Well, I finally got the referral I’ve been wanting since the beginning of this whole fiasco. I go see the orthopedic on Monday after my stats class. Dr. Getzin ticked me off during my appointment today by saying that I might be misinformed about the plastic bowed fracture info (because he apparently thinks that I don’t know how to research and find valid sites… idiot. I’m only in college and taught how to do proper research by every effing class every effing semester… that kind of thing kinda sticks in your head after so many repetitions), and he kept emphasizing that it’s not an emergency (uh, duh, I knew that. if it was, don’t you think this would’ve been resolved around two years ago when it actually happened?), and that he wants me to be comfortable. He even said that if it came down to it, I may just have to deal with the discomfort for the rest of my life. Talk about discouraging!
So the first thing I want to say is, no one seems to want to listen to me when I want to tell them what it is that I want. Maybe it’s because I’m not like most patients. See, every one I’ve been to wants to just eliminate the pain and discomfort for me. I don’t want to eliminate the pain; I want to fix the bend in my bone. The bend is what bothers me more than anything, and call me immature, I don’t care, but I will get it reset, even if it takes me across the country to an orthopedic that will actually do it. And maybe that makes me weird; I don’t want to make this “easy” for me. I want the corrective/surgical procedure done. I’m more than willing to let them operate on me, do whatever they need to do to get rid of it. I want to get rid of the bend.
Is it that patients want to make things as easy as possible for themselves, or is it that doctors are too afraid to do more… what’s the word… “aggressive” treatments? Do they think every patient is like that? Wimpy? And I sorta wonder what I’m gonna be met with when I meet the orthopedic on Monday. I wonder what he’ll say or do when I tell him my theory. And I wonder what he’ll say or do when I tell him exactly what I want. Will I be able to find a doctor who’ll be willing to correct the bend? Who knows? Will they even believe me when I tell them? I mean, I’ve already told Getzin, and the PTs “I know the pain’s annoying and all, but I just really want to get rid of this bend here.” And it sorta seemed like they were brushing it off… I don’t know. I just hope that I won’t need to go looking for anyone else after talking to this next guy. I hope that he’ll listen, and I hope I’ll be able to get it through to him that I want him to break and reset my clavicle.
Who knows? Anyone have any opinions? I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, I’ll keep everyone posted.
I figure there are four criteria that are critical to your health, and you, your doctors and P.T.s have to figure out how this problem fits into these concerns (there might be more, but these are what I’ve worked out just now):
1 – Pain (obvious and definitely critical)
2 – Function (can you move properly? ie, can you lift boxes, work at a desk, dance, and/or prosper at sports?) This needs to meet *your* expectations for work and play. What do YOU have to be able to do? Individuals have different skills and needs, and yours need to be addressed for you.
3 – Long-term health (will this hurt you in thirty years when the weather changes? will it cause you problems when you’re eighty and your bones get brittle? will this unbalance your other related body parts in the near or far term and put strain on your back, say, or give you neck pain in five or ten years? keep you from swimming in twenty years?)
and
4 – Does this sort of problem indicate any underlying health issue? (I somehow missed if it is the result of an injury or from some other damage. If it might happen again, or you’re at risk for other injury, you need to be informed and assisted in heading that off).
I can’t think of any other concern that is on the level of these. Other worries are essentially cosmetic—but don’t get me wrong!, cosmetic concerns are completely valid. They just need to be expressed to caregivers with a different emphasis, and you have to be clear and comfortable with what you’re asking. Note that we’re all a little interestingly asymmetrical from birth, and some people have more tolerance for imperfection than others. Doctors could worry (without communicating clearly with you) that trying to fix something like this may cause more problems than it fixes.
Meanwhile, I’ve just had a terrific experience with physical therapy for a hip that has bothered me since I had my son twenty years ago—it took a couple of visits (over the course of a year!!!) before we (the doctors, the physical therapist and I…) had set the parameters of what was actually wrong and how to fix it, and it’s sort of miraculous how pain-free I am suddenly and completely. I have to do a short batch of exercises daily (less than five minutes twice a day), but I am happy to do it because it actually works. What I’m most proud of? I didn’t give up when the first prognosis and treatment didn’t work. I was discouraged, but I went back and we got it right. I feel as though I’m on a team with my P.T…. We succeeded together, finally.
I wish you all the best. I love how you are truly workin’ it, and not getting caught in other people’s preconceptions.
XOXO
wow hun it looks like you are going to kill somebody lol everything will be ok promise… and kimmie told me that you are coming hoome tomarow for and unexpected vist…. so i thought i would ask you love you losts and talk to you later
Must bother you to be reminded daily that your broken. I can only imagine how that feels for an athlete such as yourself. Your agression is justifiable.