Granny Rehab Goes Off the Pills

It's now the 8th month after my accident. The inflamed S.I.joint is less angry, Dr J said. I have about a two pain level, between the one and ten. Maybe more like three. But never mind.

After I wrote a very intelligent letter to Doctors 11 and 12, three weeks later I got a response. They got curious at last. They asked Dr 1, to put me through a series of tests, including even Nuclear Medicine.

So yesterday I had to go to the fourth floor at Alta Bates, where they took blood from me again, quite a lot of it. Taking the blood is nothing compared to the uninspired sticking me with needles, unsuccessfully. My arm is blue from these failed needle marks. Finally a very handsome and cheerful guy, and young, took the blood without hurting me much.
The blood then went to San Francisco, where they put it into a centrifugal machine, and selected out only the red blood cells. These cells then got isotope, so it will twinkle under their machines.

Five hour later I returned to the fourth floor, to get the stuff injected back into me, isotopes and all. Nuclear medicine hums with fancy machines. Bodies laying on all narrow little beds. Big smart machines scan, and radiate and image over them like wise men.

Today I had to go back to have my image done. Isotopes were twinkling, but they have done two close ups as well, my hips of course. Tomorrow, I can eat only till nine am. Then show up at noon for a CT test. Dr 1 asked me to stop taking my meds so they can ascertain what my fever is, and how bad do I feel if at all.

I can tell you without pills I feel every little thing, like a princess on the mattress with the pea underneath it. I limp a little and my neck hurts, my right shoulder is smarting, I think there is a pinched nerve.

I am contemplating what to do next.

I am supposed to do no meds for three days. Three days of this surging pain.
Will she do it? Will Granny Rehab rebel against the self inflicted suffering? Then I only asked one question: What’s in it for me? I suffer for three days, and we will know I am still not well, is that pay off enough?

Suffering doesn’t have any redeeming qualities. I just get mean from it. Aging sucks.