A Note from the Eastern Front, I’ve Got a Battle Plan
Hi, its Ray again, star of recent sagas featuring The Brothers Grubb and
Horizon Merciless, the “Lets Hope They DIE Before Costing Us Money” health care
mismanagement specialists. Well kids, yer ol buddy Ray has some good news, the
creatine DROPPED to six something and the iron rose to nine something … now,
I know what you are thinking, damn dude, yer sick as SCHIT! and you would be
right, I am at that … but its an upward trend, its good news, its SOMETHING
..
one of the few things I can still do is think, and as you might imagine
I’ve been pondering just what the hell to do next. I thought to myself, Self …
whatsa matta u? The matter was, I have a problem that is essentially two fold
from a physical point of view … fiduciary dilemmas aside … I am basically
up against a stopwatch that begins ticking the moment they knock my big butt
out cold. Time is critical, less is more and more is less. The other problem
is that the more they cut, the more the fluid shift gets exacerbated. As
RNJANERN so eloquently and succinctly put it, it doesn’t matter who does the
cutting, the body tries to compensate and stabilize itself, and fluid gets
mobilized
in the process, taxing kidneys already being beat up. (My own BSN/RN was
impressed with her interpretation of fluid shift, good job Jane!)
I need Laparoscopic surgery to keep the fluid shift down, and I need someone
fast to get in and out. Since I’m sick, lets keep it simple, and just get a
sleeve gastrectomy (yeah I know, forty grand to get switched by the time its
done if I’m lucky, but a cheap price to pay for what I hope is a new lease on
life)
So I call Dr. Peters, and his lovely wife answers and she is quite candid -
bad kidneys do not a happy doctor make, and odds are good I’m a really REALLY
bad risk for the doc.(sorry bout the smudge on the ol record there doc, ill
put a good word in for ya up here in heaven)(tho odds are better ill wake up to
flames and all my old friends) It turns out he is a perfectionist, and can
be quite slow (do it once, do it perfect, I’m like that myself)(but I try to be
half fast)
hmmmmmm well that puts the kibosh on Doc Peters …
Meanwhile, mom and Liz, having learned of the Great Brazilian Bail Out,
express their intense relief that I am not traipsing off into the rainforest in
search of a south of the border hack job (hell, south of the equator!) They
don’t know I’ve sent a letter to the esteemed doc running the lap VG idea past
him, but that’s ok
A glowing report comes in from the west coast about a Californian doctor …
and its not Doc K or Doc R
Gregg Jossart is a whiz kid who cut his teeth on laparoscopic instruments,
and the obesity support group reflects the praise given to a tee … fast,
skilled, incredible bedside manners and reasonably priced. Its nearly twice
brazils
cost, but you aren’t flying all day either (lol, OK, yes for a thousand
dollars an hour, ill fly, ILL FLY!)
His secretary Amy sounds super sharp and very on top of her game, and it
sounds like i just might have me a doctor, ill set up the phone consult for
Thursday, now that doc Z has given me some decent news and see if I cant hang
onto
the ground I’ve gained, and maybe grab some more.
Long day, started at five in the morning taking Liz to her transplant clinic
in philly (she’s doin GREAT GREAT GREAT, just hates that the seroma is
persisting) hey we just might wind up healthy for Christmas
Some gift. huh?
:o)