Fear

[cjsmith]

Today I am facing my fear that the surgery won't help.

It might do very little. Of the problems visible with MRI, only one will be corrected by surgery.

The way I face fear is by making plans. If the surgery doesn't help I will, in this order:

1. Ice a lot. Continue this while trying other steps.
2. Try a heavy dose of anti-inflammatories for a brief period to see what happens.
3. Ask Dr. O about causes/recommendations for the tendon and ligament problems (actual question probably asked earlier, at surgery time). Try injected corticosteroid if offered. Try physical therapy tailored to this problem if offered.
4. Try acupuncture.
5. Stop the ice and try prolotherapy.
6. Go to a pain clinic. This step is the end of the line for me, so the next step is...
7. Accept the problem as permanent and learn to love being a physically inactive person.

Comments

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I'm still crossing my fingers the surgery will correct what it can. If not, at least you've got those plans laid out, and they make sense. :-/

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it'll correct what it can. I'm crossing my fingers that that's a LOT. We'll see!

Gah, if I'm this nervous now, I can only imagine what state I'll be in on knife day. ("Doctor, this patient has a heart rate of 160. AFTER anaesthesia.")

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

I remember being pretty nervous before my first hernia surgery in 1992, and that was nothing.

Mailbox, etc. open 24/7 if you need to vent, bitch, gripe, need hugs, whatever between now and (even after) then.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thank you muchly. I've been nervous before other surgeries, and those I firmly expected to be successful!