Growing Concern
Title
Growing Concern
Creator
Jacob Schlitt
Description
"This is different from growing tomatoes. This is about my health, which I never was too concerned about."
(Essay in two parts. Part II is entitled, "Concerning my Growing Concerns")
(Essay in two parts. Part II is entitled, "Concerning my Growing Concerns")
Date
2009-07-22/2009-08-01
Format
application/pdf
Type
text
Language
en
Coverage
2009
Identifier
GROWING_CONCERN
Text
GROWING CONCERN
This is different from growing tomatoes. This is about my health, which I never was too concerned about. I considered myself very lucky. At 81, before the knee replacement surgery, I never spent any time in a hospital. It looks like the picture is changing. Last week’s experience may have been a wake-up call. I fell. Lots of us are falling. Old people are falling all over the place. I fell on my right hand and my right butt. Both hurt, but initially, not enough to cause me to worry about it. I put ice on my hand and rested. It wasn’t until after supper that I became concerned. I have written about this in a light hearted way, and when I saw Dr. Molina two days later, because I was concerned about the swelling, he loosened the bandage and made sure I was going to see a hand orthopedist, which I will be dong today. The hand and wrist still hurts and is weak.
But something else is happening. I am increasingly tired-- like Fran. I have very little energy. Like Pete Seeger says, “My get up and go has got up and went.” I am taking a couple naps a day. I am in bed before 11 pm. I am reading and my eyes close. Since the fall I have not been doing any exercise.
My biggest concern at the moment is my right leg, thigh, and butt. It hurts, and is becoming increasingly discolored -- large swaths of black and blue. I assume that means blood in those areas, but why? When I stop this, I will check “bruises” on google. Sitting is becoming more painful, and the pain in my thigh is increasing. Mir vet zayn.
And there is an irritation on top of my left foot. I have been applying an ointment but it is not going away. My feet have been a problem for a long time. Very sensitive on the bottom; I can hardly walk on pavement barefoot. Nail fungus that has never gone away.
When I was taken to Emergency. the concern was my low blood pressure. I suspect this is going to be a continuing concern. I have had moments of light-headedness, and they reoccur from time to time. There was a moment when my doctor thought I had high blood pressure. The ataprolol that I am taking is supposed to slow down my heart rate. Dr. Taylor said it may also lower my blood pressure. I sure hope they can get it right.
7-22-09
Concerning my Growing Concerns
I saw Dr. Charles Day July 22, who said that there was a fracture, and ordered a hard cast. (I described this elsewhere.) Today is July 28, and I was able to see Dr. Taylor yesterday when Fran had her appointment, and he tried to reassure me that the pain in my knee and thigh do not suggest anything serious. The discoloration is from broken blood vessels—more than a quart of blood has pored into my buttock and thigh caused by the fall. I am not totally reassured. Still quite a bit of pain in my butt, thigh and knee, and a sensation like a needle in my knee. And the back of my right hand hurts. The cast isn’t too uncomfortable, though it makes typing difficult. Dr. Taylor said the longer the cast is on, the better the bone will heal, but the weaker the muscle will be.
I will have to get back to exercise—stationary bike, leg strengthening, even swimming. And it would be great if I can do something about balance. I find myself on the verge of tripping more frequently. Just a matter of time when the trip results in even more damage.
8-1-09
This is different from growing tomatoes. This is about my health, which I never was too concerned about. I considered myself very lucky. At 81, before the knee replacement surgery, I never spent any time in a hospital. It looks like the picture is changing. Last week’s experience may have been a wake-up call. I fell. Lots of us are falling. Old people are falling all over the place. I fell on my right hand and my right butt. Both hurt, but initially, not enough to cause me to worry about it. I put ice on my hand and rested. It wasn’t until after supper that I became concerned. I have written about this in a light hearted way, and when I saw Dr. Molina two days later, because I was concerned about the swelling, he loosened the bandage and made sure I was going to see a hand orthopedist, which I will be dong today. The hand and wrist still hurts and is weak.
But something else is happening. I am increasingly tired-- like Fran. I have very little energy. Like Pete Seeger says, “My get up and go has got up and went.” I am taking a couple naps a day. I am in bed before 11 pm. I am reading and my eyes close. Since the fall I have not been doing any exercise.
My biggest concern at the moment is my right leg, thigh, and butt. It hurts, and is becoming increasingly discolored -- large swaths of black and blue. I assume that means blood in those areas, but why? When I stop this, I will check “bruises” on google. Sitting is becoming more painful, and the pain in my thigh is increasing. Mir vet zayn.
And there is an irritation on top of my left foot. I have been applying an ointment but it is not going away. My feet have been a problem for a long time. Very sensitive on the bottom; I can hardly walk on pavement barefoot. Nail fungus that has never gone away.
When I was taken to Emergency. the concern was my low blood pressure. I suspect this is going to be a continuing concern. I have had moments of light-headedness, and they reoccur from time to time. There was a moment when my doctor thought I had high blood pressure. The ataprolol that I am taking is supposed to slow down my heart rate. Dr. Taylor said it may also lower my blood pressure. I sure hope they can get it right.
7-22-09
Concerning my Growing Concerns
I saw Dr. Charles Day July 22, who said that there was a fracture, and ordered a hard cast. (I described this elsewhere.) Today is July 28, and I was able to see Dr. Taylor yesterday when Fran had her appointment, and he tried to reassure me that the pain in my knee and thigh do not suggest anything serious. The discoloration is from broken blood vessels—more than a quart of blood has pored into my buttock and thigh caused by the fall. I am not totally reassured. Still quite a bit of pain in my butt, thigh and knee, and a sensation like a needle in my knee. And the back of my right hand hurts. The cast isn’t too uncomfortable, though it makes typing difficult. Dr. Taylor said the longer the cast is on, the better the bone will heal, but the weaker the muscle will be.
I will have to get back to exercise—stationary bike, leg strengthening, even swimming. And it would be great if I can do something about balance. I find myself on the verge of tripping more frequently. Just a matter of time when the trip results in even more damage.
8-1-09
Original Format
application/msword
Collection
Citation
Jacob Schlitt, “Growing Concern,” Autobiographical stories & other writing by Jacob Schlitt, accessed April 26, 2024, https://tsirlson.omeka.net/items/show/92.