MFer Photography

Friday, March 1, 2013

Adventures in Modern Medicine

I have not been shooting a lot lately but I have been keeping busy. I have osteomylitis in my Jaw. It is from a bike accident when I was a kid. I have had more oral surgery in my life then probably anyone I know or you know. More times than I can count over the span of 31 years. I have had another bout with the old infection here lately and have had to do hyperbaric oxygen treatments again. With social media being what it is and so I don't really have to explain it over and over I decided I would share my daily dives (that what they call the treatments) with anyone who might be concerned with what is going on with my health.

First let me give a little back story

I had this flare up 11 years ago and was treated by Dr. Gardner (do not EVER use this Dr. for any oral surgery!) Many debridements, a bone graft, a failed implant, $11,000 out of my pocket and 7yrs later I had a tooth pulled that this hack should have pulled then but thank God he didn't or I would not have known how bad my infection had gotten. When I went to a new surgeon because I didn't heal he sent me to Emory to see a specialist. Dr. Stephen Roser. The best Dr. in the world (literally in the top 5). He thought I was going to have to have my whole jaw replaced but with the RIGHT antibiotics and HBO dives (40 of them at crawford long) I did not even lose a tooth. He said then my fight wasn't over yet but felt I had suffered enough and when I flared up again to come back and get it taken care of for good.

So here I am


Day one 2/26/13


Arrived behind an old woman in a walker, Miriam I think. She is the smelly lady. Orientation with a ‘fragile’ diabetic who also was going in for the first time. Wanda. She is nice.
Dave is the old man amputee in the wheel chair
Then there is the old lady with the mysterious accent
The boy with the head injury who is grabby and inappropriate.

Watched the end of skyfall and beginning of a good year
Too dark to read
Can wear my glasses and will next time.
Did not have to remove my nose ring.
Hair must be tied back
Latex ring was too tight at first, had to be re-cut.
Got hot inside, burning in chest after 15 minutes of mask on. Had to put ice in my airway,
Panic attack
Snack was apple juice and crackers---bad choice
Learned what narking was
Had a hard time clearing my ears.


Very depressed, took extra pain meds, did homework with Brody and caught up on shows. Decided to eat a chip. Heard and felt a snap and pain now whenever I eat!


Day 2 2/27/13

One person less…no lady with the accent.
Melinda not Miriam is the stinky lady
Dave lost one leg and one foot
Took buspar for the panic attack---def helped
Ears cleared better but left ear def was harder to clear from the pressure in the tank
Was set by myself on the right side entrance. Light, got to read. Did not finish watching a good year-that movie kinda sucked. Did start watching another movie with Han Solo after reading a few pages of world war z- which is very good. Not sure how a movie is going to come of this.
Apple juice only today
No snack
Found out I could have popped a filing and that could be the noise, pain I felt and still feel. Yay
Dr. Roser is out of the clinic until Friday so I wait



Day 3 2/28/13

Finished watching the Harrison Ford movie “Morning Glory” then began watching the Clint Eastwood Film “ the trouble with the curve” Eastwood always reminds me of my dad.
No snack today, just apple juice
Ear cleared but got a crick in my neck.
Cute attendant was in during half the dive…he is reading Men are from Mars and Woman are from Venus, he said he was told he had to read it. I watched him a little, he was shaking is head at times while he read it. Guess he doesn’t agree.
The second half of the dive was with a new girl (at least new to me) she was super young. Nice Enough, quiet.
The inappropriate guy lived up to his reputation today. He was clapping and flicking the screen off.
I really appreciate the fact that I am the only one sitting on my side of the sub across from the attendant.
Got to go to Emory afterwards for a quick x-ray. Not broken. Guess a piece chipped off the bone when I was eating. Nice. Now I have to take 2 antobiotics 7 times a day (total) Damn I hate pills!
I actually found a parking spot quick this time and got in and out quick. Almost got free parking if it was not for the asshole who held up one of the toll lines getting out of the deck because he did not have any money.

Day 4 3/1/13
Today I choked down lots of pills. Felt a little uneasy and warm again but not as bad as the first day. Watched the end of “trouble with the curve” which was decent. I love baseball and Clint Eastwood and Justin Timberlake was actually good in this one too. I did suck on a few gold fish at snack time and drank my apple juice.
Forgot my book in the locker and left my glasses off the first half---both I hope I never do again. The second movie was Hancock…I hate that movie.
There was no switch out of attendants today…not the cute guy either L that’s ok, I had hat head and everyone at work made fun of how loose my pants were that I actually bought new size 4 jeans on the way back to work. Going to pack up all my big clothes this weekend.