well, ain't that just a kick in the head?

I've never been a huge fan of filling out forms, especially when they are not really used anyway or aren't applicable to the particular situation. For instance, My Jerry was to return to Tupelo, a little over an hour away, to see the orthopedic surgeon about his broken knee/shin. I know that there are all kinds of reasons for this, including making sure nothing horrible has happened {like some bizarre infection} and that the swelling has gone down so surgery can be done to put some screws and bolts into place.

So we get there. And I notice right off that the layout of the building doesn't really suit folks that might use the services of say, orthopedic surgeons. Ya know, folks who are slightly incapacitated due to a broken leg. I'm just saying.

I check him in and take the numerous forms and begin to complete them. It becomes clear to me that the forms need some serious revamping cuz the same answers are repeated in multiple places thru~out. We finally get Jerry back to a room, and thirty minutes later, a nurse comes in and basically asks me all the same questions again. I could tell it wasn't just for verification purposes. In which case, wouldn't it make more sense to save the paper and patient's time/nerves, and just have the nurse do an intake in the first place?

So the doc comes in, asks if Jerry remembers him, seems crushed that he doesn't. I remind the doc that Jerry had a blow to the head {forget the fact that he is wearing a somewhat obvious blue adn white contraption about his neck/throat, extending from chin to chest} ~~ after all, you first met Jerry in the trauma center, where an entire team of trauma specialists were working on him. So it isn't odd that Jerry doesn't remember him. We're just happy he remembers his family, tho he doesn't always recall the visits or conversations he has had with them, over the last few days.

Then the doc asks me if it's ok for him to check out Jerry's leg. Since that's what we were there for, I was all like, go for it! But he was hesitating, gesturing to the soft splint that encases Jerry's right leg from mid~thigh to ankle. Since that contraption was something that that particular doc ordered, and since that particular doc is an orthopedic surgeon, I was really perplexed as to why the doc seemed at a loss when faced with a soft splint.

Finally, he realized that I was not going to just start unfastening velcro straps and loosen it up {mostly because Jerry was in a seated position, and I only unfasten the splint to either ice it or bathe him, when he is in a stable prone position~~and I didn't know what to do when he is in a seated position}, so the doc heaved a huge sigh, unfastened two of the numerous straps and stuck his hand inside the splint, squeezed Jerry's leg and said, "oh yeah, it's squishy enough" and then danced off, leaving the splint askew and me somewhat appalled at Jerry's very pale face and his gasps of pain.

However, let me give hah~YOU~jah props to the x~ray tech. She is the bomb! Mad skilZ? She's got them! She was the most gentle person, evah. Jerry remarked in wonderment that he'd never had a painless x~ray, til today. Since he has two fractured bones, that was amazing that she was able to position his leg in such a way that she could get her views without causing him pain. Yea!! Tech, go tech, it's your birthday!

Then they send us to the hospital. I asked if that was necessary, being that we were just there. Oh, they assure me, yes, it's essential. The hospital is going to need blood. And maybe some urine. Basically, they just weren't sure what the hospital does, cuz that's their job and so there.

So we get Jerry loaded back into the car. And I drive to the hospital {we love this folks, some of the best nurses and orderlies, evah!} and get him unloaded, go park the car, get into the admission stuff and then to the pre~operative room for the tests that the doc's office assured me was oh so necessary. Only to find out that they don't need to do any draws cuz HE HAD THE BLOOD TESTS DONE LESS THAN A WEEK AGO! I mention this to the nurse that the doc's office was adamant. And the nurse rolled her eyes, and I said, "you'd think a simple phone call might have eliminated the unneccessary trip and additional two percocets that Jerry needed cuz of the pain that was caused from moving his leg around getting him in and out of the car several times, hm?" She agreed.

So, basically six hours of manuvering Jerry, having his leg in a very uncomfortable position, etc etc...and all that was needed was the doc's copped feel, x~rays to confirm what three sets of x~rays show {yes, it's still broken}, and ... nope, nope, that's about it.

But, now we are home, Jerry is resting in front of a tv show that is featuring women cops of Memphis. He's drugged. And about as happy as ya can be with a broken leg.

I'm freshly showered. And about as happy as I can be with a husband with a broken leg.

And we are so very relieved that we do not have any other obligations til Monday's surgery. Yea!!!

{post surgery, the physical therapy can be done here, in Starkville...which a ten mile drive is a helluvalot better than 150 miles, right?}