So, She brought me the laptop today, so I can finally contact the world! (Thanks serving as go between, Bill!). I am, however in an intensive program, and the wi-fi ain't terzacly the fiber optic I have a t home, so I shall no doubt remain somewhat peripheral for the nonce.
Roger, I truly wish I were at Kish (She has had 3 shoulder replacements, and they are, indeed, 1st rate. And, they're 5 minutes from home.
Alas, due to the vagaries of the for-profit insurance scam, the surgery was at Good Samaritan in Downers Grove (45 min). As Bill said, the surgery stopped the pain I had it for; this was my 3rd go, and so that was expected. What was not expected is that when I awoke I no longer had the use of my right leg. During the interceding week, I noticed some mild numbness on the right side of my face; 3.5 hours of various scans later, they decided I had a TIA ("mini-stroke"). Those symptoms have receded, but I now face life as a stroke "slightly elevated" risk for a full-on stroke; they found 60% blockage of the right carotid artery - and almost none on the left artery, which would have caused right-side symptoms (I will point out here that, despite my diet, life-style, and immense lard-assedness, I am not diabetic, my average resting pulse is 62, ave. BP 117/70, and heart and all cardiac arteries are excellent).
While looking at the stroke, they quite accidentally discovered a 5mm aneurysm behind the right eye; the bare stats: .03% chance it will pop anytime soon; if it does, 50% I'm done; they can repair it arthroscopically w/ 5% chance of complication. She is is thinking fix it now, as my friend Rufus Brown (great guy, wonderful dad, superb guitarist & pianist) discovered his by dropping at breakfast, age 33.
I, however, have concerns about complications (did I mention I CAN"T FREAKIN" WALK??)
So, now I am in "acute residential rehab" at Lutheran General in Park Ridge (75 min from home; again, for-profit insurance) for an unspecified number of weeks learning how to drag 290 non-functional pounds around a 100 year old house that Bill will attest was not designed for such living.
As near as I make out from the 3,965,295 medicos I speak to each hour, my foot will recover in 3-4 days (didn't happen), 2-4 weeks, 4-6 months, and/or never.
And I have just hit the wall, my friends; I will now call the young folks who will assist me in getting undressed & into bed, and give me the drugs to hopefully whack me out of the very dark place I assure my head is in right now.
Peter (who did get a sponge bath from 2 20-y-o nursing students out of the deal.........)
