There was a time when I had a doctor – A doctor – ONE doctor. Now, by last count, I have twenty-two medical folks charged with keeping me alive and well 0 as well as someone my age of eighty-seven can be. And, that does not include the staff at my local pharmacy. I’m told by my caregivers that I’m okay for my age.
Since January 1 of this year (2026), things have happened – my old body seems to be double crossing me. My head doesn’t want to go along with this double cross – arguing with every destructive step.
It began with last autumn when I was scheduled to have left-shoulder replacement surgery – reverse surgery – whatever that really means (scheduled surgeon, John Alexander Reister [doesn’t that name just roll of the tongue?]).
It was first scheduled for August 2025; I got sick. One does not have surgery when one is sick. It was, then, scheduled for September – still sick and the need for a pacemaker raised its head!. So, that surgery was postponed until January – I was not planning to deal with recover of shoulder surgery during the holidays.
Then, along came the need for a pacemaker (cardiologist Nick Palmeri). This amazing pacemaker is nothing like the one Larry got ever so many years ago. The battery pack of that one was the size of a “regular” cigarette package with leads from the battery pack, fished through the skin and into the heart. Mine is only 3/4 of an inch long with a battery that is supposed to last fifteen years (which should be long enough for me). It is housed completely within the heart – nothing on the outside of the body. I am periodically told to check the battery, which I do with a monitor at home; the readings are transmitted somehow to some place they are supposed to go. I wonder if this is by magic!
The difference I see in Larry’s pacemaker and mine makes me realize just how foolish it is to destroy the scientific research programs that is currently happening with our current federal government!
Before the scheduled surgery could take place, it was necessary for me to be seen by a gastroenterologist (Richard Roman). The result of that visit and the required endoscopy was a diagnosis of gastroparesis. I’d never heard of such a thing. Believe me, I know about it now! Fiber in foods is the problem – so no fresh vegetables or fruits. Nothing, in fact, with high fiber! When I asked Dr. Roman, “What will I eat?” he said – lots of smoothies. I’ve learned to love smoothies. My daughter became the “queen” of smoothies while I was there. What I learned is that you can throw just about anything into the blender, and it becomes a smoothie. Spinach, milk, fruit juice, frozen fruits, cauliflower, cantaloupe, avocado. You name it – put it in. Protein powder is important to me because I was told by the dietician with home I talked that I’m really supposed to have something in the neighbor hood of 95 grams of protein – that’s 95 grams folks! So, now, I know how much protein is in a lot of my favorite foods; as well as fiber.
And, of course, because I also have diabetes, I have to be cognizant of the sugars and triglycerides because they make my glucose readings spike. AGHRRH!! But, I made a chart – two actually. One that lists all of the calories, fat (also has to be limited), carbohydrates, fiber, protein, sodium, and sugars of the foods I eat. The other is where I keep records of everything I eat (EVERYTHING), as well as my oxygen levels (more about that later). I talked with a dietician who cautioned that a single diet cannot be for every person with GP (my abbreviation). Each patient must determine what is best for her/him – what foods to eat that cause the intestinal distress and what don’t. It’s a very individually-determined activity.
I think one very good thing about eating thus is that I have, by the scale, lost about twenty pounds. My PCP (Avant) directs that may only lose about ten-to-fifteen more pounds; I think that is because I’m old, and if I get really sick, I need that body weight for recovery. Interestingly enough, my shoulder surgeon (Reister) agrees, having told me this several years ago.
January 20, 2026, arrived and the shoulder surgery happened. I thought I was going to be going HOME to my house and would be able to take care of myself. BIG MISTAKE! Instead, I went to Daughter #1’s house; she kindly took me in and was a great caregiver. Because I’m old, the surgeon always keeps his senior patients overnight, so I went to her house on January 21.
She tells me that I sat in her recliner chair and slept for four hours. Waking, I went into the bathroom where I passed out, falling against the bathtub, hitting the right side of my body. (As it turned out that injury hurt more than the shoulder ever hurt!) There was no possible way that she could assist me so 911 was called. The responders in blue (three men and one woman who seemed to be the one in charge) were able to extricate me from between the commode and the bathtub, having difficulty because of the shoulder.
But, they did; they got me out and on to the gurney and into the ambulance. I spent two more days in the hospital; when I was discharge from that stint, I was sent home on oxygen – 24/7, with a stern, cautionary direction from my PCP (Todd Avant) that I WAS to use the oxygen from the big concentrator 24/7 and from the portable concentrator when out of the house – OR ELSE! My caregiver daughter took that order to heart and did not let me get away without following it.
I wanted to go home and was very verbal about that. I know that my daughter was really tired of hearing me say that. She is an incredible caregiver. Although she is a retired educator and library worker, she still substitutes in early-childhood classes. Being my caregiver, she has been unable to do that. She also reads to ECE children at various school one day each week. That also stopped until she felt that I could spend a day by myself.
She ordered and picked up groceries – making sure that the products were things I wanted (like Twinkies – I love Twinkies), protein powder, and other foods for the smoothies. Most of the time, she made the smoothies, made my breakfast when I wanted/needed egg whites for that meal – in general, she kept me fed.
She has a recliner chair that is better for her to use than sitting in any other chair. I was in that chair, however, so she kindly gave up her preferred chair for my use. She drove me to the many medical appointments scheduled for me. I would not be here and at the stage of recovery that I am without her diligence and care. I am blessed to have her in my life!
There is more to tell, but this is enough for right not. So, more later!
Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
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