Author
|
Thread |
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/24/13 5:33 AM |
Three strikes and you're out...probably
Well, I hate to say it, but Linda did it again. She was having a great time at the Sucker Brook 'cross race and riding well, when she crashed on a muddy section after the barriers. This time, she fell on her shoulder and broke her scapula in at least 3 places. An ortho doc on the Cape looked at the CT and X-rays and said it's nothing that he would touch, but he referred her to a shoulder specialist in Boston. We'll know by tomorrow if she'll need surgery, but in my non-expert viewing of the scans, it sure looks likely. This is the third significant injury in less than two years and she's probably done competing. "Propeller Head" will most likely be retiring from the local 'cross peloton.
She's pretty bummed, as much because she was having so much fun before the accident as anything else. We may go to Gloucester to cheer on her team and the many friends she's made in the sport. We'll definitely keep riding 'cross bikes, but it will be on trails and dirt roads, not on racecourses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6890
Location: Maine9/24/13 5:56 AM |
Sorry to hear that
Bummer for sure and she has my best wishes. Sounds like she has a great spirit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT9/24/13 6:33 AM |
Ouch.
Bummer. Too many people are getting hurt these days!
Best wishes for a speedy, though relaxed, recovery. And good drugs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rickhardy
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1492
Location: Needham outside of Boston - the hub of the universe9/24/13 7:09 AM |
I am so sad to hear
I think this may be a first for Sucker book at last in the morning to have a muddy course, of course by afternoon everything was drying out. I am sorry for Linda. Hope she heals well. I have a shoulder specialist in Boston I can recommend if needed...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC9/24/13 7:34 AM |
Soorry to hear that
That's a bummer, missing the season. Hope she heals fast.
And I assume she's got her bone density checked not too long ago?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jesus Saves
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 1150
Location: South of Heaven9/24/13 9:31 AM |
Heal fast. Best wishes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19083
Location: PDX9/24/13 10:16 AM |
Speedy recovery for her! Sounds like a longer haul though as far as that goes. Shoulders are pretty complicated joints, get the best surgeon if that is the route she must go...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/25/13 5:34 AM |
So far...so good
Linda was feeling much better yesterday and was in better spirits, too. She should hear form the shoulder specialist today, then we'll have a better idea about her treatment and prognosis.
Rick, what's the name of your shoulder doc? I'm curious if it's the same guy that she's been referred to.
I was watching the carnage at the bridge before her race and it amazed me at the number of riders who had no idea how to ride it and ended up in a heap, often taking down several people behind them. There was even one slow learner who crashed on it twice! You have to be a bit crazy to race 'cross, but you don't have to be stupid...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/26/13 5:00 AM |
Linda was referred to...
...a Glen Ross at NEBH. She checked him out and he's apparently really good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rickhardy
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1492
Location: Needham outside of Boston - the hub of the universe9/26/13 6:02 AM |
Baptist
yup the NE Baptist Hosp is well regarded for their Orthopedics Dept
Wish Linda good recovery from us
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/27/13 5:34 AM |
I gave her your doc's name...
...and she may end up contacting him, as she's heard nothing so far.
It never ceases to amaze me how rude and unprofessional doctors can be. They seem to have no understanding that the single most important thing that patients need when waiting for a diagnosis is
communication
. Even if it's just a courtesy contact from one of their staff to say that the doctor hasn't been able to review their scan data, that's at least something that indicates that someone actually cares and is thinking about them. Completely ignoring people is absolutely inexcusable!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC9/27/13 7:55 AM |
quote:
It never ceases to amaze me how rude and unprofessional doctors can be.
And the "big name" doctors can be the worst!
I've been feeling like a cattle being passing through the assembly line of a butcher shop with the "star" orthorpedic who operated on me!
While waiting for my turn in a room, I could hear the doc went into an adjacent room and said "hi" before the door closes. 30 seconds later, I could hear the door openned and the doc saying "bye"!
When my turn came, it was "better"! It was over in about 90 seconds instead! He actually walked out of the room as I was still mid-sentence of a question!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Evan Marks
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1652
Location: NYC9/27/13 8:20 AM |
quote:
It never ceases to amaze me how rude and unprofessional doctors can be.
An observation based on 40 years of experience dealing with doctors - they exist on an elevated plane and are conversant with things most if not all of us can't relate to at all, not at all. Unfortunately, some of them are elevated to the extent that the basic niceties of human interaction fall below that plane of existence - they don't intend to be rude, they're simply unaware. Some, not all. If & when you find one who's caring, you cherish him/her.
Sorry to hear about your wife's crash. Hope she heals up well, and fast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19083
Location: PDX9/27/13 10:22 AM |
I have fired a surgeon after the surgery was scheduled. I walked out of his office after a third over hour wait, well over. Now the asshole has time and calls me telling me to get back there. I said your fucking fired, get some interns or an associate. he says, I already scheduled the surgery, you can't just go to another doctor. I said fuck you and hung up.
Elaine has a few @ work at the surgery center that are real fucks. A few of them are outstanding surgeons, but no correlation between skills and tude for the most part apparently.
Last edited by Sparky on 9/28/13 11:12 AM; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC9/27/13 11:16 AM |
quote:
doctors - they exist on an elevated plane
"Elevated"... from WHOM?
From illiterate janitors?
From high school drop out/assembly line monkeys?
Or from college/post graduate who have had clubmates (or own) similar injuries, can/have understanding of the mechanics/pathology behind, plus first hand experience on healing and rehabilitation???
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/28/13 5:56 AM |
I understand...
...that they may have heavy workloads and lots of "balls in the air", but that's why you hire a support staff to handle the small things. Linda is a Nurse Practitioner and she understands the operation of a medical office firsthand. Neither of us expect a surgeon to sit with her for an hour, hold her hand and tell her everything is going to be alright. However, we do expect the common courtesy of a phone call, at least from someone on the doctor's staff.
Yesterday, she thought she had made some progress in getting through in the morning only to hear nothing for the rest of the day. Now she has to wait until Monday, which is more than a week after the accident, and she still has no complete diagnosis, prognosis or surgery scheduled (assuming it's necessary). She has no idea if it could or will heal on it's own. Our frustration level is through the roof right now and it could have been avoided with simple communication.
It's hard to heal when you're stressed out because A-hole doctors can't be bothered to return a friggin' phone call!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jesus Saves
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 1150
Location: South of Heaven9/28/13 11:09 AM |
Nurses
Totally understood. That's why doctors also get the moniker "body mechanics". Establish a really good rapport with the nurses can be a big plus. They will certainly empathize with you and better look after you, including getting timely information/command the attention of the doctor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC9/28/13 7:54 PM |
Contrast
My situation is somewhat similar to that of Linda's. Looking back, I had wasted a full week, an extra week of pain and discomfort, before the surgery finally happened.
When my Mom broke her jaw, she had better luck. The Maxilo-facial specialist was able to see her the next day, surgery the following day. So a speedy route to recovery.
I get to see the contrast of good and bad practice in medicine. Yes, it's stressful to be left in the dark!
Do tell Linda to assume it'll heal on her own. That way, she can relax and let the body does it magic. Even if she end up having to have surgery, there's nothing to lose.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH9/30/13 5:37 AM |
She finally got through to the doc on the Cape
In desperation, she texted him on Saturday morning and he actually responded. One specialist has reviewed her scans and said no surgery was necessary. A second opinion is in the works. So, despite the aggravation due to lack of communication, at least he's doing the right thing from a medical standpoint. Linda's going to make an appointment with one of the specialists to discuss what she needs to do going forward.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3236
Location: Midland, MI9/30/13 6:38 PM |
Carpenters
I've had a number of ORIF (open reduction internal fixation) surgeries (pins and screws inserted and still there) and I was always more concerned about finding a good "bone carpenter" than a guy with good bedside manner. My most recent one was certainly that but he did a good repair. It was my task to chase him down for information and answers. It would have been great if he had been chatty and friendly but I was mostly worried about him being good with a drill and such. It seems that a doctor with well-rounded capabilities is a bit rare.
Remember: the difference between a doctor and God is that God doesn't think (s)he's a doctor.
Also remember that half of them graduated in the bottom half of their class.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5101
Location: Nashua, NH10/1/13 5:30 AM |
It's not a question of "chatty and friendly"...
...but rather of basic professionalism and communication. They should have it drilled into them daily that YOU DON'T IGNORE PATIENTS". Linda has a few patients that she'd rather not deal with, but she does the right thing and treats them professionally. There is NO excuse for any physician to do otherwise. The doc that fixed my hip wasn't warm and fuzzy either, but when I needed information and straight answers, he was right there. We had a great relationship throughout my recovery because of that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC10/1/13 9:24 AM |
Carpenter, artisan...
quote:
It's not a question of "chatty and friendly"...
...but rather of basic professionalism and communication
Exactly!
The past few weeks, I got to know quite a bit about collarbone repairs. As first, my thought being this is a simple repair and there's but one way to fix it: plate and screws. It turns out there're a lot of variation to that "simple" repair.
First of all, plate and screws isn't the only way. There're also nails (or rods, as some call it) that inserted into the hollow of the bone, which is a lot more widely used in Europe but only a few surgeons in the US. The nail/rod are slightly less secure than plates, but it's a lot less invasive so recovery tend to be much faster with fewer complications. For those that works out, that is.
And even with plate & screws, there're many variations. Some surgeons use one big plate, others use 2 smaller ones. Then there're compression plate (pushes the 2 broken end of the bone against each other) and just plain old-fashioned simple plates. Some use locking screws (newer trend) and many others don't (long existing technique). Further more, there're also different ways to do the incision to minimize soft tissue demage... the list goes on.
One would hope one's surgeon is up to date with the best established technique. But that doesn't appear to be the case. I've talked to 3 different surgeons. They each just use the one they're comfortable with.
With a non-communicative surgeon, you don't know what he'll be doing. They maybe using an out-of-date technique missing out on any improvements. Or they maybe trying out a new technique on you as their trial run!
quote:
I was always more concerned about finding a good "bone carpenter" than a guy with good bedside manner.
There's more to "bone carpentry". Just like some carpenters are good with their hands and technique. But others pay attention on how their handy work fits in the surrounding environment too.
It's not so much about bedside manner. It's more to do with professionalism. I got the impression too many surgeons forgot they're actually doctors. So communicating with patients about what they'll be doing and why are not considered neccesary part of the whole process. And they do as little of it as possible! :-(
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|