Monday, May 23, 2002
I was awake in the middle of the night, as is my bent these days. Frequent tooth brushing is part of the instructions in preparation for the surgery. I knew that antibiotics were prescribed before each visit to the dentist. Infection from the mouth could travel to the implant. I practically jumped out of bed when I realized the implications. I checked the information on the Internet. The site I found confirmed my worst fears. Infections could occur at the site for years afterward. One of the reasons I wanted to have the surgery done now is the uncertain economy. Would I have the money to pay for health insurance in five years? Given all the saber-rattling, would a surgical option even be available? Many implants last 20 to 25 years, which should take me to the grave.
Now that risk of infection is on my mind, the same question arises? Would I have the money for dental care? My mouth is a dental disaster area. The likelihood of me not encountering a problem within five years is zero. Would antibiotics even be available? I had to choose between two questionable options. If I had the surgery, I could get an infection within five years. If I didn't have the surgery, the doctor said my femoral head would collapse if I lived another 15 years. The latter looked like the better option at 3 am. I texted my surgeon with my concerns. And I texted Judy, "I've decided not to do it," without explanation.
I went to bed and remarkably fell asleep. I spoke to Judy first thing in the morning. She was beside herself. "What do you mean, you decided against it? Look at all the preparations you've made. This is crazy. Look at all the people you'd upset." She could put someone else in if I gave the surgeon enough notice. Julie would sleep longer if she didn't have to drive me to the airport at 5 am. The only one who would be negatively impacted would be Lutz. He would lose his free trip to Honolulu. He didn't agree to pick me up initially because of this benefit. It occurred to him afterward. He realized he could visit the German Consulate and get his German passport updated. Come to find out, he was born in Germany. His family moved to the USA when he was three. I assured Judy I would consult with my surgeon and with my dentist. I had already contacted both of them.
Dr. Chris called me back. He was fantastic. The research shows a high correlation between infection somewhere in the body and infection at the implant site. Still, there is no proof of a causal relationship. While some dentists insist upon continuing the antibiotic precautions for the rest of a patient's life, most now believe it is only necessary for two years. That's how long it takes for the muscle to encapsulate the implant, completely sealing it off from infection. The likelihood of infection in the first two years is low; after that, negligible. I jokingly asked if he could give me a two-year supply of antibiotics, preparing for the lack of money and dental care. He said no but could give me a prescription when I came in. He has other clients who see doomsday looming.
I had a 7:15 appointment with Katie, my PT. Well, that's what I thought it was. It was for 7:30. I sat on the bench in front of the office until someone came to open the place up. I told Katie I was seriously considering canceling the surgery. My walk had improved again, and now I had these negative options. We talked about what I could expect from surgery. I hoped for a greater range of motion; I was generally not in pain. I had acute pain in my ankle and then around my knee. Both of those cleared up, suggesting that they were caused by changes I made in my alignment. Muscles that had been lazy for at least twenty years got kicked into action and didn't like it.
Katie showed me how to modify my walk. She said I walked like a tightrope walker, putting one foot directly in front of the other. She said to keep a foot width between my feet as I walked. I first thought she meant 12 inches. "No, your foot." I narrowed my stance a little. It wound up she meant the width of my foot. Wow! What a difference. I could feel my left glutes kick in. Doing that also evened out my legs. The problem had all been in my back.
Katie told me that all surgeons recognize that patients' attitudes affect surgical outcomes. This wasn't good, given how much negative input I have had from all three of my body workers.
After the PT appointment, I headed to KP for my Botox injection. I get it to raise my left brow to improve my vision. The hanging brow acts like an awning, blocking it. Fortunately, I remembered to bring my warmest sweatshirt with a hood. It is freezing in that building. I asked the doctor and his nurse if they knew why they kept it so cold. The doctor answered, "To torture us." The nurses walk around with winter jackets on. It is freezing. The doctor speculated it had something to do with environmental temperature fluctuations making it hard to adjust the indoor temperature.
The doctor said my brow wasn't as low as when he first saw me, even though it had been six months. I asked if I had injections often enough, would those muscles relax. He said the goal was atrophy. He said they are stubborn little muscles. In the bad old days, when the surgeons did brow lifts, they would cut over the top of the head from ear to ear and peel down the flesh, exposing those muscles. They would surgically cut them. Six months later, they were up and running again.
I had my Reading & Writing office hour this morning. I thought three people had signed up. Only one person showed. I covered comprehension activities. I pushed the process where you ask detailed questions about every sentence in the text. I recommended writing three sentences using a new vocabulary word and discussing how the word's meaning was similar and different in each context.
The M& W sister canceled for today. The parents were very considerate and respectful of my time. They apologized for the late cancelation and offered to pay. Nah. They had no idea what I had to put up with some other parents. I can tolerate a lot. If someone apologizes, showing respect, I can tolerate a lot.
No comments:
Post a Comment