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.
Another landmark success day — appointment with the urologist. Bottom line: I can go home with a catheter-foley, then return for minor outpatient surgery to install a more permanent catheter port. Skipping over the details, the important thing for me is that from the urology point of view, I can go home. Since that’s also true from the surgical point of view, now that the fixator was removed, I’m good to go home medically. The only remaining requirement is that the physical therapy people here at the Post Acute Care facility put me through some paces to the point where they’re satisfied that I can be home safely — e.g., that I can navigate the wheelchair, execute transitions, take care of my toileting and self-care needs, etc. — that I can do safely all the things I’ll need to do at home. There’s more to the process — insurance authorization, ordering and getting the wheelchair, training on getting into and out of the car, prescriptions for various meds, etc. All of th...
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