Sunday, November 16, 2008

Hi Folks!



The above xray is a picture of my stabilized neck. 8 hours+ of fine work about 10 weeks ago...Many of you have been glad I've been gone, but a few actually missed me, so I'll tell you what happened to me on Aug 1st.This will probably be a long post and not characteristic of me at all, seeing that it's generally a happy story. But given what has recently transpired in this country, I figure a happy-gram can't hurt.

I woke up to pee, the bane of Oldfarts around the world, about 2AM. My heart went into an nasty rhythm and I fell forward and landed on the pedestal of our bath and instead of sliding into the the damn tub, I folded further, jack-knifed my neck and crashed to the floor.Think of all the football players you've seen take seemingly minimal hits and then never move again. That was me.

My Love was on a red-eye flight back from Seattle and only our children were home. I was on the floor and realized I was paralyzed. Luckily our 17 yo little girl heard the noise of the fall and came running with big brothers right behind her. I remember screaming that I've broken my fucking neck, asking our oldest to get a pistol and please put me out of my misery, and wishing to die. I cannot, to this day, imagine what hurt I caused them...

Instead my youngest called 911, told them her dad, Dr Oldfart, had fallen, broken his neck, needed the flight team and spinal cord steroids and to be taken to our "terrible" County Hospital, were I work and teach, and right now!! Our next oldest took a pen and touched all dermatomes and told me (later) that I said I could feel some of it and he knew I would be alright. Our oldest stabilized my neck and moved my arms out from under my body instead of getting my 44 and putting me out of my misery. My children hate medicine. I have no idea how they knew to do this..

The "terrible" EMS flight crew had me on my flight pad in 15 MINUTES from the time of my fall where I remember seeing 2 of my colleagues and our chief of trauma. I don't remember too much of what happened next or the month of August. Your mind shuts down in times like these to minimize the trauma. I have "snapshots" and what has been told to me by family and friends.

I can not imagine what went through my Love's mind when her phone went off as soon as she turned it on when she landed and the message from our son was do not stop, come directly to the hospital, dad is phucked up bad.

For a couple of weeks my surgeon was "hanging crepe" which is doctor talk for this patient is FUBAR. Luckily, I do not remember being on the ventilator. According to my big brother, when I was awake, I would thrash my neck about to try to complete the job and die. Apparently when I didn't have a tube in my throat, I was not a nice person either. The list goes on and mostly downhill.

After a couple of days my surgeon buddy decided no resident or any other doctor was to touch me except him, unless he asked for them and he needed them. Within a few days I developed a blood clot, underwent several rounds of unsuccessful cardioversions, had a vena-cava filter placed, was bronchoscoped, went into ARDS... Oh the fun I missed!

After a few weeks my doc decided to give me 1 last try to get off the ventilator before fitting me with a trach and feeding tube. It worked. A day or so after some of the sedation wore off, I began to move my hands and feet a little. I was transferred to a spinal cord rehab facility. When I got there, it was apparent they were expecting "second base" if you know what I mean. Three days later I stood up and walked with assistance and I continued working from there.

Today I'm climbing stairs and back in the ED, slower, weaker, and tired, but I'm back...

What really happened...

The fall and stuff is all true, the medical care exemplary but not experimental..Within a few hours of my Love's arrival, my big brother and sister arrived. My children started e-mailing friends about what happened. By the end of the next couple of days I was on more prayer lists across the nation than I even knew existed.

My ex-residents, friends from everywhere, and even old fraternity brothers from college started showing up in the ICU to add their support and, dare I say, love, for me and my family.

Fans of this blog started finding ways to get to me. Rad Girl cooks some MAD cookies! Dev and Lynn, you guys rock and some day we will meet. The author of a competing blog managed to figure out who I was and showed up in the ICU to offer his best wishes. I was still unconscious. That was classy Grunt Doc (at least I think it was you, I still don't know). 911 showed up after I was transferred, with a bottle of fine sippin' whiskey. Two of my ex residents flew in from the east coast to make certain my major project continued to run smoothly. Of course all of my colleagues from the hospital showed their support. Without my nurse and tech friends, it would have been so much harder on my Love. They really took care of her. My big brother was astounded that, given my warm and fuzzy nature, that this many people even knew me much less gave a crap about me.

In short, I'm not so much much of a medical miracle as I am a spiritual miracle. And you people are no small part of that. Many of you know I am a born again Christian (also a preacher's kid, we're the worst it's true) I am alive and kickin' today because of the thousands of people who prayed for me and God is faithful to answer the prayers of his children.

I could keep on going, more gross medical shit, things I did and said (supposedly), mushy stories of how great my wife, kids, family and friends are, etc but that would just be too weird for me..Anyway, I'll tell some more stories about it in time if you want, otherwise I'll just try to get back to being my usual crabby, cussin, complicated self and post a few extra comments and stories. May even use you all for therapy from time to time...God bless you all, your friend and burr under the saddle, OF

42 comments:

  1. Hello, Old Fart...

    I kinda like that screen name. Nice to meetcha.

    Come visit me sometime. Nice neck, BTW.

    Cordially,

    EK

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  2. I hope you're feeling better--hang in there.

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  3. Woo!

    He types!

    We're all soooo glad to hear from you!

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  4. You're alive!!!! So glad to see ya posting again!

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  5. Hmm Old Fart,
    do you know you have a hunk of metal in your neck?? Amazing story, I cry like a little girl if I twist my Ankle. Just be careful when your Insurance Company takes you to Court and pulls off the old "Make a Loud Distracting Noise to get you to Look and Prove that your neck really isn't immobilized" like on that "Brady Bunch" episode.
    Does it set off metal detectors?

    FD

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  6. Welcome back. It sounds like you are blessed.

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  7. I'm glad you are alive and back. I missed you.

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  8. Sounds like when you have to pee..you really have to pee!

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  9. OH HELL YEAH! Welcome back MY MAN! It amazes me how a little ICU time will bring friends/family/that guy your brother went to college with out of the freakin' woodwork. Don't get hooked on any pills though; influential conservative thinkers are suckers for them pills.

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  10. I am so glad you are ok and very pleased to finally read the story. You know I believe the prayer thing works. I belive it helped my cancer ordeal go so much easier than it could have. It also doesn't hurt to know just how many people care about you and are thinking good thoughts for/about you, does it?

    I'm so happy you are doing well!

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  11. And it isn't just old people who get up to pee in the night...unless I am old and didn't realize yet.

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  12. (Sorry only got to say welcome back earlier. Just got to read your post.)

    OF you have some amazing children. They will be stronger and empowered knowing that they saved your life and your mobility.

    Dang it! I didn't know we were going to be able to pierce the blog-confidentiality barrier, I would have sent you a card or something. Sorry I missed out.

    Really do enjoy your posts and very glad to see you back.

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  13. Your children and family sound amazing. So glad it all worked out for you (and us)! Take care. Blessings.

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  14. OF - what an amazing story! You were in our prayers! So thrilled you are back - you were missed. Keep on keepin' on!! And, I loved how you called your wife "My Love". Your kids sound absolutely awesome. S.Cat Family

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  15. Okay, that's it, I'm never peeing again.

    YEAAHHH!!! I'm so glad you're back-- oriented AND ambulatory. I meant to ask 911 to tell you that I never stopped praying for you--last prayer was on the way to work today.

    By the way, you shouldn't stay away so long--you'll miss one of my marriages (-:

    We missed you!
    Dev

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  16. Ah, Fartie, hearing your voice was a thrill because I knew you were going to be ok.

    Now. The next time you gotta go pee, I recommend a bucket with a big ol' target painted on it that sez, "Aim here."

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  17. Texas rig for me after 50. Great to have you back OF. What an ordeal!

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  18. Good to have you back, Oldfart. We sure did miss you!

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  19. Proof that weeds don't die!

    In all seriousness, that is a touching story.

    Good to have you back, glad to hear your doing well.

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  20. Glad you are back. I appreciated hearing the what happened.

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  21. Glad you are back; I appreciate hearing what happened.

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  22. Thanks for checkin' in with MDOD's readers. Sux bein' the patient, doesn't it? Glad to hear you are on the mend.

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  23. So glad you are back. You were missed. We won't mind hearing more.

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  24. Amazing story. I had no idea. I'd say it's more about good care, steroids, and personal fortitude than prayers, but that's just me. In any case, it's good you're back.

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  25. what a seriously wonderful story, oldfart. this is the stuff about medicine that will forever amaze me.

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  26. Sorry, OF, I didn't mean for that to sound snarky or bitchy (the sucks being the patient part). Just sayin' that it sucks to be in a hospital badly hurt. On the "wrong" end, if 'ya know what I mean.

    I can't even begin to fathom how much the total costs were for that 2 a.m. pee...emotionally, financially and otherwise.

    You really are a blessed man, however. I read trach and feeding tube and woah!! Just damn.

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  27. Old Fart, I am so happy to read of your recovery. I think only a healthcare provider would understand how much more horrible it is for us to find ourselves trapped in our own worst nightmare. Bless all those who rallied to your aide and put your feet back on the road to recovery.

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  28. Can I ask? Was the "vena cava filter" you mentioned that Greenfield thing that you guys had up a few months ago as the mystery x-ray? The one that catches clots?

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  29. I'm very glad you're up and about.

    Yeah, it was me. Your wife was very nice, and it sounds like you wouldn't have recalled my witty repartee. We'll meet up someday.

    Oh, and we don't compete, we compliment. Ego, Id and all that.

    GruntDoc

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    1993'den beri Çıpa Marka Şerit Testere Üretici Firma Tel:0212 664 22 00

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  31. Wow, that is an amazing story. I'm so glad you're OK.

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  32. Damn, dude. If you wanted a vacation you didn't have to go to that much trouble. Egads.

    j/k Glad to see you back! :)

    ps ~ I've never been so thankful that I have to sit and pee!

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  33. Amazing story, I'm glad that all has turned out well. I'd love to hear more in time. Here's to good family and friends and continued healing.

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  34. Unable to bake cookies to save my life, I am still so glad you are on the mend. :-)

    All the best,

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  35. If god really existed, you'd not have falled in the first place. But if you think prayer is a big deal, whatever. Placebos do work too.

    I always encourage patients to pray if they seem like the type. It seems to calm them.

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  36. anon,
    just one question, how do i know you exist?

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  37. Great to see you back. Amazing story (proving most accidents do happen in the home!?), amazing recovery, and most of all, what I took from that whole story....besides not to pee after 0200, is how amazing your children are.

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  38. Thanks for sharing your story. It helps to hear the patient's side of things after the fact. I see them intubated and sedated, (or on sedation holiday and and downright pissy). It's a reminder to me that everyone of my patients is a person underneath all that medical crap.

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  39. That is one wild ride! You are not only lucky, but blessed to have made it through such an ordeal!

    It just goes to show you that WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN TO GO......it's not your turn to go.

    I wish you the best and speediest recovery. And best wishes to your family, who are simply amazing in their speedy response to your injury.

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  40. God bless you and glad you are back, now the hard part--you have to figure out why you are still here and what He wants you to do.

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  41. Meandered over here from ERNursey's blog having no idea what to expect.

    Welcome back indeed. I'm sure the Lord has something very interesting for you in the future to have gone through all this trouble to keep you here! :-)

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  42. came from ERNursey's blog, i haven't heard of you before but it's good to see that you recovered safely. i hope you don't get in anymore accidents.

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