The River Green

I had to get a refill on my Percocet, but they gave me Vicodin, which works just fine.

On Saturday after the surgery, the bottom of my finger was hurting very badly because the splint was digging into it. There was a deep indentation and the surrounding area was black and blue, so back to the ER we went. It took like five doctors to come and examine the situation before they took the dressing off and re-positioned the splint. I couldn't even look at it when they unwrapped it. I could feel it pulling, but didn't feel too much of anything else and spent most of the time in my happy place.

On Suday or Monday (the days are blending together, now), I walked to Hollywood video and apparently spent about 45 minutes gathering five movies, including Day the Earth Stood Still, Changeling, Doubt and two or three others, which I do not remember.

Despite the pain medication, it is beginning to feel sore. I have no idea what it looks like or what is happening inside there.

Marieke continues to take care of me and I continue to wait until I can function again.

Labels: Broken finger , surgery

It is August 13th. I go in for surgery tomorrow at UPMC in Oakland. I got directions, but they're a little fuzzy since I can't frigging write with my broken effing finger.

To 'celebrate' the first game for the Steelers since winning the Super Bowl, we decided to bring in the new season at Hough's with mom. Yes, mom came to Hough's with us. It was about 25 minutes before game time and we just settled into our seats at a high table near the back, before the bar got really super crowded.

Suddenly, our plans were shot to shit and our lives got more interesting as Barb came to us and casually said 'Do you guys wanna go to this game?' I said 'Oh yeah. I'd love to be there, it would be great... I've never been to Heinz Field for a Steelers game before.' Barb then offered tickets to the game, a gold parking pass and the most exciting way possibly imaginable to spend the day before surgery.

We dropped a dejected mom off at her apartment with our heartfelt apologies, raced home, changed into Steelers gear, grabbed the camera, Terrible Towel and off we went to Heinz Field for our first Steelers game. It was against the Arizona Cardinals, upon whose ass we very concisely cracked a bottle of whoop in the last meeting on, of all days, Super Bowl Sunday!!

Needless to say, we were geeked out. It was a great game. In very short order, we found that there were only two ATMs within walking distance of our amazing seats and a line of 13 people takes exactly 28 minutes to render.

We had some snacks, of course and a couple drinks. The parking was primo. The seats were awesome.

Marieke and I had the distinct honor of being one of about thirty-thousand to bear eye-witness to the first pre-season game of the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. It was truly memorable.

The sixth Lombardi Trophy was among it's five brothers in the hall of champions, but it was surrounded by fifty-thousand people, s we opted for a zoom-in pic.

I would change nothing about that night.

It's just after midnight and I'm nowhere near tired. Just slapped my last patch onto my arm. The next couple weeks are not going to be nice.

Labels: Broken finger , Hough's , sports , Steelers , surgery

...it's official, I need surgery and the guy who is gonna do it is a complete god-complex-egomaniac. The 'fellow' from Africa was very nice and has no problem with *his* bedside manner.

My finger is unstable and requires several screws, which requires knock-you-the-hell-out-surgery. I am scared to death.

It's scheduled for this Friday, the 14th. I'm told that even though it is admirable that I've quit smoking, the patch will complicate the healing process. For the sake of Christ, I'm not even finished with the first step yet and it hasn't been a month. Great. Wonderful. Stupendous. Splendid. Fantastic. Jolly Good. Excellent. Hooray.

This is the worst ever.

Labels: Broken finger , surgery

I know it's been two weeks because August 2nd was yesterday. Did I mention that the hard candy put a hole in my tongue?

Dr. Kaufmann's office finally rendered help to Marieke and I have an appointment next week. This is good because I'm really not able to function at work as I should.

The New York study required a ton of paperwork and I have to constantly request to be put on other assignments. My request is met with inconsistent results depending on who is the designated internet surfer in the office.

Annoyingly, everyone has some kind of comment about either my splint or my condition and almost everyone who hasn't come into direct contact with me since the incident has heard either second or third hand about what has happened. I guess it's not that annoying because I know they care... the whole situation makes me so cranky.

I don't see any major change in anything for the next week... so more after my appt.

Labels: Broken finger

At the risk of publishing three sentence posts per day due to my injury, I've condensed them into posts of about a week or so.

Sunday (D-6)
My broken finger has added to an already difficult period of time an element of frustration and incomprehensible pain. Normally when I experience such pain, I smoke. I can't smoke. And it makes it hurt more.

How am I going to keep from smoking!?

Monday (D-7)
Atop the fact that the injury is on my right hand, it prevents me from writing, which is about 40% of my job. Although I've gotten some exception to the rule of writing, it still makes me unable to perform my duties for at least half of the studies we are working on.

Tuesday (D-8)
I tried the doctor's office and was told that an office visit costs between $70 and $400 depending on what might be needed. THe scheduling desk had nothing else for me. She sounded ignorant and confused, so maybe after a day or two they'll have someone who knows something helpful on the other end of the phone.

Friday (D-11)
We have discovered Tootsie pops. They come in a bag of goodness which informs the user that this bag contains one of the new flavors. And ours did in fact have one of the new flavors. Pomegranate! So good.

Sunday (D-13)
This is hard and I'm starting to get major cravings again nearly five days after I had my last rreally big craving. I've got the jittters and my feet will not stop moving. The bright spot is that for the first time in my life that I can remember, my hands are not cold. This might be from the increased bloodflow to my extremities that I was missing out on as a smoker, or it could be a reaction form the adrenalin that is now freely able to flow throughout my body.

Labels: Broken finger , I Quit Smoking