I have given shots to animals, and a few people. I have also shot a few people, but I wouldn't recommend it as a regular thing.

One of our neighbors got stepped on by a horse, and broke some bones in her foot. One of the bones came through the skin on the top of her foot. Not being the sharpest tack in the box, she didn't go to a doctor, or even the emergency room. She didn't have insurance, or any money. So, she just ignored it until it got nice and infected, and started to stink. She learned that smoking pot, 24/7 will not prevent infection.

Finally she stopped by our house and asked my wife to take a look at it. My wife has a big soft heart, and will never turn anyone away even if they can't pay. Long story short, I got to sit on her on the kitchen floor. While my wife debrided the wound and pulled out the splinter of bone. And then clean it once a day for the next week, until it turned pink and began to heal.

Note: If you have someone pinch and twist their ear lobe, people won't even notice the little tingle when you are sewing them up.

Nothing unusual, just the normal stuff that comes up.

 

[JRHill02]

Note: If you have someone pinch and twist their ear lobe,

Got an instant recollection of going to the family neighborhood dentist with my Dad when I was , hmm, 5? The dentist's drill was powered by what I would now describe as paracord running on pulleys at each joint of the arm to the drill head. Dad sat next to me with his index finger pointing and said "Squeeze if it hurts." I squeezed. I didn't help a bit.

 

[Danaus29]

Dad sat next to me with his index finger pointing and said "Squeeze if it hurts." I squeezed. I didn't help a bit.

When I had to have a wisdom tooth pulled the dentist wouldn't allow hubby to be in the room with me, even though they weren't putting me out. The nurse said I could squeeze her hand. She lost the feeling in her fingers and nearly ended up with a broken hand before I could relax my grip enough to let her pull free. It still hurt and they wouldn't give me near enough novacaine.

 

[oldaseocks]

I have never had to sew myself up, but I have sewn up other people, and cattle, horses, dogs, and pigs. I have removed hundreds of stitches from people and animals. I have delivered exactly three human babies, and a lot of critters. I have given shots to animals, and a few people. I have also shot a few people, but I wouldn't recommend it as a regular thing.

One of our neighbors got stepped on by a horse, and broke some bones in her foot. One of the bones came through the skin on the top of her foot. Not being the sharpest tack in the box, she didn't go to a doctor, or even the emergency room. She didn't have insurance, or any money. So, she just ignored it until it got nice and infected, and started to stink. She learned that smoking pot, 24/7 will not prevent infection.

Finally she stopped by our house and asked my wife to take a look at it. My wife has a big soft heart, and will never turn anyone away even if they can't pay. Long story short, I got to sit on her on the kitchen floor. While my wife debrided the wound and pulled out the splinter of bone. And then clean it once a day for the next week, until it turned pink and began to heal.

Note: If you have someone pinch and twist their ear lobe, people won't even notice the little tingle when you are sewing them up.

Nothing unusual, just the normal stuff that comes up.

That is why you should keep a supply of Lidocaine around.

 

[ofanevening]

That is why you should keep a supply of Lidocaine around.

Where do you score that? Particularly if you're not someone who hasn't been to a doctor in decades so doesn't have a personal relationship. Wouldn't mind a few other things on hand too, just don't know how to score them.

 

[Danaus29]

You can get topical lidocaine from any drug store or Amazon. It's not that expensive.

 

[muleskinner2]

That is why you should keep a supply of Lidocaine around.

We do, now.

 

[oldaseocks]

We do, now.

HA I have inject able.