There is one phrase that I have
heard in doctors' offices more than any other phrase: "Give it more
time." This is also the single most frustrating thing to hear as a patient
in pain. After each of my surgeries, the doctors were hopeful that I would have
a full recovery, or at least that the pain would be reduced. Unfortunately,
that was never the case. I understand that only with time and physical therapy
does the full effect of a successful surgery become known. At the same time,
when my pain level remains exactly the same as it was before surgery, it is
hard to believe that more time will help at all.
During these times of waiting, I realize just how much this
situation is out of my hands. I can research my condition for hours, do each
and every one of my physical therapy exercises, and make dozens of phone calls
to doctors for second opinions, but that is the limit. Most of my time is spent
waiting for the next appointment, waiting for something to change, waiting to
hear a new diagnosis that might have been my problem all along.
Currently, I am three months post-op from my nerve release
surgery. Again, my foot feels exactly the same as it did before surgery. During
a post-op appointment today, the surgeon asked me to give it more time. This is
incredibly frustrating as, even though I know that my foot should not have any
more surgeries done on it in the near future, I want to do something, anything
to help. So I will be traveling to three specialists in Chicago over the next
two weeks and hope that one of them will give some indication of a next step. Honestly,
I just hope to hear anything other than "give it more time."
No comments:
Post a Comment