MRI awkwardness :)

Today I had two appointments at Homolka, the hospital that's working with me and my knee. The first was my first physical therapy appointment. The lady was lovely, however, unfortunately, there had been a bit of miscommunication with my doctor. Weeks ago he gave me some pills and told me to take them if it hurt. I took that to mean... here are some pills that you can take if it hurts.

I was wrong. He meant take them. They were, and I was aware, anti-inflammatory. 

When I met with the lady today she looked me over and said I was still too swollen. SEVEN WEEKS AFTER THE FACT my knee was still too swollen so start PT! She was as surprised as I was, especially since in her mind I was supposed to have been taking those darn pills. She asked me about them and I explained he said take them if it hurts and while it was uncomfortable it wasn't hurting so I didn't take them. (If you know me you know I've had major pain problems and bad experiences with prescribed pain meds and try to avoid them when I can - but do take them when I need to). 

She couldn't do anything for me today so she sent me on my way pretty early. Too early, actually, as I had a few hours to kill before my MRI.

Let's skip all the in between stuff and jump to the MRI. If you go to Homolka for an MRI you should know it's not in the main building. It's downstairs, outside and around the back of another building down a little hill. I knew, based on past experiences, that the recepionists, while well meaning, don't always send you to the right place, so I got there very, very early. As in... hours early. And I was sent to the wrong location. Fortunately a very kind man escorted me through the maze,down and through the doctor's passages rather than the patients'. 

Once I was called in for my exam things took a Czech turn. Modesty, compared to the US, is non-existent. There aren't robes or gowns or drapes. Be prepared to strip down and walk around in your underwear, climbing on and off machines, so make sure you're dressed appropriately. I was, fortunately. I was cool with it until he asked me to take off my "breasts". My first reaction was to say sorry, but they're real, but instead I said OK and took off my bra - which was kind of ridiculous on the one hand as only my legs went in the machine and the metal bits of my bra weren't going to be affected, but was actually reasonable once I remembered how powerful those things are.

They're LOUD. As in ridiculous ear damaging loud. I had earplugs in and my ears still hurt - in fact, one still does now. Despite the volume the machine goes through different rather rhythmic phases. I've had a number of MRIs  in the US; in the past my head and torso have been scanned - I've been given headphones and some music and just chilled out. Today, there was nothing going on. So I fell asleep. The rhythm of the machine put me to sleep - I think having my knee firmly encased in some comfortable foamy thing helped as it was the first time it was comfortable laying down in ... seven weeks.

Anyway, I slept. For a while. I was in there for about 40 minutes +/- and I think I was asleep for most of it. Up until just before the end. And why not till the end? Over the volume of that monstrous machine and the WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP CHIGA CHIGA CHIGA CHIGA WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP CHIGA CHIGA CHIGA CHIGA  - over that earsplitting sound, I woke myself up snoring.

Five and a half weeks on & the first week of finals

I"m still on crutches. Yesterday I had my review and thought I'd be relieved of at least one if not both, or, minimally, at least the orthosis. Nope. No progress noted in the big scheme. I'm getting some mobility back but I'm still numb from the knee down and quite weak. Next real evaluation set for June 4 - MRI and PT both take place on the 28th but nothing will come of that until the 4th. My  hands hurt at the thought of walking down the street. I"ll be really happy when this is over. Since I don't have a car I either have to walk somewhere or pay for a taxi.  I'm becoming a bit of a hermit.

This has been a frustrating week. I've been trying to implement some positive changes for the students and the most flack I'm getting is from them! It's really hard to fight for something when the most resistance comes from those who will benefit.

The kid has her photo exhibit today and she's sick. Finals started two days ago. They finish up on Tuesday. I'm hoping that things will be more settled next week. I think there might be a certain level of anxiety in the air that seems to be contagious - almost every one I've come in to contact with this week has been a bit out of sorts. And the weather's crazy too.

This weekend is the start of the Beer Festival  - this year it's in my part of the city. There's also an interesting art salon in the gallery down the street. I don't know if I'll make it to either but it's nice to know there are options. And we're having lunch with our Bulgarian family this weekend - our friend just graduated from AUBG and is in town visiting family and celebrating - I'm really grateful we get to be a part of that celebration :)

3 weeks later

Had a check up at the hospital today. This one also cost only 30kc and included x-rays and a new knee brace. That was the good news.

There is no further update on my knee - I've got to go back in 3 weeks to check-in, a week later I have my MRI and 2 weeks later I'll review my results with the orthopedist.  That is the neutral news.

The frustrating bit - I'm still on crutches and I will be for a while longer.

Whatever. It's temporary. Frustrating cause it's incredibly inconvenient and my arms and hands hurt, but it's temporary. Hopefully this will all be resolved before graduation.

Oh clumsy knee, I mean clumsy me - another hospital excursion

We went to Budapest for Easter with friends (more on that in a later post) and had a great time. Friday through Monday was the plan, and the plan worked. However late Sunday night, while standing in line at this awesome taqueria, I experienced this incredibly intense, just overwhelming pain in my knee. Tried to brush it off. I hadn't been moving so I didn't move wrong, just thought maybe it was a spasm or something after having spent the evenings in the baths. I was wrong.

Took the train home in the morning, said goodbye to my friends and went to  a meeting on Tuesday and after that went straight to the hospital as my doctor was on vacation.  

Hospital narrative - took a taxi there which cost about $12. Checked in for the urgent care doc, less than $2. Took the elevator down one floor and walked up to the receptionist, sat for less than 3 minutes then was called in to the doctor who examined, wrapped, splinted and crutched me (no additional cost for the equipment) and gave me a prescription and advice in less than 30 minutes and I was done. Took a taxi home as walking was still not really an option. Picked up the Rx in the pharmacy beneath my flat - it was also less than $2.

The problem? Somehow I broke the meniscus.  I had thought that they tore but he said broke so broke it is. It looks like my kneecap slid sideways and then rotated. It feels like that too. 

Had two classes last week and two meetings afterwards, made them all and have been at home resting other than that. I was told to give it a few days for the swelling to go down and the pain to start to go away, and if that doesn't happen then in 2 weeks to get evaluated for surgery.  I am counting on not needing surgery but I'm still swollen and still in pain so I'm going to consider his "few days" meaning more like a week, few in a very loose sense. I'm seriously bummed about this. I hadn't written about it yet but I'd just found a gym I really like, but it's a circuit gym and I can't do the circuit right now, and I'd gotten back in to playing badminton regularly. I was trying to create a new habit and those efforts have been seriously disrupted. I'm also supposed to take a short trip with friends next weekend and that may not be happening as I'll still be in a stupid leg brace and on crutches.

all this cream will kill me

The cooking lessons have been completed. Skills and knowledge elevated as I'd hoped. The one drawback... cream and pasta have become a base for almost every meal. I am going to die. A long and slow but tasty death.

you've made it this far...

Recently I reached out to a new transplant who had posted a search for new friends - he's a new expat and relocated here with his wife, a Czech woman, who has since reconnected with her old friends and left him to fend for himself. I've met quite a few people who have gone through that situation and it's been rough on all of them. I wrote and told him about some open events - mixers, parties, etc, that he might want to check out; opportunities to connect with new people and maybe check out a new place or two.  I wasn't actually going to be at the next few, but they're open and meant specifically for people in his situation - strangers looking to form ties in their new community.

The response I received, in summary, was that he'd heard of these social groups before but really couldn't be bothered as he hadn't seen anything that appealed to him just yet or fit in his price range. That, in my opinion, was unfortunate. I'd referred him to at least one local group that held regular mixers all over the city on a regular basis. Rarely is the location the appeal; it's the opportunity to meet new people. Never is there a cover charge or any other required cost.  Maybe he didn't want to go to a restaurant/bar/club/jazz club/hike/walk/bike/play volleyball/badminton/football/take a day trip/tour a castle/visit a winery/etc. Maybe he didn't want to pay for a beer/water/wine/soda/food/other optional purchase while he was out... Maybe. But asking for info about a social gathering and then shutting down an invitation to a social gathering, when you don't have contacts or connections is, in my opinion, ridiculous and self-defeating

Here's my tip for potential expats - you can't shut out options. Not as an expat. Not if you want to survive. You will do things you don't find immediately attractive. You will meet people you don't mesh with on a higher level. You will sit through gatherings for a few minutes wondering what you're doing. You will do these things and more. Why? Because somewhere, at sometime, you will meet people who share interests with you, who you do connect with, who you want to be around and laugh with and who you truly enjoy. But until you step out and engage in what is offered to the group you won't be able to connect with the right individuals. I wish it were otherwise at times. I really do. I wish that events and such were tailor-made but they're not. And until you join and get involved and create your own events that are likely to attract similarly minded people you'll be stuck at home wishing you knew someone you could connect with.

I'm not trying to be harsh or overly critical.  i want this guy to succeed here. Just as I want any other person to. I've gone through the loneliness and it's miserable. But you've got to be willing to participate. If you've moved around the world don't hesitate when it comes to stepping out the door.

poor little journalist in training

Earlier this week I heard a gripe. It went something like this, "Ugh! Class is cancelled this week. I have to go to the film festival instead." (That would be Jeden Svet - One World. It is an international documentary film festival and well worth the trip, even if you don't have a teacher making you go.)

My response was a little cheerier than appreciated in the moment. It was something like, oh that's nice, are you going as a class or on your own, have to write a paper on it?... along those lines. And was met with another exasperated response. "We each have to go on our own. I have to pick which film to see and then interview the director about it. UGH!"

Isn't that sort of ideal when you're a journalism major? Here, student - pick one of these fascinating topics, don't go to school, go watch a movie and then interview the key participants?

Is my concept wrong?