PS - Speaking of Speculation: My Own "Blunt Force Trauma Injury to the Abdomen" VS. Ivana Trump's

 

Though I am fairly immune to jumping to conclusions without proof, that doesn't mean I don't have my own speculations about things - I just need more evidence before I believe them or don't believe them. They just sit in a gray questioning zone.

For example, ever since my main diagnosis after the crash was "blunt-force trauma injury to the abdomen," I can't stop thinking about the last time I heard that particular phrase.

The last time I heard that phrase said was when Ivana Trump supposedly died from falling down the stairs. 

I already thought it was odd at the time, but since I had my own diagnosis of blunt force trauma injury of the abdomen, I think it's even more odd.

So ...  my blunt-force trauma injury to the abdomen was obtained by crashing into someone turning left at a flashing yellow arrow, going 45 miles per hour. 

Specifically, it was seatbelt injury specifically caused by:

1).  Rapid deceleration.

2)  The front end of our car being totally smashed in towards us - the car is totalled.

3) My airbag not deploying properly.  

 

I mean, it felt like somebody literally hit me in the stomach as hard as they could with a baseball bat!

But you're telling me that Ivana Trump died from even worse blunt force trauma to the abdomen -  just from falling down stairs???

How could a human get THAT much momentum and force going  in a hit to the abdomen just from falling down stairs - enough to cause her death - see what I mean?

Allrighty, but I'm not sure that makes sense. 

Maybe I'm wrong, but it's just it took so much momentum and force to result in that same diagnosis, but I didn't die, so ...? 

See what I mean and why I question that?

Like I said, I could be wrong and I'd need more evidence - but of course, we'd likely never get any either way.

Increase in Choosing Belief VS. Fact in the Medical Community (Especially Kentucky)

 

A little bit frustrated today with my healthcare situation.

I feel really bad saying what I'm about to say, because this person was SUCH a nice guy, super intelligent, and spent a lot of time with us - but what also may be true is that he may be just a little bit kookaburra? 😂

I mean, we had a really good conversation about lots of things, many of which I agreed with, but others I was like "Hmm," in my head, so I just said "Oh, interesting" not knowing what else to say about them lol

So I was told today by an MD - someone who should know better - that you can reduce plaque buildup in your arteries by switching to a vegetarian - and especially vegan - diet.

This MD literally said that I could reduce my plaque burden back to zero, if I just became a vegetarian, especially if I could become a vegan.

Um - no.

Not only has that not been scientifically proven, but it may not even be possible. 

I didn't argue this point, just listened - because from what I know from both school and medical transcription largely in cardiology, once you have plaque, you have it for life - you can't eradicate it without intervention - all you can do is stabilize it and prevent it from getting worse?

In fact, when I got home, I researched the very physician's studies that he quote, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr.

For starters, the studies that he did weren't out to prove vegetarian diets "cured" or reversed cardiovascular disease - the goal was to lower LDL cholesterol and thus prevent further plaque burden and cardiac events.

That much we already know and has been proven over and over. 

The only mention I could find of actually reversing plaque build-up was an editorial paper written by Dr. Esselstyn that said he "believed" it could reverse plaque burden, based on a small prior study where some of the participants did show somewhat of a reversal in plaque burden, but it's not understood why just in those patients and needs further study.

In all the studies I read on his work, nowhere, at any time, did Dr. Esselstyn ever once say that someone reduced their plaque burden back to 0%!

Once you have plaque in your arteries, though a plant-based diet can help lower your cholesterol and thereby prevent further plaque build-up and may even stabilize it, once plaque is there, it's there until it's removed or bypassed around - period.

In other words, at present, you CANNOT eradicate existing plaque without intervention, particularly if calcified.

If you could, there'd be no need for interventional cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery for blockages and our docs would be telling us to stop completely all food with meat, fat, or oils of any kind, but they do not.

Then he went down a rabbit hole about flock cameras and government monitoring and not trusting pharmaceutical companies in favor of natural medicine.

Um ... it's not that I DO necessarily trust these things ... but methinks a combination of natural products and pharmaceuticals yield the best results, it's not "either/or."

Also, I always wonder about people who worry so much about government monitoring, like ... "What in the heck are you doing that you shouldn't be, to the degree that you think the government would be targeting you as a nobody, with little to no power?" 😂 

And usually, it's the same people who trust Trump blindly without realizing the smeller may be the feller.

I mean, the vindictive. vengeful, paranoid degree to which Trump goes after his political opponents does worry me. 

(As does his overreach like using taxpayer money to fund his political commercials recently or ignoring constitutional protections completely.)

Also, ICE's overreach and brutality is starting to scare us all!

Except Trumpers who seem to justify this level of government overreach when it comes to Trump, for reasons I don't understand, - because if Obama or Biden even did any of that, they'd be in the streets with AR-15s! 

As for flock cameras, yes, they are fraught with issues (mostly misidentification) - but they've also helped catch a few criminals, too.

The same is true for pharmaceuticals.

I just don't think it's that "either/or" or we should throw the baby out with the bathwater, just do better and monitor the monitors?

I dunno, it's like I don't trust government OR corporations, but I also don't distrust them until they give me a reason not to (and some have), especially at a local level?

And prove it?

Proof should still be required. 

You can believe whatever you want to, even after you watch a video with no context, but you should still ask for proof and critically think through it, like "If not AI, what context was this in and are there any other possibilities that could explain what I'm believing?"

I think of this particularly with the "stolen election" ballot videos of mail bags being "dumped."

Um - turns out, they were proven to be in transport to the vote-counting facilities and accounted for - NOT being dumped in trash bins!

Also, some of the doctors I've seen recently "believe" that smoking is a bad habit easily quit.

I had one doc say "You're so logical, being logical is very important to you, so it's just so illogical that you smoke, I don't get it."

Um - no one ever said smoking is logical - and quitting smoking is NOT just a will power thing and we need to stop smoking, or any addiction, as weakness or lack of will power.

Smoking is a true addiction - both psychologically AND physiologically addictive.

In fact, nicotine is just as addictive to heroin because it quickly and directly boosts dopamine short-term; therefore, it is just as hard to quit as heroin.

You have to have a plan and a good replacement, it's not as simple as "Oh, it's illogical for me to smoke; thus, I'll just put them down" and expect to quit - because your brain literally develops more nicotine receptors craving it and the cravings will increase over time.

I never argue with any of these people, I just listen - but it's become clear to me that like our politics here, especially in Kentucky, even with doctors, belief Trumps fact.

I did try to tell one of the clinicians the multitude of scientific studies on how smoking is physically addictive, too, very politely and she said "Yeah, yeah, yeah, studies, whatever - I believe it's just a bad habit you can stop."

I mean, I can want to believe that nothing but rainbows fly out of my pug's butt  - and only the pug breed - but my belief doesn't make it fact! 😂

Evidence and proof that's been put the to test by ruling out other possibilities is still important!

(And I mean, if I really believed rainbows flew out of my pug's butt anyway, then I would expect someone to have my eyes and brain checked! lol

I think when we're seeing actual MDs choose belief over fact without testing their beliefs, have an apparent inability to read clinical trials fully without focusing on only the parts they already want to believe, and/or lose the ability to critically think?

Houston, we have a problem.

And although I believe it's a nationwide problem that's increasing, nowhere have I seen belief Trump fact like the South, ESPECIALLY in Kentucky.

Kentucky Castle CEO and Bourbonaire Terminated for Sex-Taping Guests and HIS OWN FAMILY!

 So Mark and my first date was at this place in 2011 and we have never stayed there, just went to a Halloween Costume Party, thank God. 

At that time, it was under different ownership anyway, called "The Castle Post" - again, thank God.

And wasn't I just talking about freaky AirBNB owners a few posts ago?

Because famous Angel Envy bourbon-maker billionaire (sold to Bacardi) and CEO of the Kentucky Castle, Wes Henderson - in the top 100 bourbon makers of all time ...  

- was just terminated as CEO of the Kentucky Castle and arrested, when his own family caught cameras in their vacation homes and at the castle itself, along with tons of sex tapes of both guests - and his own family!

Homeland Security is now involved. (Not sure why versus the FBI, but whatever).

It's unclear of whether he intended to use the tapes for dirt on people or was just a freak, but either way, your own family???

Ewwwwww!

And we thought Anita and Patrick Madden's celebrity after-derby parties were bad enough!

(I never went nor was invited, but I know people that served the people at them. From what I heard, they rivaled today's P. Diddy parties.)

Ah, rich people - and their Eyes Wide Shut, P. Diddy bullshit - be cray cray 😂

New or old money doesn't matter - old money is just better at hiding it than new money.

Regardless, when people have money - particularly men - it seems the first thing they do with money and power is express it - or more accurately, impose it on others - sexually -  in conquest and/or power abuse mentality. Consent doesn't matter, it's about conquest and power abuse. 

This of course goes on way too long because they can just snap their fingers and "make it go away."

Good on his own family for reporting him!

Health Update: The Good And The Bad, Still Finding My Gratitude and Joy

 Just giving a health update ... 

One piece of advice I've learned and would give anyone in my situation, or any bad situation is - it's okay to feel overwhelmed and even cry for a minute - THEN be grateful for what and who you have around you and forward think. 

Make future plans, even if they're unlikely and absurd 😂

Also what I have learned over time is that when bad things happen, you learn who's there for you and who isn't - and it can surprise you, going both ways.

To be fair, there are a couple of friends I haven't told because I don't want to burden them - i.e., my former boss, Leeanne, who is planning her son's wedding - and my neighbors and close friends, Angelie and Rico that I've mentioned before on here, who I don't think read here. Not only do they have 2 young children, but his mother with advanced Parkinson's just moved here from Puerto Rico and I know they are already overwhelmed!)

Among those I have told, here's who has stepped up to the plate with rides, offers of food, checking on me daily, and/or sending me pictures of their travel adventures so that I can live vicariously through them, right now  (lol), funny memes or pics, or giving great care:

These people are:

Mark - my amazing husband and my rock. 💓

Mark's siblings.

My mom and my little sister. 

My friend, Kayla and her family.

My neighbors, Shondelle and Vince and their son, VJ.

My neighbors, Cody (also one of our maintenance guys) and his girlfriend, Savannah. 

Mark's boss and coworkers, Kiyon, Corey, and Fidan.

Mark's friend in Detroit, Allen H. 

My attorney, Katie, and her legal team (especially Claire) at Minner & Vines.

My Primary Care Physician at Family Practice Associates, Susan Monohan, MD, and her staff (especially Lisa).

My orthopedist at Bluegrass Orthopedics, Ched Crouse, MD and staff.

My neurosurgery nurse practitioner at Baptist Health - Neurosurgery, Debbie Croucher, APRN (recently awarded "Advanced Practitioner of Year" for Baptist Health Kentucky-Indiana.) 

My dentist, Erica Higginbotham DMD - AKA "Lady Higginbotham" (because her name makes her sound like she's a character on Bridgerton 😂) -  and the entire staff at Beaumont Family Dentistry - Leestown - ESPECIALLY my dental hygienist and soul sista, Crystal!

(The latter was not doing dental work on me at the time, but heard about it and called me. That group has been SO supportive in general with life's ups and down, I can't tell you - the kindest and all around best dental group in town!)

Absolutely amazing people, some of whom I've only known for less than a year in our new apartment - THANK YOU!!! 😍

 

So, onto the health news.

The Bad News: 

So when compiling my medical records for my attorney, I caught something on the CT scan report of the abdomen that was overlooked during the shuffle to find injuries. (Hey, 27 years in medical records - go me!)

I thought it was an incidental finding - but my neurosurgery APRN pinpointed its location at correlating exactly at the point of the fracture. 

So it's an aortic mural thrombus - essentially, a blood clot on my descending aorta.

Being that the ER staff had much to be desired the night I was seen (already written about earlier), I noticed the radiologist briefly mentioned it, but said nothing about either the size of it or the location - and then forgot to put it in his clinical impression or address it or refer me for further care.

After I caught it, I went to see my PCP, who referred me to Vascular Surgery (though we don't think surgical intervention will be necessary), thinking it was incidental finding.

However, my neurosurgery nurse practitioner took a look at the images with me in the room, and as mentioned, she showed me the aortic thrombus correlated exactly with the vertebral fracture at all angles.

Good News: 

The aortic mural thrombus is tiny and should be able to be treated with medication alone.

Thus, I'm being sent for an MRI to determine the exact size and location, as well as if the age of the mural thrombus matches the age of the fracture to prove it's injury rather than calcific buildup.

She also told me "Whadaheck is THIS (the brace)? It's overkill. No wonder it was killing your ribs."

Ha! Isn't that exactly what I said, it's too much and was killing my ribs?

The abdominal swelling and rib-cage swelling had gone down, which helped - but thank you, Debbie Croucher!

She said she could get me a new one, but I was healing so quickly, I wouldn't likely need to wear one at all unless I overdid it or while riding in the car or walking on uneven ground.

(And the reason I'm healing up quickly is because I gently stretch everyday and walk laps around my house or short walks outside with the brace on. It's kind of instinctual with this injury to want to move.)

Bad News:

She also made frustrated faces about the the lax documentation I mentioned earlier - not just the ribs, but the more serious injury, the mural thrombus - briefly mentioned only under the "VASCULAR"  heading in the body of the report, without giving exact location on the aorta or the size, nor mentioning at all in the impression, and with no referrals or treatment. 

The ER radiologists also completely missed an L4-L5 compressed/degenerative disc; however, this was old injury as evidenced by calcifications.

(I had no idea. As I've said, I'm super good with physical pain, so I just thought I occasionally got muscle spasms from scoliosis.)

She said missing these and the vague documentation was "unacceptable" - because though a mural thrombus of that size isn't immediately dangerous, it is still dangerous - and should've been  addressed and referred out to vascular surgery or cardiology immediately.

She may have a country accent, but make no mistake - that woman is as smart as a whip!

I can totally see why she won advanced practitioner of the year!

So she held her finger on the thrombus on imaging as she twisted the images from every angle, showing me it directly correlated with the vertebral fracture - proving it is at least suspect for being caused by injury.

It's uncommon, but it does happen.

Good News: 

Again, Vascular Surgery will need to confirm, but because of its tiny size, we may be able to break it up and prevent more clotting just with medicine.

Also, I have ZERO SYMPTOMS from it - in fact, I feel a little hit better each and every day! 🥰

Bad News:

We had just gotten our 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander in June and it's totalled and are thus underwater on our loan and its our only car.

Also, the lienholder and the insurance company cannot agree on the reimbursement value of the car, with the lienholder obtaining a third-party independent evaluation, with which the insurance company still disagrees - and the insurance company is dragging their feet on a response.

In the meantime, because the car is totaled, the insurance company  would not pay for a rental car past 3 days. They would if the car was reparable, but it isn't.

Thus, we're renting it daily out of pocket each day we wait with insurance company discount.

PLUS we have to continue payments on the old car we can't even drive until they decide on its value - AND - pay off whatever they decide on is left - PLUS - come up with a down payment for a new car - AND pay new car payments as well as the old car.

Also, I have had to quit school, both due to funding cuts to financial aid for half-time programs by Trump's OBBBA bill and because I will need a bit more of healing time.

I was door-dashing for income, and of course, I can no longer do that. 

Good News:

Okay, so ... no good news on this front yet BUT ... I will get a settlement as a result of this accident, at some point?

And as I said, 2 days before the accident, I had a "ticker-tape" message  run through my head which interrupted my own thoughts, accompanied by a chill - as if abruptly as a "breaking news" commercial interrupted a show you were watching on T.V. that said "Something really bad is about to happen - but it will be okay."

I couldn't literally hear anything, like it wasn't an auditory or visual hallucination, mind you - just a ticker-tape thought that interrupted my thought processes so clearly and disruptively that  I knew it was not my own thoughts - as interruptive as "We interrupt this thought process for a a very important message." 😂

I told Mark immediately about it and he thought it was just anxiety on overdrive.

And yet thus far, whoever or whatever pegged it spot on, right?

I can't deny or explain that. 

My mom of course thinks it was Jesus.

I said "Well, if it is, then I don't know where he's been for the last 20 years or so, but he's welcome." 😂

But as I said, there was no voice attached, no sense of male or female or who it was, so it's hard to say. 

I LIKE to believe it was my friend/spiritual Mom, Marian, but perhaps that's just what I want to believe.

Regardless, despite losing my faith almost entirely over the past year  - I can't deny this - it was very clear and very accurate - so whoever or whatever that was that simultaneously both warned and reassured me of what was about to happen, I'm going to trust that it also right about the second part - that! it WILL all be okay - or try to! 😂

Regardless, whatever happens, I will be focusing on joy and gratitude - and I WILL heal!

Project Hail Mary

 

Well, being that I'm laid up a bit after my accident, I finally had time to watch this movie, last night ... and I LOVED it!

This is the type of movie we used to make - heartwarming and inspirational - but now with flawed, real characters, which IMO is a nice addition and makes them more relatable.

It's like if the movies E.T. and Armageddon had a baby, only with more science, the only warfare is against an interspace microbiological entity, and reluctant, unlikely heroes. 

Also, lots of people missed the spiritual subtext - and not just in the movie's title. 

First of all, for those who don't know, a "Hail Mary" isn't just a Catholic prayer - it's a football term used for a last-minute pass or play when there's virtually no hope for win - in other words, a play made on a prayer.

Also, the main character's last name is "Grace" and he is called "Grace" - duh?

This comes into play in the form of second chances after past mistakes. 

Though he has a doctorate in molecular biology, he now teaches middle school science, after refusing to play politics in academia, as well as his inability to STOP thinking outside of the box and asking questions about accepted theories - not that he's unhappy, he LOVES teaching.

And as brave as he was in standing up for his theories - and overly aggressive about it -  he realized that led him to nowhere but failure, as well as that not only were his peers wrong, but he was wrong, too. 

Thus, he doesn't speak up for anything now, doubts himself, and considers himself a failure.

After a scientist discovers a strange arc line (named the Vetrova line after the scientist who discovered it) comprised of particles called "astrophages" extending from Venus to the sun, and are essentially "eating" the sun - Grace - along with several other molecular and microbiologists - are chosen to help research these particles for the potential of being living organisms, to study what they are comprised of, specifically what they eat, how they reproduce, and what the relationship is specifically between Venus and the sun - why Venus, though Mercury is the closest planet?

(Answer: The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus.)

They also discover that other galaxies are suffering from the same phenomenon with the exception of one, and it is their job to figure out what is different about this galaxy - which is where he meets "Rocky" and they work together to find out.

I'm not going to spoil ALL the answers for you and the whys -  watch the movie - but the point is, he continually tries to tell the project leaders that he got lucky on his findings and that he's not the right person for this job, and yet they trust his ability to quickly think outside of the box to solve this problem.

In other words, "Grace" is being given a second chance to trust himself and what gifts he's already been given that he believed were his greatest flaws  - as well as trust that this is his destiny, even if he doesn't believe in himself. 

It also has you asking yourself scientific questions that will take you back to high school or college chemistry, trying to remember stuff lol.

Like when you find out the organism is comprised mostly of water - what "kills" water?

(Remember, drying/evaporation doesn't kill water, it simply recycles it.)

The  only thing I could think of was nuclear fission, which of course, is not an option.

My second thought was could nitrogen play a role?

Like freeze them into dormancy with liquid nitrogen - OR - since these organisms were creating their own ecosystem, could you somehow smother them out from the sunlight with nitrogen like algae does from too much nitrogen?

As it turns out, my second thought process on nitrogen playing a role does come into play, but first, they discover that we can actually USE astrophages by harnessing their energy as a source of power, after modification - AND - block them from "eating" the sun by keeping things in balance by infusing nitrogen.

(They don't get to exactly how that will be accomplished by the end, though.)

And if none of that stuff I just said is your thing, Ryan Gosling is in it - and you know how we ladies love us some Ryan Gosling 😂

Highly recommend!

Injury Photos, Being in "Ripley" Mode, and Finding a Laugh Where We Can (My Hilarious Airbag Story) ...

 

So most people who know me know that I have PTSD, and what that means for me is during an emergency or crisis, I go immediately into what Mark calls 'Ripley' mode, after Ellen Ripley from the movie "Aliens." 😂

This isn't as bad-ass as it sounds - it just means that my brain already has a pathway created for how to deal with trauma, so I don't feel, I think and solve problems -  much like Ripley did, despite ordinarily feeling "anxious, damaged, unuseful" in life from PTSD, after the first go-round with the aliens.

The good part is, my brain processing suddenly becomes super clear and super fast.

The not-so-great part is, though I startle easily and may even unconsciously tremble, I don't consciously feel fear, I don't feel emotion or cry, and I'm good with physical pain - until I feel safe later and that most problems are solved or being worked on. 

So ... I have folders for all documentation fully organized in PDFs on my desktop for my insurance, the other driver's insurance, my attorney, and each healthcare provider. 😂

I'm taking calls from both insurance companies, from lawyers,  from medical records, from patient advocates, and from providers' offices, catching any tricky stuff and swatting annoying flies in midair - it's like my brain is suddenly in superhuman mode. 😂

People keep saying things like how "tremendously strong/tough" I am and "amazingly positive" and "great sense of humor"  - but what that actually tells me is that I'm not feeling anything that happened and pretending everything is normal -  I'm on autopilot. 

This gets to the point where I'm so much inside my head and working so tirelessly that Mark has to mimic the line from Aliens - "Okay, Ripley, ease off the throttle, we're clear. But the axle's broken, you're just grinding metal now. Ease down." 😂

You can see that moment from the movie in this montage clip, which is kinda of a metaphor for things that happened during our relationship timeline and history as well ... 

In fact, the only hint of anything I felt emotional about this week at all, I would say, was shame.

The accident wasn't my fault - and yet you still go through the "what could we have done differently?" thing, right? 

Then there's also the shame of had I made different decisions in life - if WE had made different financial decisions in life - this wouldn't be as stressful as far as the situation we're now in financially as a result. 

But you can't get in a time machine and go back, all we can do is move forward and learn, right?

So that passes quickly because shame is a very poor motivator and I don't have time for that shit right now 😂

And I mean, I had help getting to this phase in life financially, too, but we won't go there.

It started to overwhelm me a little bit this weekend when quiet -but then I said "I don't have time to feel this sh*t and have a pity party lol."

But it's also NOT a great to just expect to live your life as if it didn't happen, pretend like things are going to be the same just as they were before the accident - things have changed, and may stay changed from now on.

I mean, I can't just hop outta bed and in the shower anymore, it takes planning. For the first couple of days, Mark stood outside the shower curtain to avoid falls, but now, I can do them completely alone if I'm careful.

In fact, the hardest daily thing is getting up out of bed. It actually just pisses me off 😂

It pisses me off to the degree that it gives me the strength to do it, with an aggressive "GRRR" as I do it! 😂

So I have to grab the side of the mattress to lift my ribs carefully, throw my legs over and then slowly straighten out my back because it's so stiff. 

Once I've done that, I slowly lift my arms to slowly stretch my back and then take a brief slow stroll around my house to loosen the stiffness, with Mark watching me to ensure my stability, which usually works - and then I'm okay, I can manage the rest.

In fact, I'm already off pain meds entirely, saving them only if I move a certain way I shouldn't and/or if things get bad, because there are bad days and good days. 

(I hadn't been able to use the bathroom since it happened, both due to abdominal swelling/contusion and pain meds, so I took myself off them yesterday and had some luck!)

I can't load or unload things into the dishwasher repeatedly, just one quick dip/bend at a time, so that it takes all day if Mark doesn't help lol. 

I can't clean anything below my waist, and lifting above my shoulder level is an issue, too, and absolutely nothing more than the weight of a small plate or glass can be lifted.

I can't stand and cook yet, just sit and stir and Mark has to help me with anything needing standing or bending into the oven.

I can take short walks, it actually helps the pain - but no long walks in the park - and definitely not even short ones holding the leash with Ziggy, Mark has to do it.

Speaking of Ziggy, he had to learn what we could and couldn't do, he's SO smart. Having pugs most of my adult life, I can tell you that Pugs generally aren't the smartest dog breed, but Ziggy is  the exception. 

He doesn't understand entirely, but does realizes something happened  and I'm in pain and where, and he's very patient and gentle - he knows what areas can and cannot be touched, gives little kisses to those areas, super cute! 

He lets me know he wants to cuddle by very gently and tentatively putting one paw on my hand, or tests out an area before he puts his weight on it -  then showers my face with kisses, understanding I'm not at full capacity. 🥰

So I made an agreement with myself - I would acknowledge what I had just been through, without feeling it yet, until I feel safe enough.

Below are the photos sent to my attorney. When you see these photos, realize that I was advised to send every photo of any significant visible injury.

Also, keep in mind, I got off easy - it could've been much, much worse.

For example, there was no head or neck injury - likely due to the air bag not deploying properly. 

That may sound weird, but had my airbag deployed properly, I could've had head and neck trauma, too, but I don't thus far.

Then again, the other side of that is, would I have sustained these injuries had the airbag deployed properly? 

THAT, we don't know - but my providers and lawyers are definitely interested in that.

All I know is the way it deployed was actually kind of funny 😂

It kind of poofed out after Mark's, after the car had already stopped. It "pffted" out very slowly and to my left, never touching me ... sorta like "Oh, hey -   you were in an accident -   here's a balloon animal!" 😂😂😂

What the ??? 

Anyway, the full list of injuries are:

1.  Blunt force trauma to the abdomen.

2. An L1 vertebral compression fracture.

2. Fractured 11th rib.

3. Nondisplaced left wrist fracture - very small, just discovered 2 days ago.

4. Sprained left ankle.

5. Right knee laceration - no stiches required, and multiple cuts and scrapes I didn't even notice until like the third day 😂 

 

  

Some of these photos show the injuries, some do not because they're internal - and keep in mind, they look worse than they feel to me, so don't freak out - but yeah, it was a lot.

These were taken Wednesday, and remember, objects appear larger than they normally are, due to swelling ... 

Blunt force trauma to the abdomen (seatbelt injury) resulting in the rib and vertebral fractures  ...

Small nondisplaced left wrist fracture ... 

Left ankle sprain ... 

Right upper arm bruising 

There was also bruising to the hips from the seatbelt, but those also included some more intimate areas, so leaving them off here lol.

It's a little better every day, and as I said, it's feels better than it looks - and could've been worse!

Hospital Patient Advocate Call

 

Due to that brief polite call I made regarding the rib fracture issue. 

As I said, I wasn't mad, I just thought they'd want to know, because this isn't their usual AND because documentation is extremely important in motor vehicle accident insurance claims.

I was surprised with the way she started out, she kind of came at me. 

Not an attack or rude necessarily, but definitely not what I expected or I wouldn't have taken the call.

Of course, I have no experience with patient advocates - I assumed they were there to listen to concerns, just based on their title - NOT launch into a diatribe to defend the hospital as if they're a lawyer lol.

She brought up the fact that I signed myself out on AMA regardless, when it was clear he wanted me to stay for 24 hours for "internal injuries."

Um, no - so I gently pushed back ... I don't know if I can get this one verbatim, because I'm on pain meds, but it went something like ...

"Well, now, wait just a minute, here - first of all, this happened long before I signed out - so what we're NOT going to do is pretend like if I hadn't, this wouldn't have happened." 

"Speaking of his notes, he said he recommended a 24-hour observation unit to 'monitor for POTENTIALLY delayed internal bleeding ' - NOT - "known internal injuries" - there's a big difference."  

"That is because there was no question about the back fracture, we already knew it was there by then; thus, why I was referred to outpatient treatment hours before I signed out." 

"If the reason was, as you say, known internal injuries overall, then he would have admitted me immediately, rather than just a 24-hour observation unit - but he didn't, did he?" 

"Therefore, his recommendation for a 24-hour observation was ONLY to monitor for RISK of internal bleeding -  NOT internal injuries overall."

"I signed out AMA due to concerns about cost, after those referrals had already been given, and after 6-1/2 hours in the ER with stable vital signs, no signs of internal bleeding, only after the referrals were made, as well as after I asked first the nurse, then  doctor. " 

"The nurse, and even the doctor later, agreed that "if internal bleeding was going to happen, it most likely would've happened by now" and that I was 'likely out of the woods, they just wanted to be sure" on the internal bleeding" and "vital signs are still stable and good"  so they will consent to signing myself out - *IF* - I understood the explained risks and warning signs of internal bleeding to watch out for." 

She conceded this was, in fact, the case - he DID say internal bleeding - NOT - internal injuries overall.

She asked me if I'd made that outpatient appointment with Neurosurgery.

 

Me: "Oh, glad you mentioned that - did you all know that we are currently short on neurosurgeons in this town? I didn't.  In case you didn't know, there is currently a 1-2-month wait to see a neurosurgeon for any issue unless it is life-threatening." 

"Thus, they can't see me locally until October 15th - nearly one month from the accident. Thus, I am going to need to travel to Louisville, unless my attorney can find one locally through their connections."

I then reassured her that really, it's not that serious! 😂

And that I had no intention of including the healthcare system in my bodily injury claim - it's not that big of a deal!

As long as all the injuries are now documented correctly so that the insurance companies can't fight over it, then we're good!

I wanted to let them know, both to correct documentation for insurance purposes, as well as for quality improvement, reassuring them we would continue to use this hospital system and otherwise loved this hospital -  they took great care of my husband with stroke - I just thought they'd want to know what happened as a one-off in feedback.

She softened a little bit after that, and began talking to me like her colleague rather than an attorney, thank God - and then said as for the broken rib, it likely wasn't addressed because we don't wrap or treat broken ribs anymore.

Me: "I understand that now, but I didn't at the time - I only learned this after being referred to Orthopedics for the ankle and wrist, who explained it." 

"You all may know rib fractures aren't treated anymore as healthcare professionals and thus no need for discussion or instructions, but patients don't that until you tell us - we're not mind-readers, right?" 

"We also don't know what to do or not do, what activities we should avoid or not avoid, what signs to watch for worsening fracture, or expected healing time - again, until you tell us." 

"That's what I'm saying, this wasn't addressed at all in discussion OR my discharge instructions - and in fact, the doc said I didn't have a rib fracture when I asked, and everybody kept saying that when I tried to tell them the brace was hurting my ribs badly."  

"In fact, I was pretty sure I had a rib fracture, but I didn't know for sure until I read my own radiology report the next day myself, because nobody addressed it."

 

Patient Advocate: "Well, I guess that's because we were so focused on your back, but the diagnosis is mentioned in your paperwork, just not in your after-care instructions. But he did put rib fracture in his notes."

 

Me: "I get that, I totally understand and appreciate that - and yet there's a difference between what healthcare professionals assume is the most painful injury versus actual patient pain experience, right? What the patient is trying to tell you is still important." 

"My ribs hurt worse than my back, I tried to tell them that, especially after they put the brace on, but the doc said I didn't have a rib fracture." 

"Also - what he puts in his notes later isn't necessarily what he tells the patient, and being a medical transcriptionist for 27 years, I know they usually don't do their notes until after the patient is gone." 

"And again, although you all may know rib fractures receive no treatment anymore, the patients don't know that until you tell them - you have to tell us and/or put it in the discharge instructions about what to do/not do, healing time, etc.. Does that make sense?"

 

Patient Advocate: "Absolutely, it does - I'll agree with you on that. Just because we know ribs aren't treated anymore doesn't mean the patient does, and you all definitely need to know that it could take up to 6 months to heal and not to lift anything over 5 pounds if you can help it. We could probably do better about communicating that, so I've notated that." 

 

Me: "That's the only suggestion for improvement I have. The rest of this, let's chalk up to miscommunication, because I mean, I could've misheard him, I was in pain. Well, that issue, and then there's the missing toradol shot I never received." 

"So ... when I first got there, I asked them to try everything before opioids first, because narcotics make me vomit.  So in addition to the basic Tylenol I asked for, the doctor said he would order a toradol shot, but it never arrived." 

"In fact, no one entered my room at all after the shift change at 11 p.m. After another 1-1/2 hours, I hobbled out to go to the bathroom by myself and asked the nurse about the toradol shot." 

"I was afraid to even do that because though the ER wasn't busy, I know there are patients there with worse problems -  but at the same time, it was now 2 hours later - 5 hours since entry to the ER -  so the Tylenol had worn off and the pain was really ramping up." 

"That is when the nurse told me the toradol shot was not ordered and she was having trouble reaching the doctor." 

"She said he 'kept disappearing' and it was starting to piss her off. She literally said 'I don't know where he's going, watching football for all I know, but I have been unable to reach him. He's around here somewhere, just not responding to my texts and calls about you or any other patients.' 

"Then she said would find someone to just go ahead and order opioids. She was more frustrated than I was! 😂" 

"I mean, we're trying to keep people off opioids because of the risks, right? So here's myself and the nurse trying to do just that, but he forgets to order the toradol  shot entirely until hours later, and we're now at opioid level of pain." 

Then she said she notated that and would check into that with the nurse to see about that, she hadn't checked with her yet and there was no mention of a toradol shot anywhere.

I said "That's because he forgot to order it. So there's no documentation of it, but if you ask that nurse, she will confirm that she tried to contact the doctor about it later."

Then, I again reassured her that I had no intention of including the hospital on the bodily injury suit, and I'm not mad, I just thought they'd want to know - I would, if it were my hospital, for quality improvement purposes.

It's all good - whew, what a stressful week, though, right?

And yet I'm still handling it all with a smile and a joke, for the most part, providers and staff have actually commended me on my kindness and sense of humor through it all.

However, there's one exception - don't be trying to gaslight me or make your own documented medical mistakes MY fault, now, just to cover your asses, People -  I don't take well to that - AND there's no need for you do do that!

Because again, I don't plan on suing anyone in healthcare - we all make mistakes or misspeak or miscommunication. 

There was no real harm done - and as long as my injuries are now documented correctly for my auto insurance to cover now, and we learned from it all, then I'm happy. 🙂

I'm not a very litigious person (though perhaps I should have previously in life) -  and I don't plan on becoming one now 😂.

So the only planned litigation I have is a bodily-injury attorney to mediate a settlement with my insurance company for an accident that has been deemed 100% the other driver's fault- period.