Gunga galunga

 And there you have it, folks. That's a wrap on the summer. And my guess is that we'll be turning the clocks back any moment now...

Medical updates?

The implants were supposed to go in back in July. But at the last minute (I wonder if the anaesthesiologists did their medical school homework at the very last minute, too) the anaesthesiologists saw something s/he didn't like, pulled the plug and requested more imaging. So then the new imaging needed to get done. A drive back from NH to get the imaging then a drive back up to NH to "resume" vacation. A couple of tense weeks while all of that gets scheduled and the followup meeting to discuss the results with the neurosurgeon. Once the all-clear signal is given the procedure gets re-scheduled and vacation is cut short again. No returning to NH this time. 

So the good news is that I don't have an aneurysm. "So I got that going for me, which is nice."

Got some really nice rides in while in NH Starting to feel like I know the ins and the outs of the backroads in that area. Some really nice roads for riding on. Just fabulously beautiful and peaceful with all sorts of wonderful things, both natural and man-made. The rocks, the bogs, the erratics, the bridges, the old barns...

So today was the first follow up visit with Dr. Implant and as I say, he was very happy. Ready to schedule the next procedure! 

The bone graft was better healed than the doctor expected so he was able to put in an extra screw. It's nice when the doctors are all excited because everything is healing so well and so quickly. Some of that is genetic luck, but I also think that the exercise and all of that oxygen-rich blood circulating has also got to be good for things. And I definitely think that my lung capacity helped during and after the first procedure, too. But what do I know... "Whatever you're doing he says, keep doing it..."

Unfortunately, the next procedure is like 3 or 4 months out yet. And as I surmised, it will be less "pleasant" than this last one was. Oh yea, we also discussed that this was my first intubation which would explain why my nose and sinuses hurt like hell. And also maybe why my sense of taste/smell has been impacted...maybe.  Yea, no intubation on the first procedure because they just used the trach instead. Tradeoffs, I guess...

So anyway it looks like the next step isn't until January...ugh. But I guess that after that the teeth (the prosthesis) goes in pretty quickly, like two to three weeks. Happy Valentines Day? But he did allow that those would be rough weeks, with the posts sticking up, a new skin graft in there, and gauze wadded up around the posts. How it all stays in place, I have no idea...

Oh, you want an update on the garden? Maybe next time...