so waht ya doin today?

[Ian]

I wish it were that easy, John, but it's not. I basically just sat on my butt and didn't lift anything more than a half-gallon of milk for 12 days. My complication is 2% of neck surgeries and only about 10% of the small leaks don't resolve with just dietary modifications, so that means about two dozen cases in 20 years worldwide and there isn't much clinical data to go on for treatment. It isn't getting any better and my fear is the thoracic duct has healed with a pinhole in it, permanently. The only fix then is going to be surgery, but I want the hole fixed and generally the treatment is going to be to ligate the duct down in my abdomen somewhere which causes all sorts of other problems. It is possible to pinpoint the leak with a special contrast MRI and then go back and patch the hole surgically, but in the midst of all this Covid 19 crap and the city I'm being treated is #3 in the nation for new cases getting an MRI, having surgery, and securing a recovery room is going to be difficult, not to mention convincing the surgeon to actually do that. In the meantime I'm told to sit tight while my surgeon hopes this problem goes away.

 

[JonB]

Good luck Popper.
Sounds like one of the many episodes my Dad had, I think the first one was around 2001...
stints, bypass, valves...they keep him going until 2016.

 

[L Ross]

Just came in from fiddling around with a cobbled together 03 Springfield receiver sights "target rifle." Started with an 03 with the rear sight removed and drilled and tapped for a Williams 5D receiver sight. The original military straight grip stock had been severely cut down into a rough sporter.

I found a C stock in Minneapolis, (back when Minneapolis was still part of the U.S.), at a gun show. Someone had stuck a Read Head shotgun recoil pad on it so I got it for 60 bucks. I put 03A3 upper wood on it and associated hardware. I found a Lyman 17XNA front sight and a semi long slide 48 receiver sight. I planned on getting this out this past weekend when all the guys were here shooting but never found the time.

I took it out this morning and although it is still in the 80's and climbing, and the humidity is like a sauna, I knew this afternoon would be worse.
I have a pinhead front insert in the 17 and the head subtends 5 MOA. I tried the RCBS 180 and the Lee 312-155-2R and again the Lee won. So now it has a 100 yard zero, (I've added a 100 yard target frame), dead under the center of the pinhead. By some miracle it will hold a consistent 10 shot group right around 2". Velocity is about 1,550 fps from a recent chrono session. It helps that I sprayed a 5" orange bull on the white butcher paper backing so I can hold the pinhead fairly uniformly.

 

[L Ross]

I wish it were that easy, John, but it's not. I basically just sat on my butt and didn't lift anything more than a half-gallon of milk for 12 days. My complication is 2% of neck surgeries and only about 10% of the small leaks don't resolve with just dietary modifications, so that means about two dozen cases in 20 years worldwide and there isn't much clinical data to go on for treatment. It isn't getting any better and my fear is the thoracic duct has healed with a pinhole in it, permanently. The only fix then is going to be surgery, but I want the hole fixed and generally the treatment is going to be to ligate the duct down in my abdomen somewhere which causes all sorts of other problems. It is possible to pinpoint the leak with a special contrast MRI and then go back and patch the hole surgically, but in the midst of all this Covid 19 crap and the city I'm being treated is #3 in the nation for new cases getting an MRI, having surgery, and securing a recovery room is going to be difficult, not to mention convincing the surgeon to actually do that. In the meantime I'm told to sit tight while my surgeon hopes this problem goes away.

There needs to be an aw shucks tab in addition to the like. I am so sorry to hear you are having these problems. Coincidentally, the mother of one of my shooters from this weekend is going in for a biopsy on her thyroid. I sure hope she does not experience all of these additional issues like you have.

 

[Glaciers]

Damn Ian, don't know what to say other then keep your head up. Got keep your dauber out of the dirt.
Different comparison but my MIL, wonderful women had breast cancer beat it. Five years later she got bone cancer. Don't know the specifics but they gave her 6 months. She lasted 6 years, and 5 1/2 were good living. All it was was a good attitude. What a up beat Lady. Miss her.
Point is, keep your attitude up.

 

[Ian]

Thanks, John. It's difficult when dealing with a complication that has a high mortality rate and extreme rarity at this level and the attending physician is a royal, pompous, jealous prick who has mis-treated this complication from the very beginning, is as uncooperative as possible with me, and I'm stuck with him. He has deliberately excluded the recovery floor's surgical dietitian from the "team" because NIH syndrome/jealous ego. I've had to go behind the surgeon's back to get GOOD advice from the dietitian, since statements such as "Advance to a normal diet" mean nothing to me and the SD is like "that means 30-40 grams of fat a day, spread out, for a few weeks", not go grab a double cheeseburger/fries and milkshake, which could well be a "normal" diet to someone other than me. Dr. couldn't even hazard a guess as to how much fat a "normal" diet contained when I quizzed him. That's just one small example, I could go on and on and on and on with what my wife and I have been dealing with from this character. Not happy in the least with any of it, but kinda hard to fire the azzhole at this point because I don't know too many ENTs who are willing to take over my care mid-stream. So we wait until Friday and see what dumb idea he has for me to try next.

Sorry for the rant, it's a tough mind game right now. Best I can do is take it easy, keep eating no more than 3 mg fat/day, and hope for the leak to close up on its own by next week, so that's the outcome I'm cultivating in my mind. I just have to make myself believe it which is tough because I the surgeon and I both believed 12 days of malnutrition/starvation would have healed it, but it didn't change a thing, any little bit of fat I eat surges out the drain tube just like before. Doubtful that a few more days of fat-free eating will heal it. Case history I've been able to dig up on these leaks that went on past two weeks shows that by a month, half the patients died while the doctors stood around and scratched their butts and the other half survived after some manner of revision surgery. If the problem still persists and I don't get a satisfactory answer to a pro-active solution by Monday, I'm going to someone else and firing this jerk. I got way too much going for me to die because of someone's ignorance and selfish ego.

 

[Rick H]

Hate to even say this Ian, but document everything and seek a competent attorney as well. This could get ugly with the surgeon and then you will need him/her.
Talk with that attorney before you fire the Dr. so you know how to do it without limiting your options.

 

[Glaciers]

All I can say again, is do not get down, stay positive, you will get through this.
After this is over, go to the hospital parking lot, find his BMW and key it on both sides.

 

[Joshua]

Ian,

I'm sorry to hear about your complications. I can't say that I know how you feel. But I do understand your partner's role in all this.

I have been by my wife's side through seven different emergent surgeries(complications associated with Crohn's disease). The last episode involved a botched laparoscopic surgery, followed by two weeks of stomach pumping while they "waited" for it to get better. And, then a traditional operation, where they found and corrected the original problem(scar tissue had strangled a section of small bowel).

I would say your frustration is warranted.

Hang in there!

Josh

 

[Hawk]

Good luck, Ian! Stay positive!
One thing I have learned, Dr.s will not speak out against other Dr.s, so don't expect to find one that says "Yea, Your previous Dr. screwed up, let's kick his a$$".
Consulting with a medical malpractice attorney might be a good idea. It's the only thing that will keep them honest.

 

[Ian]

Nobody covers a doctor's ass like every other doctor, I know that for a fact. My mother's professional career was ended seven years short of retirement by a botched heart ablation leading to partially paralyzed diaphragm and collapsed lung. Her primary doctor (who was not the surgeon) first saw her when she could still barely breathe after 3 days home and confirmed collapsed lung and nerve damage. I encouraged her to sue for lost wages until 65 but her primary clammed up, denied any knowledge of "cause", and her test results went missing. No witness, no case, no money. She was highly reluctant to sue but my point was stuff happens beyond dr's control sometimes and patients get hurt/disabled...that is WHY malpractice insurance exists, same as bonding/insuring of the guy who comes to unclog your toilet.

ALL I want is to get well so I can be a husband/dad and go back to work strong and confident in my recovery. Whatever it takes to ensure that is what I'm going to do.

 

[RBHarter]

Ian I sure feel for ya . Outside of watching 2 attending devolve into harsh and aggressive language in the hall over a med that may have gotten my Dad another 3 months to 2 yr or at least made his last 2 weeks about 10x easier on him and probably use as well , I haven't had any significant issues with MDs .
Vision is its own train wreck ......

Spontaneous run back to Ft Smith .
Ms has been bumped for new glasses since December and finally got some a week ago , resorting to Same Club ....... The daughter crashed her glasses and we had an appointment next week , but they're being forced to shut down again for as much as 3 months ........ At least we were able to get them .

 

[Ole_270]

Went in to have blood drawn for a psa test just now, lab tech wanted me to sign saying I'd pay since medicare wouldn't pay this often. Had a test and biopsy last December that turned out negative, enlarged but negative. I was suspicious of the 6 months retest for such a slow growing cancer and now am sure the Dr is just padding his bank account. Just like the local dr who insists on quarterly A1c tests even though mine have been dropping steadily and the last two were 6.2. This and Ian's adventures bolster my suspicion that they're not treating us, they're mining the insurance for all it's worth.

 

[JonB]

Knee rehab Day 9: PAIN
Backing up to yesterday, it seemed the pain meds weren't doing there job. My Mom always talked about biorhythms, I'm thinking all my biorhythms collided on the low side of the cycle yesterday, and somehow overrode the pain meds. On the bright side, later yesterday, a friend brought me a gift of several cold packs, the soft 3M cold packs work great at night, and the large "eight hour" cold pack works great during PT/rest cycles.
Today, I had my 3rd PT appointment. I guess day 9 is where the PT tech decides to have me push past the limits

All my PT prior to today was just about moving things around...Now it's time to really start stretching. I do feel better now (5 hours later), but DANG it was painful. During PT, I had some flashbacks of the PT that I had in 1977, that I thought I had permanently deleted from my brain. For those that don't know, I was in a Motorcycle accident in 1977, broke my Femur in two places and ripped up my leg, so I spent 6 weeks in traction and another 8 weeks in a body cast, then I had to learn how to walk again ...the learning to walk PT is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy.

 

[JonB]

SNIP >>>

Best I can do is take it easy, keep eating no more than 3 mg fat/day, and hope for the leak to close up on its own by next week, so that's the outcome I'm cultivating in my mind. I just have to make myself believe it which is tough because I the surgeon and I both believed 12 days of malnutrition/starvation would have healed it, but it didn't change a thing, any little bit of fat I eat surges out the drain tube just like before. Doubtful that a few more days of fat-free eating will heal it.

Well, I'm still prayin' for you Ian. I don't know how anyone could get by with 3mg fat/day for any period of time ...with my diet, I am quite sure my farts contain more than 3 mg of fat.

 

[popper]

Doc day, got surgery set for 7/7 @ 6:30 show up time. Then said I could get covid test today if I hurried. Yup, hurry up and wait - lots of paperwork to fill out, blood drawn again. Insertion wasn't too bad and I actually can breathe better now! - alergies and african dust just about get me. Dew point @ 80 and temp in upper 90s doesn't help.. Anyway, good to go and doc said if I didn't get in, expect ER surgery. Don't want to do that. Absolutely no appetite.

 

[Mitty38]

Popper, Ian, Jonb, I have been praying for you guys and still will.

 

[358156 hp]

Doctors are in business to make money.
Their business is in the medical field.

That said, I've seen plenty of Doctors run up the tab with extra procedures that appear to have no more value than to generate revenue. My wife had an inherited kidney disease and it was pretty common to see them order tests redone to verify the original test results. I caught my Dentist lying to my Ins. Co. about how many teeth he worked on in an appointment. Now he doesn't accept my insurance but do you think he would have told me before my last appointment? No.

Annnnd, he's fired now.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

Ian I can only repeat what all before me have said! STAY STRONG and let us help you when we can. Kevin

 

[Cadillac Jeff]

Popper, Ian, JonB, We sure hope ya'll get healed up!!----All are best to ya.


Wellp finaly got the ol Harley fixed!!!---When I done the rebuild I replaced the old drive belt & the pulleys too----the new pulley was where the squeal was coming from----put the old one back on---no squeal any more!!! I think the new belt was just a touch wider?? or the new pulley thinner---anyway the ol girl is better than she ever was !!! all that after havein the rear wheel of & on 5 or 6 times.


Jeff