Right around breakfast the next day, I meet Dr. Stevens, the doctor in charge of the rehab unit. I’ve been told he’s really good in dealing with physical problems. I haven’t been told he’s somewhat different and the absolute master of the rehab unit.
Actually I hear Dr. Stevens long before he makes his appearance. He’s loud and his routine is designed to reassure the older patients. After he says "Good Morning," he announces what day of the week today is. Loudly. I guess many of his patients don’t hear all that well. As far as I can hear, and I’d rather not, he says the same exact thing to everyone.
Soon Dr. Stevens comes in and tells me it’s Wednesday. He asks me how I feel, but doesn’t wait for an answer. He does ask me to sit up so he can take a look at the sterile dressing covered wound.
Dr. Stevens pulls part of the dressing back so he can see the wound. He’s not wearing gloves, but while I notice that, I don’t think anything of it. After looking at the wound and poking around the edge with his ungloved fingers, he puts the old dressing right back. He doesn’t clean or wash the area. This is 6 days after surgery and the wound shouldn’t really be treated that casually.
For some reason I’m scheduled for yet another MRI. The trip down is bumpy and painful and I get claustrophobic which is not at all usual. The MRI doesn’t go well. I ask for a stop only a few minutes in and I return to my room, with the intent to trying again later today.
Later that day, a nurse changes the dressing per orders. She does wear gloves, but makes no attempt to wash or otherwise clean the area. The orders say to change the dressing, not change and clean the wound. Apparently DCMH protocol is to follow the orders exactly.
I go to both the morning and afternoon physical and occupational therapy sessions. The therapists all seem very young, but maybe I’m just old. They seem to know what they’re doing. What I don’t feel is the push to do things that I felt in outpatient PT.
I’m still pretty weak and the therapy is tiring. A nap is in order.
One bad note: some of the neuropathic pains in my feet and lower legs seem to be returning. I have no idea why. The twitching is most gone thankfully. There have only been two brief episode of twitching since the surgery.
I’ve figured out how to get two cans of Diet Coke per meal, and what extension to call to get them sent up if they’re missing.
After dinner it’s back to the MRI and this time I get through the procedure. They gave me a tiny, useless does of Atavan in the morning, but for the evening they prep me with a solid dose of Valium.
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