We're getting old (OO medical complaints)

[dbt1949]

I was 12 when I got my first pair of glasses. The amazed feelings I had after putting them on and seeing the rest of the store was something I'll never forget. Night and day.
Cataract surgery was close but not like when I as 12.

[Blackhawk]

I haven't had 20/25 vision since I was about 15. I've got no idea what it actually rates as these days, but I don't do a lot without my glasses.

[Daehawk]

Dont wear glasses probably need some kind of them. I used to 20/20 the eye exams as a teen for a drivers license.

[jztemple2]

I haven't had 20/25 vision since I was about 15. I've got no idea what it actually rates as these days, but I don't do a lot without my glasses.

I had to get distance glasses while still in high school, but after I retired my vision changed. No more distance glasses, hello reading glasses. And happily I don't need strong reading glasses, just 1.5 strength. And I'm still waiting for my cataracts to be bad enough to need surgery; wearing sunglasses anytime I'm outside seems to have helped slow down the deterioration.

[LordMortis]

I think I may be on a three year cycle for kidney stones. Hoping I'm wrong. I don't need this when I'm already dealing with my arm pain and my productivity is at my post employment low when it needs to be a post employment high.

[jztemple2]

Well, as almost to be expected, after three years of putting off having my right thumb CMC arthroplasty done to relieve pain from arthritis, I'm now having to postpone it again because my wife now has to have surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.

So a couple of days ago, with just over a week left before my wife's torn rotator cuff surgery, I injured myself . I was walking around my pool which we've had for 39 years and I was trying to use a net to get a dead worm off the bottom. I stepped forward with my left foot and it came down not on the deck, but in the water. The left foot went down, no problem, but my right foot was already moving back, so when I started going down, I landed hard on my right knee on the chattahoochee rock deck. I took off about two square inches of skin, but that was the minor part compared to the damage I did to the joint . I've been using ice wraps, stretching and other exercises and it's feeling better, but I'm still a bit unsteady.

I can only thank goodness that this didn't happen the day before my wife's surgery

Damn worms

[Jeff V]

So these last 3 weeks in the Philippines have really been showing my age. I am decidedly less flexible and active compared to previous trips. What should have been the highlight of the trip -- a river trek to Uban falls, got unexpectedly cut short because we had like 30 people, over half kids, and decided instead to picnic on an island in the middle bneof the river. And I was ok with that, the trip would have been much more difficult than last time.

Oddly enough, two women who I hadn't seen in a dozen years (the cancer patient I mentioned in the other thread and one of my wife's college friends) said I looked no different, or even better than last time. The college friend was actually flirting (I seem to recall her doing so when i first met her), mentioning how she liked to drink most nights but knows my wife doesn't like it at all. Even though my wife told me to talk to her, she acted upset because she noticed the flirting (but, i think, also noticed me ignoring it). Her friend, FTR, looks like she hasn't aged a day in the 12 years since I last saw her.

So I suppose my tradition of holding an animal sacrifice instead of a birthday party every year is having the desired outcome.

[dbt1949]

Just got my latest bill from the VA. I'm not sure I can afford to live.

[Daehawk]

Just got my latest bill from the VA. I'm not sure I can afford to live.

Well you sure cant afford to die these days.

[dbt1949]

The VA is supposed to bury me for free. Then they'll send me the bill.

[jztemple2]

I landed hard on my right knee on the chattahoochee rock deck. I took off about two square inches of skin, but that was the minor part compared to the damage I did to the joint . I've been using ice wraps, stretching and other exercises and it's feeling better, but I'm still a bit unsteady.

My knee got worse over the weekend, swelling up and stiffening. We normally go to lunch in Orlando on Mondays so afterwards we stopped at the orthopedic place that has walk-in service.

I had two great PA's who looked after me. I was given two options, one to wrap the knee and get some instructions for home therapy. We chose the second which was to drain the fluid off the knee and inject a steroid. They took out 70 cc's of clear fluid (no blood, that's good) and since there was no blood in the fluid I could get the steroid. The knee feels much better now.

And to make things better my wife's surgeon's nurse grabbed us afterward so we could do her preop today instead of Wednesday

[naednek]

so woke up yesterday with no pain, today so far no pain. i know i didn't pass it... is it normal for the pain to go away. I read it can come and go. What are your experiences?

Well, almost a month and so far I haven't passed the stone as far as I know. For 10 days after the ER visit I wasn't in any pain. I stopped straining for visual confirmation of the stone, and I stopped taking the pain meds. On the 10th day I reached out to the Dr asking if it was safe to assume I had passed it (never felt it, but heard that can happen, and according to the CT scan it was small, 2mm) He said, yes safe to assume.

Of course the next day after talking with the Dr, I started to feel discomfort in the lower back and in my groin. That's went on for about a week and then for 2 days back to not having pain. Pain came back yesterday and continued today.

ER doc said she referred me to Urology and that they would follow up with me. They never called and if they had called within the first 10 days I would have said I'm fine. But because I was feeling it again, I reached out to find out the ER doc never sent the follow up. And because of that I had to go to my doctor to make the referral who also happens to be on vacation. I called the main line and got them to send a referral. Next day Urology called and made a video appointment for Jun 7th. So another week.

I'm calling tomorrow to see if they can see me sooner. I have questions and want to see if they can have me do another Xray or CT scan to see if it's still there. I'm worried this isn't related to kidney stones and it's something worse.

Online searching talks about the average kidney stone passing time is 30 days. 30 days will be just before my appointment.

The pain I'm experiencing is more discomfort\pressure, dull ache, not sharp. I'm not having any issues going to the bathroom.

I went down the rabbit hole and looked up symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease. I don't really fit the symptoms they describe and on of the indicators from the blood or urine test showed normal.

I'm just tired of feeling like I'm being kicked in the groin.

Spoke with the Chief of Urology today. He reassured me this was just kidney stone, but was suprised it hadn't gone out yet. He said to give it another 4 weeks and if it's still there, surgery is likely. He said based on the size of the stone I have surgery would be more painful so he advised letting nature takes it's course.

I told him that in 4 weeks I'm on vacation. He looked at his schedule and he has the 22nd open, but that's 3 days before I go on vacation. Surgery requires putting me to sleep, putting a cable up my you know what, shoot lazers inside my bladder, then place a stent between the kidney and the bladder for a week. He advised to wait till I get back from vacation to do that.

So more fun!

Time to wrap this up...

No surgery. Urologist came back from his vacation, I told him I was still experiencing the previous symptoms. He had me do another urine test. Came back with no blood. He was confident because of lack of blood the stone was gone. He referred me back to my primary care dr.

I met with my dr and he thought I may have scrotal varices. After he did a physical one (I'm now 47 years old and that as my first ever physical) he recommended me to have an ultra sound on my balls to see if I had scrotal varices or something else.

Wasn't too thrilled about doing this, but better be safe than sorry. Prior to today's appointment I went on vacation and during this time, I had no pain. But again I still went and followed through.

I was a little worried that I'd get "excited during the ultrasound" I get to the waiting room and check in and I see this big poster of an ultrasound specialist being highlighted for her good service. She was young and hot and I'm like great, this is going to be trouble if she's going to do the exam.

Thankfully she wasn't there, but I did have a female doing the exam. But she was professional and I was relaxed. Although I have to say the warm gel was a nice touch

Results came back and I don't have scrotal varices and they did find a small epididymal head cyst. Dr said that was nothing to worry about.

Since I've been pain free for over a week, I'm thinking this is all done. But will keep things in mind if it appears again.

[Isgrimnur]

You haven't lived until you've had your scrotum sonogrammed by an attractive technician.

[dbt1949]

I have found in a hospital environment nothing happens.

[Jaymann]

That's what DoorDash is for.

[Blackhawk]

That's what DoorDash is for.

Don't forget to give them the tip.

[dbt1949]

20%

[jztemple2]

I had two great PA's who looked after me. I was given two options, one to wrap the knee and get some instructions for home therapy. We chose the second which was to drain the fluid off the knee and inject a steroid. They took out 70 cc's of clear fluid (no blood, that's good) and since there was no blood in the fluid I could get the steroid. The knee feels much better now.

There's an old phrase about "water on the knee", I guess that's what I had. After six hours my knee still feels great. I'm also taking lots of ibuprofen. Hope I feel as good tomorrow as I do now.

[ImLawBoy]

At this point I'm just using this thread for my family medical traumas regardless of age.

So I was sitting up my oldest in his bed to get his pajama shirt on last Sunday. I heard a pop and he was obviously hurting some. Nothing was visually wrong. We have him Advil and Tylenol for a few days and he seemed better after a few days. Cut to Saturday and I was pulling up his shorts and heard another pop. This time he was in more pain and there was swelling above his left knee so I took him to the ER. They did x-rays and he's got a broken femur - like, really broken and separated.

He doesn't put any weight on his legs and it turns out that can lead to brittle bones. We knew this was possible but possible vs. real is a big leap.

I've been in the hospital with him since. At this point they're not doing surgery. We had a custom brace put on it today but it seems like they won't be able to do x-rays on it until tomorrow. They need to make sure it's good with the brace before we can go home. Then comes the challenge of making sure he'll fit in the van with his leg sticking out more than usual.

Just more fun for him!

[LordMortis]

Ugh. So sorry for you and yours.

They just upped my home PT regimen. I'm now doing 75 minutes of PT at home a day. Basically, I get out of bed do my PT and am exhausted for the day. I still have to get my walking in this morning. No idea when, and then I need to actually do something productive. I could never do this and work and I guarantee I would have been off short term disability in June when I could start driving. My active work toward healing much less general health would have gone to zero the day I went back to work.

Also, now that all the various other pains have dulled or express themselves only when their areas of the body are stressed, I'm more and more noticing a pain that is growing between my abdomen, groin, and leg. I don't know what a hernia feels like. I don't see anything bulging out of my body, but three months of this various levels of pinching unto growing pain has me concerned that I didn't just pull something after so much time in bed March/April and that pull just needed time to heal.

[jztemple2]

I'm at the surgery center right now waiting as my wife is prepped for her torn rotator cuff surgery. She's chipper since as always she is happy that she will finally getting a needed surgery done.

My knee is so much better after the fluid was drained off three days ago. This is good since I'm going to be looking after her.

I'm giving her TLC for a week, but then Jagged Alliance 3 arrives and I'll be having to split my time

[LordMortis]

I'm at the surgery center right now waiting as my wife is prepped for her torn rotator cuff surgery. She's chipper since as always she is happy that she will finally getting a needed surgery done.

I feel for her. I am doing PT for my shoulder and it's time consuming and hard and that's from a broken arm and a jammed shoulder. The people doing rotator PT seem to have it so much worse than me, and IIRC your nearly 10 years older than I am.

[jztemple2]

I just talked to the doc after her surgery. The tear is small but completely through the tendon. Regarding the suturing, he says the tendon is in good shape but but the bone quality (he put in anchors to hold the sutures) is just OK so more care will need to be taken

[Blackhawk]

Yesterday morning I was vacuuming and reached down to move something out of the way.

*Pop!*

And there goes my back. I was standing next to the bed. It took me a full two minutes to straighten up and sit down on it. Right now it is a struggle to get up, and I have to be very, very careful how I sit or lay. I had to borrow some, um, herbal supplements last night in order to be able to get to sleep (luckily, my ex lives 15 miles away over the Illinois state line where 'herbal supplements' are legal.)

This, I'm ashamed to admit, is my fault.

This happened three or four years ago (edit - it happened 2 1/2 years ago, and was why I started this thread, apparently), and it took two or three weeks to get back to normal. I started doing all sorts of exercises for my back. Planks and bridges to strengthen the muscles, stretches to keep it limber, and I had fewer back problems than I'd had in decades. Foolishly, I stopped doing those exercises as year or so ago when I got slapped with a double-dose of depression, and now I'm paying the price.

Well, hopefully I can claim 'lesson learned' and use this as motivation to get back to moving again.

[Daehawk]

My back is hurting me today too. Junx! I do the stretches that a PT girl I know online gave me. Next year Im hoping ebiking helps.

[jztemple2]

So it's three days after my wife's rotator cuff surgery and all I can tell you folks is that you should absolutely avoid needing this surgery if at all possible . She's doing OK, but she can't move her left arm except for using that hand, otherwise the arm needs to be immobilized in a sling; not allowed to lift it at all unless I actually lift it for her and I can't do that because of the freakishly large dressing covering the five(!) incisions.

This is would be more tolerable if I wasn't still suffering from the fall on my knee. I am taking my walks in the morning again but at limited distances.

And a significant issue (those of you female or married to females or something like that will understand) is that my wife refuses to be seen by anyone except me and the doctor's office if she's not wearing a bra, which she won't be able to do for a month or two. So there's that.

[Daehawk]

That last ones a weird one. My wife never wore a bra to begin with. Free the boobas.

[naednek]

I've been urinating like crazy, like every 30 minutes starting Thursday night. Asked dr to order me some blood tests and urine tests.

Yep, just as suspected, I'm prediabetic.

It's now Sunday and I'm still peeing like crazy. Regardless of what I found out, the plan was to start dieting yesterday.

Asked the dr if there's any meds to take to curb the frequency. I'm supposed to go to a AWS workshop Tue and Wed, and if this continues tomorrow, I won't be going.

[Kraken]

Peeing normally is one of life's most simple pleasures.

[Punisher]

I've been urinating like crazy, like every 30 minutes starting Thursday night. Asked dr to order me some blood tests and urine tests.

Yep, just as suspected, I'm prediabetic.

It's now Sunday and I'm still peeing like crazy. Regardless of what I found out, the plan was to start dieting yesterday.

Asked the dr if there's any meds to take to curb the frequency. I'm supposed to go to a AWS workshop Tue and Wed, and if this continues tomorrow, I won't be going.

If your concern is having to get up and go to a bathroom all the time maybe look into something called a condom catheter.
It's basically what it sounds like.
If you do get it the most important thing is to make sure the condom end fits securely AND doesn't twist otherwise it could be VERY messy. I think they actually used some kind of glue when I was in the hospital and couldn't move.
Not gonna lie. When I first realized I was using one I felt weird but it didn't take long to get used to it. It was SUPER convenient.
Not gonna lie. I've thought about getting it again for when we are out shopping or at the movies.
Also I've been diabetic for a long time now and don't think I've had to ho that often but assume it might be a YMMV kind of thing.
Ironically after my medical adventure last year which included full kidney failure. I urinate more often and it takes longer as well. As opposed to them thinking I'd never actually pee again.

[gbasden]

Dude, I'm diabetic and occasionally struggle with my blood sugar, and I rarely pee more than once every 3 or 4 hours. Every 30 minutes?

[Daehawk]

I was lying in the den where its cooler. The bedroom gets hot even with ac on due to all the tech. When I was struggling to get up the old song Breaking Up Is Hard to Do entered my head but instead of breaking up it was getting up is hard to do. Thank brain. Really needed that as Im trying to get up out of the floor. Something I used to do with my hands and arms. Just roll up from my back with my feet under me and stand. Now its a get on my side push with hands get to knees bend all I can and stand and not stumble forward.

What funny is when Im really buzzed on my fun meds I dont hurt and I can still get up with hands. I can dance and shimmy and squat..no pain. I feel like a 20 year old again.

[dbt1949]

I found out I have a couple of tumors. One in my armpit that's about the size of my hand. They done a CT scan but that's about it. I have another on my pancreas. They did a biopsy and found it to be malignant.
Now I'm just waiting to see a cancer specialist to see what's next. Oh, and I have a cancer spot next to my eye.
I'm just staying pretty chill about it all waiting to see what's going to happen.

[Kraken]

Well that all sounds less than ideal. Keep us updated.

[Blackhawk]

Well, fuck.

I don't know what else to say other than kick it's ass, and don't be afraid to speak up here if you need anything.

[LordMortis]

ugh

[Madmarcus]

That's tough. Yell out if there is anything that random voices over the internet can do for you!

[Anonymous Bosch]

I found out I have a couple of tumors. One in my armpit that's about the size of my hand. They done a CT scan but that's about it. I have another on my pancreas. They did a biopsy and found it to be malignant.
Now I'm just waiting to see a cancer specialist to see what's next. Oh, and I have a cancer spot next to my eye.
I'm just staying pretty chill about it all waiting to see what's going to happen.

I'm so sorry to hear about your diagnosis and that this is happening to you. But keep on fighting and do not give up. Stay positive and know that we all are cheering you on.

[Default]

Damn, Dave.

Hoping for some better news from your docs.

[Smoove_B]

I'm just staying pretty chill about it all waiting to see what's going to happen.

That sounds like a good plan. Here's hoping you get some positive news and a path forward.