Garry was up early because he has a medical thing today. He wanted the extra time to have coffee, for showering and all that morning stuff. I lolled in bed for an extra hour, mostly because that’s how long it takes me to get my back functioning.
I’ve gotten pretty good at untangling myself. It’s all about positioning, taking the pill I sometimes don’t want to take, but if I take it, the day goes a lot better than if I don’t … and slowly stretching until things are more or less mobile. My back has been in poor shape since I was a teenager. I had my big surgery on it when I was just 19 and time hasn’t been kind to the bones.
Time generally isn’t kind to bones. Arthritis seems to be universal for damaged joints, whether broken by accident or surgically renovated … and often, just “because.”
Mine are a mess both because of surgery — and “just because.” Arthritis is not a special issue at our age. It’s not a matter of “if,” but more like “how bad” and “how much does it affect you.” It wasn’t too bad this morning. I slept on my back and generally, if I make myself sleep on my back, I wake up more mobile than sleeping on my side, which I find a lot more natural. My back doesn’t agree. There’s not much point in arguing with my spine. It always wins.
So we are off. Garry is getting a CATscan of his head to make sure he has all the requisite pieces for a cochlear implant. Then, in another few weeks, the first doctor’s appointment with the cochlear audiologist, then after that, the surgeons. This stuff takes a lot more time than people think it will.
When you have an emergency, everything happens in a hurry, but when you have choices to make, it takes time. And of course, it’s winter, so everything takes more time. Christmas vacations chop December into pieces and the hangovers from New Year’s take care of early January.
I remember waiting for my heart surgery. First, they hustled me along. Urgent, urgent, urgent … but they delayed it three-times. I had to delay it once because I had pneumonia. Heavy coughing doesn’t go well with heart surgery. It took — in total — more than three months between determining I needed the surgery and actually having the surgeon and me both available at the same time. Emergencies came up and for a heart surgeon, they are always first. Heart surgeons live on emergency schedules. By the time I actually got into the hospital, I was an emergency. You can’t always tell from testing alone — and that’s something everyone needs to remember.
This surgery for Garry isn’t an emergency, but it is not optional, either. It needs to be done. Hearing aids won’t work for him anymore, so it is this or a gradual and close to total loss of hearing for him. He needs his hearing back. I need it back, too, though I wonder what it will be like knowing he really can hear me. I won’t be able to mutter under my breath all the time!
Our granddaughter sent me a note last night suggesting we should have Garry run for president … because we know Garry could fix everything. I’m pretty sure Garry doesn’t think he could fix everything, but sometimes, I wonder. He’s been a pretty good fixer over the years — and even when he can’t fix stuff, he’s very good at getting everyone to CALM DOWN. In the process, he may be leaning towards madness, but you’d never know it to look at him.
A man with a poker face like that should have played poker. What a waste!
I’ll be back later, but not with more news. They never tell you anything at radiology. You have to wait for the doctor to officially tell you. Eventually, news will follow but do not hold your breath!
Categories: #gallery, #Health, #Photography, Garry Armstrong, Hearing, Humor, Medical
Reblogged this on Crazy Pasta Child.
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Hi, EVERYBODY Just wanted to say “THANK YOU” for all the words of support and kindness. They mean a lot to me. You folks are the best!
Can you hear me now??
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Best wishes to Garry! You better start training yourself not to mutter now so you don’t slip up. 🙂
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I think it’s too late. I’m a serious mutterer.
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Me too!
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Thanks, Rebel. No more Brando imitations here.
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I can only imagine how difficult it would be to have hearing loss. From the post Marilyn wrote of the one day you had at work sounded like pure stress! Don’t know how you managed.
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It was hard and required very intense focus. Of course, his hearing has since then deteriorated a lot. If it had been as bad as it is now, he couldn’t have done it with all the will in the world. At that point in time, hearing aids still worked. Now, they don’t.
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Rebel, it took a LOT of will and determination which became almost automatic for me. Stress? Yes, lots of that, too. Oh, my!
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Wishing you both all the best! I have a couple of young friends who had cochlear implants (I used to be a speech pathologist and worked with several deaf students) and life is whole new thing for them. I hope it goes as well for Garry!
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I hope so too. He is very nervous about it. I don’t know whether it’s the surgery itself, or just worrying about how it will be for him. I’m not sure he knows, either. Regardless, this seems the only option left for him, so either he will lose his hearing completely, or hope this works out. I think he’s at least partly concerned about his age. But he’s a very healthy guy for his age, so thank you and let’s all hope for the best.
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Please let us know how it goes, Marilyn.
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I will. But it’s going to be a while before we are even ready to proceed. I think at least another month and a half, probably more like 2 months and a bit. Just getting all the parties together. There are three different areas of the hospital involved, plus surgery. The organization alone is complicated.
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Thanks, Mom. I took speech therapy in college to cope with my hearing loss.Ironically, the improved diction helped me in my radio and TV news career. Who knew?
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One of my favorite Dilbert comic strips. Good luck, Garry. http://dilbert.com/strip/2014-03-14
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I love Dilbert and that cartoon is SO on target!
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Dilbert so gets it. My office door is plastered with these comics. It is our comedy relief. I hope all goes well for Garry. Yeah, Marilyn, that muttering under your breath will have to stop….
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When I was working, it was Dilbert all the way. They even have … A TECHNICAL WRITER. Who no one ever understands. Talk about RELATING.
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Thank you, Lois. Dilbert’s always been a favorite.
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Garry really cleans up nicely. 🙂
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He does. That’s how he managed to convince the world that he knew what he was talking about on TV 😀
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OK, so maybe if I dress up once in a while, my wife will think I know what I’m talking about?
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It’s worth a shot.
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EMILIO, it’s worth a try. YOU will like it.
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I’ve learned it’s not about me. As long as she likes it…. 🙂
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Thanks, Emilio!
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I hope the scans go well. It must be quite exciting to think that if all goes well eventually Garry will be able to hear properly without aids. So many things to enjoy. As for arthritis I guess it is the downside of living longer, we were not designed for it. After years of being a cleaner I thought my knees would go, they do creak but I have more trouble with ankles these days. Thankfully I’m still mobile.
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We are trying to be cautious. It takes a while until you hear “normally” and they will only do ONE ear — the worse one because once they remove the parts they need for the implant, that ear will never hear without an implant. There’s always a risk of infection — stuff that’s possible after any surgery. But — IF all goes well, from whenever they do the surgery, there will be some months of relearning sounds. Then, in less than a year, he will have real hearing in that ear. We’ll know more tomorrow when presumably the doctor will call and tell us the scan went well. One step at a time.
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So, I’ll be able to hear my creaking body better. That’s good to know. Thanks, Tas.
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🙂
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One of the best investments we’ve made over the past years is an adjustable bed. It’s done wonders for sleeping and my aching bones. I honestly can’t recommend it enough for bad backs, breathing problems, digestive issues, &c… It doesn’t cure anything but holy hell does it help.
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We got our adjustable bed more than 15 years ago when everyone thought they were only for hospital patients. But my back was bad and my breathing was worse. Garry didn’t really get it at the time, but since then, he has fallen absolutely in love with our bed. We need a new mattress, soon. Not wanting to spend the whole price for the mattress, I bought a 3″ topper for the old one and that’s pretty good and will hold off needing a new one for another couple of years.
For anyone with breathing problems and back problems, there isn’t anything better. I really LOVE our bed. I mean — I really 💖LOVE 💖 our bed.
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Duke and his cohorts are waiting to test drive our bed. They’ll wait and wait and wait.
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Garry’s getting a cock implant? Won’t that put additional strain on those arthritic old(er) bones?
Oh, wait, I misread the post (probably because I’ve been trying to finish up that holiday eggnog). Hearing better is important, too. Hope all goes well with the CAT scan and the subsequent surgery.
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Right now, I think the better hearing will do him more good than anything that works from the other end 😀
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I’ve been waiting, waiting, for that mis-interpretation. Nothing wrong with THAT part of the body. Thanks for the laughter.
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You can always count on me, Garry.
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All we can do in those situations (of ‘non-emergency’) is hope for the best. I’ll be watching for the news. And your Garry would do a much better job (I’m sure) than anyone I’ve seen running for office; he seems to have some good common sense and that’s lacking in everybody who is ‘in’ these days it seems. Best of luck!
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This will take a couple of months. Even my cancer surgery took a couple of months. But we’ll get there, we hope.
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Not sure if good hearing is important in politics but thanks for the words of encouragement.
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Embeecee, thanks for the encouragement. It’s really appreciated here.
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Hope everyhing goes well with Gary. And look after your bones, you will need them for a few more years. I am not going to explain how I manage to achieve an upright position when leaving my bed in the morning, but it would look good on a comedy show on the TV.
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I REALLY know the feeling well!
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Maybe Mel Brooks will write a pilot comedy show ….”What?”
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Good luck, Garry. ❤
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THANK you, Martha.
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Wow you have a lot ahead of you and I am sending you the most positive vibes for all to go well!
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Thank you. I really can use the positive vibes. Very nervous and anxious here.
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Thinking of you and sending many positive thoughts and vibes.
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So hopeful for this opportunity for this change of life procedure for Garry. He has always yearned. And deserved this sense to full capacity
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Yes, but he is very nervous about it, too. He has seen me through a lot of surgery, but he hasn’t had very much through the years. He’s a pretty healthy lad, even now 🙂
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Thanks, Susan. One take on everything now….maybe.
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Best wishes to you!
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Thank you!
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I certainly hope all goes well and that the implant is a huge success! I do know what you mean about arthritis. Yech!
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Apparently it has always been with us. Even very early human skeletons show arthritic changes. Dogs, horses, people, cats … it’s just what happens to old bones, I guess.
I’m hoping all goes well. Fortunately, it’s just a scan so it’s an easy test.
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That’s a relief then, for sure! I’ve had mine, know where it is, yeck.
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Will they find anything inside my head? I have doubts.
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Now, now, there’s lots up in that head of yours. Hope everything works out for the cochlear implant. That will be life changing for you. You’ll be able to hear my music.
Leslie
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Thanks, Leslie. I am trying to overcome fear of the surgery. Fear of that unkown. Hearing your music is a great incentive. Thanks so much!
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There’s a certain trust you need for your surgeon, then it’s out of your hands, Garry. If it works it could be life changing in a good way. Have courage.
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lmao I was going to be smart ass but decided against it lol
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Awwwwww!
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