Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A day of extremes

Patty Lou has a very pretty purple cast on her ankle. No surgery! Yippee! The Doctors decided that since the bone was almost perfectly in line, they would just put a cast on it and not plate it securing it with screws. They did have to 'reduce' it, meaning that while the cast was still pliable, the Dr. compressed the swelling in her ankle, pushing the bone into a better position. He molded the cast with his hands as it got hard, keeping things in place. Patty Lou was a real trooper through this painful ordeal, one without the benefit of pain medication, well, other than a Percocet (oxycodone) that she had taken earlier. Not a tear was shed!

My experience while there today, was a bit different. I had to continuously keep outing myself, telling Dr.'s and nurses that I was her husband, her transgendered husband, so I could remain with her throughout the 5 hours we were there. They all treated me with respect, but once one knew, there was an endless line of gawkers passing by just to take a look. So the good feeling of hearing "yes ma'am", was ruined by the stares of the curious. It was a day of both extreme highs and extreme lows. I know I'll never live long enough to see it, but someday the transgendered will not be seen as a sideshow oddity. What a glorious day that will be.

Stephanie

5 comments:

Amy K. said...

That's great to hear that no surgery is needed! She must be so relieved. I'm sorry to hear of your discomfort. Who were the gawkers though? If it was other patients and family-members, that's one thing. If you had doctors and nurses walking by gawking at you, well that IS disrepectful and unprofessional. The upside is that from what you wrote, it could've been worse. - Amy :)

Melissa said...

When you go back, take a pile of pictures of yourself, and when the gawkers come by, hand them each one saying, "Here, take one of these, it'll last longer!" :-D

Good to hear Parry Lou didn't need surgery. She took an oxycodone? No wonder she didn't shed a tear. She was probably on cloud 9. Is it a walking cast, or will she have to stay in the wheel chair?

Melissa

Melissa said...

I'm sorry Stephanie, I meant PATTY Lou! I need to pay closer attention to which key I'm hitting.

Melissa

chrissieB said...

Steph, I am sorry for missing all this.

I've been a bit behind on my reading lately, for obvious reasons.

Give my love to Patty Lou, and I hope she makes a fast mend.... She ahs been so brave!
Thinking of you both, honey.
love
chrissie
xxxx

Le visage d'avril said...

Good news about your wife's medical challenges. Speedy recovery! The good thing about the gawkers is people get to see a true and caring person.