The pain in my shoulder blade, back and chest, the result of last week's motorbike crash, has been very persistent and debilitating. I can walk now, but very, very slowly. When I need to go to the bathroom, I factor in travel time. Now, I live in fear of coughing or sneezing because of the pain these formerly routine actions cause in my chest and back. I stopped smoking cigarettes after the accident, and my lungs began to expel all the phlegm. That's great, except it hurts SO much when I try to clear the phlegm from my throat and chest. I'm often left wheezing with every breath. The old geezer is a wheezer.
To combat these issues, I visited three different doctors/facilities the past three days. I gave each a grade.
No. 1: The bone doctor. This is what Phuong called him. He works at a hospital in the morning, and at his house in the afternoon. We visited his house. There was no wait time. He checked out my x-rays, said nothing was broken, gave me a needle in my butt and sent me home. He said it would take a few days before I would feel OK. Very business-like. Grade: B- Solid painkiller injection, but needed something strong to take with me.
No. 2: Dong Nai International Hospital emergency room. The pain was a little bit overwhelming on Saturday, so we went to the ER. I got x-rayed for the third time -- I'm becoming Johnny Nucleo or Radioactive Man. I also got a sonogram, and the nurse found my gall stones again. She was real excited about the gall stones, but nothing else was amiss. I got another butt shot, which really helps with the pain, but then I got a prescription for a really weak pain-killer to treat my really strong pain. But that seems to be a Vietnamese thing. The local medical community endorses pain over pain-killers. Grade: B ... Very thorough. Nice nurses and doctors, but weak pain-killer prescription.
No. 3: The electric doctor. I don't know what else to call him. He put electrodes on my back that shot electric into my body and stimulated my back muscles into spastic movements. Actually, I had this treatment a long time ago in the USA for a leg contusion. There was also some kind of needles or wire brush that rubbed and poked my back for about 10 minutes. Both procedures were very uncomfortable, but son of a gun, my back has felt much better since. And this doctor gave me some painkiller made in the USA and some pills to try to dry up the mucus in my chest. I plan to visit this guy one more time, then visit my employer to discuss my return to teaching. Grade B+ ... A little wacky, to be sure, but electric stimulation really helped my ailing back, and the painkillers weren't bad.
I got a text from work on Sunday asking if I was returning Monday. A little too soon given my condition. And besides, the kids classes play rough. I'll return when I'm able. I hate to miss class, but I'll be back in a short time.
My wife Phuong has been heroic throughout this process. She's given me massages, rubbed weird Chinese oil on my back, found some bear bladder juice for me to drink, and picked up my share of the chores. And she's still battling stomach issues. We're both on the mend, though, and we'll get through this pesky patch.
I want to thank everyone who congratulated Phuong and I on our wedding, and I also want to thank everyone for their words of encouragement after my moto-bike accident. The White Monkey can be a cynical schmuck, but I sincerely value my family and the friendships I've made over the years. Again, thank you for your kind words and support.
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