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I needed my carry-on suitcase to pack some things for a trip. I got a ladder so I could get the suitcase down from the loft where it lives. I’ve done this many times before, going up on the ladder, getting the suitcase, and handing it down to Xan. But this time I slipped and fell off the ladder. The result was multiple fractures to my right knee and difficulty with my bladder, difficulty peeing. At Dominican Hospital, Dr. Damian Smith, urologist, inserted a catheter (folks at Watsonville Community Hospital had tried 5x and failed, with pain each time). My knee was operated on by Dr. Abidi, surgeon (Watsonville). All successful. I got 3 days of good care.

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Wednesday, June 12

     Greg, in an outraged storm of anger, blame, and long story-telling, finally decided to leave AMA. Fighting with most everyone to the end. (Not with me; we stayed positive).       At the same time, my urine didn’t go down the catheter-foley, but dribbled out from the catheter-penis connection onto by body and pants. Nurse Hector had me push the catheter in a little, then wait-see. It happened again, but Hector doubted me — told me next time don’t stop it, just let it go and there’ll be clear evidence one way or the other — and then we can consider what, if anything, to do.       Waiting to see.
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I was transferred to Santa Cruz Post Urgent Care. I’ve been here ever since. Follow up visits to both Smith and Abidi showed positive results. Smith installed a catheter and foley, and Abidi’s asst Ray said the knee looked fine and just needed time for healing. The staff here is great. They take me to their gym, where they work me hard, as I want to be worked. The more I work the closer I get to being able to go home.    Progress is slow and sometimes exhausting, but I do make progress every day, so I’m confident that I’ll be going home in the not too distant future.    The knee will take some time to heal. And by and by the catheter and foley will be able to be removed and I’ll be able to pee on my own. Meanwhile, there’s no pain, just some discomfort when I move in certain ways.    And there are lots of sleepless nights, or nights with only very partial sleep. Ambien and other meds give me about five hours of good sleep before they wear off. Then I toss a...
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Monday, June 17

  Today was an important day — I had my appointment with Dr. Abidi, the surgeon who did the   repair of my fractured right knee. Xan, Eric, Gail, and I went to the appointment. The leg was unwrapped and inspected, x-rays were taken, and the judgment was clear: healing had gone well and it was time for the fixator, the steel brace keeping my left from bending (and thereby damaging the surgical repair to the knee), to come off. Taking the x-rays involved some pain, moving the leg this way and that so x-rays from different angles could be taken. Removing the brace was yet more painfuful. The brace was secured to my leg by screws embedded in the leg bones. Taking the steel rod off and removing the screws from the leg was painful — and great, because the hardware, the brace, is off and history!  A big step forward on the road to being able to go home. The next big step may happen tomorrow. I have an appointment with Dr. Smith, the urologist who installed the catheter-a...
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