May 29, 2009

• News and Notes: Operation Update

  

  OPERATION UPDATE: I haven’t been actively blogging, and don’t know when I’ll be able to participate in the Xangasphere. Since I haven’t been visiting in a while, I’ve noticed my footprints have shrunk, and I’m getting less comments. I thought I’d take this time to update any interested persons on my progress.

  My operation is only FIVE days away. I had my first pre op appointment this past Wednesday, one of the worst days I’ve had in recent memory. First, although I gave myself an hour for a half hour drive to the medical center, which is about 25 miles from my workplace, there was a wreck on the freeway, and I was a half hour late for the appointment.

  The doctor, whom I’ve never seen before, gave me a short physical to determine that I was fit enough to go under the knife. I was also given an EKG. The doctor ordered a chest Xray and some bloodwork. Since I’m on an HMO, and the USC University complex, where my orthopedist is located, and where I’m having the surgery, is not affilliated with an HMO, all the procedures and tests have to have referrals approved by the HMO. I was sent to the lab, where the receptionist told me they need authorization. I waited a half hour or so for an HMO coordinator to tell me that I had to go back to my own doctor at Healthcare Partners (my HMO medical center in Long Beach) to have the tests performed, then they could be ‘faxed’ to the doctor at USC University Center.

  When I got back to Long Beach, I signed my name on the lab waiting list, and finally got in to get the blood test. The HMO coordinator at USC said I wouldn’t have to schedule an appointment with my own doctor, but just take their paperwork into my own HMO’s lab. But when the lab technician saw that Healthcare Partners had not ordered the labwork, he told me I DID have to have my own doctor order the tests.

  I had to go to my doctor’s office, and after being shuttled to two receptionists (where I outlined my predicament twice) someone took the paperwork, and got my doctor to reorder the tests. To add insult to injury, when I offered the new paperwork along with the original orders to the lab tech, he asked me for the “fax number” to send the results. I told him I had no idea. It seems that USC neglected to give the number on the forms. After a phone call, the technician took my blood samples (three of them.) Then I peed in a cup, and took the other paperwork into the radiology department.

  My preop appointment was at 9am. I left at 8am (after working for 3 hours, since I’d come in at 5am) and finally returned to the office at 12:30pm.

  My next appointment is scheduled for the 2nd at 11:30am. My last day at work will be Monday. At work, I’m training my three week replacements. I have to teach three separate people three different tasks. One guy is going to take over quotes. Another will be doing the drawings, and another will be testing the panels. I could write a whole blog article about some problems at work, but I don’t want to go into that now. I plan to take my three weeks vacation, and at the end of that time, hopefully I’ll be well enough to come back into work.

  My hospital stay is unknown at this point. I was in the actual hospital for three days last time I had the hip replacement 16 years ago. I wanted to get out as quick as possible. Since I was living with Pat back then, I had a caregiver. This time, I live alone. Liz will drive me home, but at home I won’t have anyone around to help if I need it, so I will stay as long as I need to in the hospital. I plan on taking a kit bag with a couple of books to read.

  Since I haven’t had a pre op appointment with the orthopedist yet, I won’t know a lot until this happens on the day before the operation. I plan on taking that day off from work, so I can get around and get anything I will need, like two or three weeks of food and supplies. I won’t be able to drive for a while after the operation I’m supposing. Liz has offered to drop by my place on weekends to check up on me, and I have the phone numbers of both of my neighbors in case of emergency.

  Last night I got home to see a message on my phone machine. My orthopedist’s office called to say they wanted me to come in today to have another XRay taken. I explained the whole HMO thing to the technician when I called her back. She understood, and told me she’d call me back. That didn’t happen. It’ s only 7am right now, and at 8am I’ll call her to ask if she still needs me to go into their facility to get an (approved) XRay or if I need to go to my own HMO, like on Wednesday. You’d think all these tests and XRays would have been approved earlier, since I’ve only been wating 8 months to have this operation!

  I certainly hope the date of the operation isn’t delayed any longer. Believe it or not, I seem to have more and more pain as the months pass, and I’m a bit (sick and) tired of waiting.

  I’ll probably be “back” on the internet sometime during the week of the 8th. If I can make the time, I might finish my latest videoblog, Mike’s Video Blog #10, a tour of my new house showcasing my collections and the work I’m doing in the garden (which has to be postponed now until after I heal) this upcoming weekend. If I do, I’m going to send a message announcing the video, which will be my last creative endeavor prior to surgery.

  If not, this will probably be my last post for a couple of weeks.

  Wish me luck. Pray for me. I’ll be back.

  (And please forgive me for not visting and commenting much. I’m sure I’ll have LOTS of time after the operation.)

  (HERE is a link to my most recent “Leg to Stand On” essay with links to other hip replacement related blog entries and web destinations. )

  • 10:09 am
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