triage

relaxed patient

ouch

loooosiana skeeter bites

ice for a clusterhead

Several years ago I was diagnosed with cluster headaches after years of suffering.  The latest cluster cycle has begun and I've been ramming ice into my eye, even though it doesn't help.  Today I was hit repeatedly by one attack after another.  If I make it through four or so weeks of agony, I should be home free until the cluster starts again next year.

mosquitoes 60, rachel 0

We celebrated our first evening as homeowners by sitting out in our OWN BACKYARD.  The mosquitoes celebrated by feasting on my blood.  I'm incredibly allergic to mosquito bites and discovered 60 bites on my legs the next day.  Itchy itch.

the other knee

The other knee was not spared the wrath of the concrete, either.

first aid

post-celebration (or knee vs. concrete, part 2)

Yeah, I totally bit it walking to the car after last night's celebration.  In addition to crushing my knees, please note that I shredded my big toe, and see the bruise on my shin?  That's from a fall at the beach.  The worst part?  The big hole in my favorite pair of Calvin Kleins.  Klutz, much?

healing

Anterior portal at 8 weeks post-op.

wanna see the inside of my hip?

ew

Ok, I promise my incisions do not really look as bad as the picture. The redness is apparently caused by the super sticky adhesive on the bandages I've been using - which seems to bond to my skin and irritate it.

incision #2

IVs suck

This was the worst part of the surgery.

the carnage

I had hip surgery. They put my leg in traction to pull my femur away from my pelvis. They put a camera into my hip joint! I had a labral debridement and partial synovectomy. They did this all through two tiny incisions - one stitch in each - modern medicine is amazing!

patched up

These big bandages make it look like I'm stowing a couple of Twinkies in my shorts! And the betadine makes it look like I actually have a tan.

post-op: home from the hospital

I feel much better than I look. That's probably due to my friends morphine and percocet.

the mark of a klutz

Alas, this has nothing to do with my surgery. This is where I backed my ass into the corner of a table. A very sharp corner.