h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, here I am again. I’ve been scanned, shocked, stuck with needles, and generally abused. These tests (a triple phase bone scan, and something called an EMG) have determined that I have arthritis in my right shoulder, and I do not have nerve damage in my right arm. Not a lot of information for the pain and suffering involved, but such is life.

My pain level has improved some, however I’m medicated up to my eyeballs so it’s a little hard to know what reality is these days.

Therapy: started up again with a physical therapist today, and I think he’s going to be a major improvement over the Witch Doctor occupational therapist who was in charge of my case. A lot more attentive, asked for my input, explained his plan of care. Plus, I’ll still be working mostly with the same assistant I’ve been with all this time, so I won’t have to learn to deal with 2 new people poking and prodding on me. It’s kind of a leap of faith to let people mess with body parts that hurt, so it’s a relief not to have to deal with multiple strangers.

Mental health-wise, I’m hanging in there, mostly.

Tomorrow, I have to drive 3 hours for training, sit there for probably 2 or 3 hours, then drive back. Over the mountain, where my therapist told me they had 5 inches of new snow when she left home this morning. The day after that, I go 90 minutes the other direction to see my pain specialist. Gonna be a fun filled week But, since I’m making a new start with therapy, I’m trying to be hopeful that I’m going to get more improvement this time around.

I’ve missed talking to everybody… hope everyone out there in Hootoo is healthy and happy

Ranger !!

Crikey, it does sound like a lot of evil tests for relatively little info, doesn't it ? But at least there's no nerve damage, which can only be a good thing, right ???

Glad you get along better with the new therapist...although I still think you shoulda whacked the other one when you had the chance

Ranger!
I was worried about you.
I hope this doctor is a big improvement.

*s and es to both*

Tanz: I'm still in the same office, so I may get the opportunity to whack the Witch Doctor yet...

Evangeline: yeah, I sure hope things start looking up!

There is a bit of good news in that diagnosis. I hope more good news arrives soon.

I'll take all the good news I can get. The old nerves have been wearing a wee bit thin lately, to put it mildly

Ranger! (carefully of course)

Glad this therapist is better, sounds like a big improvement!

Hiya Jazz!

I think he's going to be light years ahead of the Witch Doctor. He was actually discussing things with the assistant and I, instead of just giving orders and refusing to listen to other ideas. Was a pleasant change of pace!

Oh great, a Human being!!

Yeah, who'da thought that was possible???

Oh they're a Rare breed in the medical profession, but they Are out there!

I was starting to think the assistant therapist was the only one... I'm getting conditioned to cringe at the sight of scrubs or a lab coat

Yeah, I know the feeling!

Hi Ranger, hope it goes well.

I'm in physio myself at the moment: hope yours goes as well as mine seems to be.

I had my wrist in oneof those flexing machines yesterday: it's a good job Torquemada didn't have access to modern technology

Hiya AD, sorry I didn't see your post! Haven't been on for several days...

Not a lot of change for me, I'm afraid. They've got me in a compression glove and ace-wrapped up to my elbow, trying to push the swelling out of my hand and arm. Not doing much so far

Glad to hear you're getting some improvement... and yes, Torquemada would have had a field day with some of the implements of destruction that modern therapists use

No worries: I'm on and off myself from time to time, and I know that typing wrong-handed is a pain

I was quite lucky with the swelling: a couple of weeks' keeping my hand elevated as much as I reasonably could seemed to sort it.

Here's hoping for you, anyway At least you seem to have a good therapist now: getting on with them is probably the most important thing...