Sorry I have not updated the post for some time. I have been out with a broken hip..The following is a description of my adventure.
Short Version - Fell going into Sports Bar on Oct. 30th to watch Steelers defeat New England. Broke Right Hip. October 31 Right Hip full replacement. Nov. 3 went to Faixfax Nursing Center for Physical Therapy. Returned to apartment Nov. 18th. Now walking with cane and other times without any assistance. Doing everything without a real problem. Jean has been awesome in getting me through this. She has fought all the paperwork battles and got me out of FNH. They wanted to keep me longer.
Longer Version - Fell going into Sports Bar on Oct. 30th to watch Pittsburgh Steelers defeat New England. Broke Right Hip. .Did not get to see the game, did not get dinner, or have any beer.
I was wearing my Steelers jacket. I am not sure that a New England fan did not trip me as the rumor that has been going around states.
October 31 Right Hip full replacement at Fairfax Hospital. The best food I had there were Ham Sandwiches. I had two regular meals that were over, over cooked vegetables and some unknown product that passed for meat. They had me up and walking on Nov. 1st. Not far since I had little strength do to the fact all I had for nourishment since Sunday was one ham sandwich. Everything else was jello and clear liquids. I became my obnoxious self and then they served me something they said passed for "good" food. I went back to ham sandwiches. Walked down the hall the morning of Nov 3rd.
Nov. 3rd I went to Faixfax Nursing Center for Physical Therapy. The time spent there was a real adventure. If all the event that happened there were in a book, they would have been humorous if they happened to someone else, but to me they were weird. You could never make up the events. I think I am going to write a play about my adventures. It would give Neil Simon competition for humor.
Like the florescent light above my bed which had a pull chain on it. An aide comes bouncing in and tells me he is "Joe COOL". Just push the button and he would be there. Later I pushed the button and he arrived. I asked him to turn off the light. He yanks on the pull chain and it comes off in his had. I had a light on all night. He never came back. The first 24 hours I had one good aide. Then they moved me to the Physical Therapy Floor. The did a good job on the PT, I got the message to do my exercises when I saw the Black Whips hanging on the wall.
Having played sports for so many years I had learned to play through pain. I always did the exercises without complaint. Then there were the 300 pound "Drama Queens" who put on a show when they had to do curls with a 2 pound weight. Their greatest exercise for the past 40 years was raising a fork of food to their mouth.Then there were the 90 pound elderly ladies who were doing their exercises without complaints, they wanted to go home.
Then there was my roommate. He was suppose to stay in his bed or wheelchair unless he was with an aide.There was this LOUD horn that would go off when he left either the bed or wheelchair. At night he would wander around the room or in the hall with a dipper or bare ass with the loud horn blowing. Not something I would wish for anybody to see. I remember one night the horn went off 7 times. Not much sleep that night. Not sure that he had an elevator that went all the way to the top. Finally he went home and I managed two night of sleep.
The food was better at FNC than at Fairfax Hospital. Often you had to look at the menu on the tray to determine what the meat was. They used the French method of preparing meat. Lots of sauces to hid the flavor of the meat.
I have to quote a friend of mine. "If a dietitian is involved do not eat it, a chef or cook it will be editable and may taste good".
Returned to apartment Nov. 18th. Jean helped me escape from FNC and brought me home. I live in a 4 year old condo where I have an elevator. I live on the top floor, (4th). Never had an elevator problem since I moved in.
I am sitting in her SUV while she gets Clarence and walks him. We did not want Clarence to get excited and soil the carpet. Meanwhile the FedEx man arrives to make a delivery. She returns to the SUV after a long wait and tells me the elevator is not working. She had ridden the elevator up to our floor and took Clarence back to the apartment. The FedEx man had gotten off earlier at the 3rd floor. She pushed the button nothing happens. Jean then then walks down the stairs and tells me the elevator is stuck between the 2nd and 3rd floor. I sat in the lobby till the Otis man got the elevator working 45 minutes later. We made sure he rode up with us and we did not get stuck.
Now walking with cane or now asistance. Doing everything with out a real problem. Had a 4 hour business meeting on Thursday with the VA. Could not have gone any better. We have a pilot project for sure. Now it is just paperwork and arriving at a dollar amount.
Jean has been awesome in getting me through this. She has fought all the paperwork battles and got me out of FNH. They wanted to keep me longer. She has battled the insurance companies and the doctors. Now when she talkes to them she has names and numbers and they do not know what to say but "yes" or answer the questions Then there was the doctors scheduler who hung up on Jean. Needless to say I was at the doctors office on Monday, not some time after Thanksgiving to get my stitches removed. If we were keeping score it would be Jean 20+ the others 0. These days you need someone to fight the battles for you while you are healing.
I will spare you the many other adventure that took place till I write my play.
David
