I was barely turned 51, and here I was having a new hip fitted. My surgeon, Mr Walczak (he had the goodness to have a couple of vowels in his name...) preferred ceramic joints over tungsten ones.
I must say, I concur - fall over with a massive spike drilled down into your femur and you're looking at a completely shattered thigh. The ceramic version is embedded using glue, so I can take as many tumbles as I like and still retain a thigh bone.
Sadly, I have waited in vain for the other hip to go, so that I could have my leg length discrepancy addressed. If it does, I hope Mr Walczak is still available. His patients were the only ones to get visits daily - morning and evening - from their surgeon, and his bedside manner was charming. He built up quite a fan club. This picture doesn't do him justice. OK, he's no Vincent D'Onofrio, but he was exactly what you'd want for a doctor at a time like that.
Just so you know across the Pond, in Britain, doctors don't necessarily have PhDs, they are more likely to be BMeds, and Doctor is a courtesy title. But the top doctors (Consultants) are no longer addressed as Doctor, but as Mr. So don't worry if you end up in a British hospital and find you are treated by a Mr - you actually have one of the best.
My local hospital had a consultant who murdered his wife. He pushed her out of an upstairs window because she had cooled to him and wouldn't give him a kiss.
He got 6 years. That's how it works for men who kill "unreasonable" wives. Wives who kill abusive husbands get life. (Life over here is 10 years upwards.)
Wow, that post got off track, didn't it?
Actually, doctors here are MDs or DOs. Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy. PhDs are just people who go to school too long. lol Just kidding to anyone who may be a PhD. I would have had one of those in English if I had my way but dad would have flipped out if I told him I was going to stay in school that long...or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteIn any case, Happy Anniversary to your hip! I don't think I could afford one in this country. I already sold my house to take care of my mother and my husband's medical bills. This is why the USA is number 37 in health care. :-/
SIX YEARS FOR MURDER!?!?!?!? That is INSANE!!!! Sounds like your judicial system is as screwed up as the one here in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteOK so why do Deadheads who sold some pot at Dead shows get 15-20 years but murderers get out after 8? WTF?
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary to your hip! My mom had a hip replacement in 2000 and she has to carry a card around showing the xray of the metal joint. She had to use it when we went to Ellis Island and passed thru metal detectors.
Glad to hear you opted for the ceramic one. I worked with a Director of Nursing who had her knee replaced with a "metal" one and it got infected. She had some type of reaction and had to have it replaced again...she's never been the same since and had to give up her nursing career as a result.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to your hip..my gran had both replaced eventually..made her life so much better :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, happy anniversary to your hip dear!
ReplyDeleteI appologize for posting late with this one. This may not sound like much or even something you want to hear, but I think you are a brave warrior, Val - always remember!!! Cheers!!
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