Lucky to be ALIVE!!!

[JRobyn]

Gary, I'll add my thoughts and prayers to all the others for a smooth and quick recovery. And my applause for your graceful handling of inappropriate feedback.

I had a hip replacement a few years ago and despite the short-term hurts and sweat of the PT, it turned out terrific after a bit. Be on close lookout for any deep infections.

Might also be on close lookout for the bill from your fun helicopter ride! I've got a (uninsured) buddy that is still struggling to reach a final settlement on his.

Best.

- Jay

 

[Garycw]

Thanks Dr_Z. That's true and I have beat myself up over this pretty good. I'm not making excuses why & how this happened.
I will say when you get to retirement age though , it's easier to forget a small detail that has major consequences and "accidents". I think all accidents are avoidable, but then they wouldn't be accidents.
This has been a life changing experience. Tomorrow @ 6pm will be one week and really getting the feeling back now. All the morphine & oxycodone has help so far. However I started weeing off that yesterday.

 

[RoyJackson]

Easy Coyote. Nobody wants to shoot you either. No use beating up on the fellow.

Brother Coyote has already made his amends, so what say we drop this aspect of the thread, eh?

 

[TomSeller]

Brother Coyote has already made his amends, so what say we drop this aspect of the thread, eh?

Right. CM is a very knowledgeable guy and means well. Reading his posts is kind of like separating the wheat from the chaff. Lots of good stuff in them. Let it go

 

[Garycw]

Gary,

Be on close lookout for any deep infections.

Might also be on close lookout for the bill from your fun helicopter ride! I've got a (uninsured) buddy that is still struggling to reach a final settlement on his.

Best.

- Jay

Thanks, I'll be calling the hospital tomorrow about the 102 tempeture I've been running. May need some antibiotics.
The helicopter office had already called me that morning if it was going to be home insurance or Medicare. I only have medicare, but have not been to PO box to see the Bill yet

 

[Garycw]

Gary,

Be on close lookout for any deep infections.

Might also be on close lookout for the bill from your fun helicopter ride! I've got a (uninsured) buddy that is still struggling to reach a final settlement on his.

Best.

- Jay

Thanks, I'll be calling the hospital tomorrow about the 102 tempeture I've been running. May need some antibiotics.
The helicopter office had already called me that morning if it was going to be home insurance or Medicare. I only have medicare, but have not been to PO box to see the Bill yet

 

[PhysAssist]

Thanks Dr_Z. That's true and I have beat myself up over this pretty good. I'm not making excuses why & how this happened.
I will say when you get to retirement age though , it's easier to forget a small detail that has major consequences and "accidents". I think all accidents are avoidable, but then they wouldn't be accidents.
This has been a life changing experience. Tomorrow @ 6pm will be one week and really getting the feeling back now. All the morphine & oxycodone has help so far. However I started weeing off that yesterday.

Hi Gary,

I just read your post and wanted to say briefly that as long as you are only taking the medication as prescribed and treating physical pain (and not memories or emotional pain) then you will automatically wean yourself because as your pain improves, you will naturally take less of it.

Also, being aggressive about using all the non-pharmacologic treatments like ice, elevation, rest, and position changes, as well as non-narcotic pharmacologic pain relievers like Aleve (much better than the shorter-acting (i.e., frequently wearing off and leaving you in pain) Advil), Tylenol (be careful not to take a combined total more than 4 grams/24 hours from all sources (vicodin/percocet and plain tylenol)),.

Also some of the newer and really helpful non-narcotic pain medications are local anesthetics and anti-inflammatories that come as ointments and/orpatches.

It might be helpful to ask about lidocaine ointment or lidooderm patches (both local anesthetics), or flector patches or voltaren ointment (two local anti-inflammatories)- any and all of which can help you to control your pain and reduce the need for narcotics.

But also please remember that as long as you follow the prescriber's instructions and only take the narcotics for actual pain, there is NOTHING wrong with taking them.

I usually tell patients to take 1 hydrocodone (or whatever is prescribed) up to every 4-6 hours for pain </= 5/10 or 2 for pain >/= 6/10 so that they have a tool to help them decide when and how much to take to treat their pain, and to encourage them to think about what or how much pain they are having at that moment.

I'm just trying to help, and not at all telling YOU what's right for YOU in your situation.

Soapbox mode off!

Thomas

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm sorry to read that you had this accident. I'm sort of amazed that you're clear headed enough to post about it given all you've been through. Hope you have a full recovery, and thank you for the warning how this can happen to anyone.

 

[texasjohn]

Gary, your original post and various replies are a class act! I'm sure you are the kind of guy I'd like to spend some relaxing moments with. Best wishes for recovery.

Comment...as I posted this, AVAST said there was a virus and did not reload the URL with my post...this must have come from some ad on TBN...anybody else experience this??

 

[cartod]

Wow, just came upon this thread. I have also noticed that as I get older I have to take a second to think about what Im about to do. You are a good man for posting all of this up. Here is to a speedy and full recovery, glad it wasn't worse.