My Wrist Doctors
G. GEORGE OSTROM / For the Hungry Horse News
One of many things I've noticed about living beyond four score, I keep running out of a "personal doctor." Several have gone to the big examination room in the sky while others just retired. This problem came up again last year so my records were transferred to a different medical office. Was feeling fine so didn't worry, and then started having trouble with the right wrist. The new place has many doctors but I only know the oldest one and he wasn't available. Asked the lady on the phone for an appointment with their specialist for the "right wrist" and was told all doctors there look at right wrists but if they diagnose a problem not within their expertise they recommend someone who does specialize in "right wrists"
She scanned the appointment list and set a consultation with Doctor So-and-So. I could tell by the name it was …. my first woman doctor. Told the secretary I didn't want a full checkup. Made it clear I would not take off my clothes, but would roll up my right sleeve. She laughed and requested I come early to do questionnaires.
At the office they put me on the scales, so I suggested the nurse subtract 30 pounds because, "that's what my clothes weigh." Blood pressure was 126 over 80 and she wondered if I wanted her to lie about that, too. Filled out pages and pages of yes or no stuff on general health history related to fainting, cancer, and thousands of other possible problems. Came to "broken bones' and with 30 some of those over the years, just wrote "nothing lately." A final paper asked for details on current ailment so scribbled, "hard to write … pain in right wrist."
The Lady Doctor came to a room where I had been placed. My eyes work much better than my wrist so could see she was young, nice looking, and very fit. Presented her with autographed copy of my book "Glacier's Secrets." Figured that would cause her to like me more than the average old codger she has to deal with.
She examined my wrist; nothing I could still grip well and decided it should be X-rayed. The picture showed a possible bone chip off a tarsal and what appeared to be a small piece of something nearby. She set up and appointment with a "right wrist" bone specialist.
Was again asked to be early there to fill out forms and found them more massive, even had questions about my _ _ _ life so I noted "Not here about that." Also skipped over parts about fractures.
The kindly bone Doctor asked if I had ever broken that wrist and I told him I have always gone at physical tasks like I was killing snakes so had injured it a few times over the years. Told him I try to ignore things that hurt because they usually go away. Said I do my own diagnostic work because it's cheaper. He likely knew I'm under Medicare and have additional health insurance so might have thought I was either a wing nut or skinflint … maybe both.
Physicians can now e-mail X-rays to each other so he had the recent wrist ones. Went to a screen where he examined them closely pointing out the cartilage between a couple of tarsal bone and the two arm bones has worn away so they rub against each other. Said that could be a result of long ago injury plus some arthritis. He didn't actually say "old age" but mentioned use "over the years."
The doctor gave four options: 1. Do nothing. 2. Get a wrist brace and take anti-inflammatory medicine. 3. Try cortisone shots. 4. Operate and fuse the tarsals to the end of arm bones. We discussed pros and cons and I chose to try option 1 for a while.
Decided I am not going to complain around my wife or family and will go down in my den for any serious sniveling. Told Iris I am going to stop doing any of our plumbing, wiring, remodeling, auto repair, tree trimming, and fence mending.
She thought it over for a couple of days and figured out that will save us between eight hundred and two thousand dollars a year; however, she did nix my plan to start pre-dinner brandy … an hour earlier.
G. George Ostrom is a Kalispell resident and a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist.