Feeling gloomy

Week 16, 26 January – 1 February 2012

To prepare for the review in Hobart, I had to have a flexion x-ray and a CT scan on Friday (27 February). For the flexion x-ray, the brace had to be removed so that I could bend my head to get an image. It took the hospitals a few days to sort out who would take it off. I got a phone call and was told it had been sorted out and the imaging department knew and would take the brace off for me.  When I got there, the radiographer said he did not know and would not take it off. Again, there was some running around and eventually they arranged a female staff to help me.

This was the first time in three and a half months that I was upright without a brace.  My neck was not as floppy as I had thought. I thought the brace was heavy, but gee, my head is heavy too! Even though the “braceless” time was just a few minutes, I had a headache afterwards.

When I returned home, I got a letter from the Launceston General Hospital advising me of an appointment fixed there on 13 February to see my consulting neurosurgeon.  Puzzled, I called the number given on the letter and asked what about the appointment in Hobart on Monday which was right after the weekend. She said she did not know. She was told by Hobart to arrange this appointment. I had to call Hobart separately to find out. How helpful!

I find this mentality fairly rampant in the Launceston General Hospital, even among doctors. When asked about my brain injuries and whether I should have a MRI to check progress.  The Launceston doctor said, “Hobart didn’t say you need one”. The old cast on my right hand had been working fine but the Launceston hospital changed it to a full cast.  When asked, “Hobart said you should have a full cast”.

Feeling frustrated, I did not bother to call Hobart.My husband had applied for a day off on Monday to take me to Hobart. I would anyway show up there.  If they told me I had no appointment, I just would not go.

The big day eventually came and we left the house at 6am. It was a relief to learn that the appointment was still there. In the consultation room, the junior doctor kept asking me questions about the accident and looking at the images on the screen. Eventually my consulting neurosurgeon walked in. He talked to this junior doctor as if I was not there. He asked him what the imaging reports said. The junior doctor replied that there were still cracks. “Let’s discuss with the radiologist in detail in two weeks. There will be another CT scan in 6 weeks.”

The neurosurgeon was more keen to get me out of the room than to answer my questions. In short, there would be a CT scan in 6 weeks. By then, a decision would be made. He did not even compare the latest images with the old ones. I (probably he too) had no idea how well I was healing.

My husband and I had planned to go to the West Coast on 11-12 February for a shooting competition there. There was also a plan to go to Ungarie in New South Wales for another shooting competition in mid March. After the competition, we would pay Grace a visit in Sydney.

I was quiet on our way home. My husband was not sure if these travel plans should go ahead as it could be difficult for me with the brace on. “I’m not going to allow this to stop me from doing things.” God knows how long I would have to wear the brace and life has to go on.

This week, I also had a review on my visions at the Eye Hospital in Launceston. The doctors there are very good and thorough. There would be a facial bones CT scan the other week to eliminate the possibility of entrapment of fats or tissues in the facial bones, causing the double vision.