Take the Good with the Bad

First the Good News...

I've finally had some time to wind down and enjoy myself a little.

After the guitar concert, it was past 9:30 PM, so I was starvin'.
We went to Denny's for a late night feast. I had blueberry pancakes w/ white chocolate chips, a strawberry milkshake, eggs, hash-browns, sausage links, amazing pot roast w/ mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, & chorizo sausage.

Then yesterday, my friend was in town from the Caribbean so we went out to Chuy's and got fully loaded nachos w/ pulled pork, salsa, y queso (all you can eat, self-serve!) Comida deluxe, hatch chicken enchiladas, chalupas, etc. Frozen margaritas w/ tequila + a shot of Grand Mariner – great combo. (I love happy hour!)

The guitar concert went really well too!  Even though about 1/5 of our Guitar I class didn't show up, those that did didn't mess up too badly.  Watch the awkward footage below.  I'm in the back row with the white cast on my foot, nearly knocked over a guitar propped up on my way off the stage (I don't even know why it was there, nobody used it throughout the entire concert...probably just to vex the one cripple, that was me).

I mis-played one wrong note B instead of G, I think, but apparently nobody noticed.  My mom said she only noticed mistakes (in other performances) when it was obvious; for instance, she said in another performance (Guitar II) this girl would mess up frequently and then giggle to herself.



This is the level of classical guitar proficiency is what I aspire to attain one day!  Really cool guitar trio inspired by the French book, Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint Exupéry:



This was the last song played (I believe by the Guitar IV class.  Who said community college didn't have amazing music programs?!).

El Cachimbo (a Chilean folk song):




Now for the Bad News...

Now it's time to cram for finals, write my reports, and start on my application essays...oh boy!

Even worse, I went to the dentist on Friday (it's been a year since I've been) and found out I have cavities and need 2 fillings!  She even said I need to start flossing since I have some bone loss (holy crap!)  That really opened my eyes.  I'm flossing everyday from now on.  The dental hygienist and dentist suggested I get Invisalign for the bottom row of teeth which aren't perfectly straight.  However, when they sent the receptionist over she said I would need both the top and bottom done since it might affect my bite if I only get the bottom row done.  Oh I forgot, they also said I grind my teeth and need to get a custom night-guard!  Yeah dental work costs a fortune in the states.  (Yay, more exorbitant medical bills!)

I'm probably just going to get the filling done somewhere else.  When I asked for them to e-mail the X-rays to me they said I need to pay $25 for that...to obtain my own X-rays, which I already paid for.  It's not surprising that the dentist there owns a Rolex watch, manicured nails, and has done extensive cosmetic surgery on her face.  I could tell she's had collagen injections in her lips and botox (her face barely moved when she talked) and probably an eye lift before the dental hygenist even told me!  When she told me I said I'm not surprised.  Apparently, the dentist has been on TV a lot apparently.  She's also Persian but her hair was nearly platinum blonde with streaks, coiffed up high (it looks weird when your eyebrows are jet black but your hair is platinum blonde).

**UPDATE (5/1/2012):  I have no cavities at all.  There's no need for any dental fillings.  I have never gotten a dental filling in my life and I plan to keep it that way!  I also do NOT have bone loss.  Another dentist looked at my X-rays and says the bone level is more than good and she drew where older patients bones would show up usually.  I'm also not getting a night-guard because that was just a phase and I haven't have an issue with grinding teeth in years.


The one good thing that came out of this is that I learned to always seek a second opinion. Also, this close call made me realize the importance of flossing (I never used to floss before).  


Enough about your Dental Issues, What About Your Dang Foot?

Not much news now.  My doc is still vacationing in Italy and France.  I was supposed to meet him on the 8th of May but then I realized that's the day before my ACS comprehensive Organic Chemistry (I and II) final exam!  So I rescheduled and I'm seeing him on the 13th now.  I'm getting my cast changed then.  I'm going to ask how long I have to wear the NEW cast for and when I can start wearing a boot.  Most importantly, I'd like to know when I can start physical therapy.

Day 26 Update: Hurt Friends, PT, New Fund Amount, & Plants Attack!

Just Scroll Down to the End...

If you don't want to read my babble about inane, random topics.  This is the first breather I've had in awhile so I was indulgent and pontificated more than usual about myriad subject matter.


Orgo II was Hell Today

I bombed my Orgo II test today.  I blanked on malonic ester and acetoacetic ester syntheses!  I also forgot what potassium permanganate does.

The lecture after the test and recitation went by so slowly, it was like Chinese water torture.

The good news, was that today was the last day of Orgo lab!


The CrossFit Casualties Keep Mounting!

(Disclaimer:  CrossFit was a hobby turned obsession for me and I have a lingering suspicious that I'll go crawling back to it when I'm healed, so I have nothing against it personally but I find it disturbing how many of my friends this past month have been seriously injured either directly or indirectly from the sport and it cannot be denied, even by the most diehard CrossFitter that there seems to be a connection, however tenuous.

I also want to add and give props to my local affiliate for taking a step in the right direction.  .380 has voluntarily opted to take down the clock and chalk to de-emphasize the competition and intensity over proper form and safety.  I'm confident in saying that if you practice CrossFit just for fitness and not to compete, then you most likely will NOT get injured, but if you want to excel on a competitive level then it's my humble opinion that SERIOUS injuries, as in probably requiring orthopedic surgery, are likely at some point in your athletic career.)


Today I found out that the owner of the CrossFit box I used to attend, Dave M., has a ruptured bursa sac in his elbow! It's also infected and they think it might be staph or MRSA.  Now I don't know if this injury was due to BJJ or CrossFit (maybe a little of both) though he did say in his FB status update that he felt off during the WOD this morning and then wound up in the orthopedic surgeon later getting his sac drained off.

Turns out Dave also has been getting spinal injections...sounds familiar with what Carolyn H. had been doing prior to her lumbar surgery.

Oh and I forgot to mention in my last post that Chad D. got injured during the CrossFit Open Games last year as well.  He was doing overhead squats in Open WOD 3, I believe, and wound up pinching a nerve in his neck.  He said he was out of commission for months and every time his blood pressure elevated for any reason he would get blinding migraines.  On top of that his wife, Kamwin D., had a hernia, I suppose from weightlifting.  Then, she also had back surgery a few months ago before Chad's freak car crash accident.  (The CrossFit celebrity, Bob Harper, even had a shout-out in a short video for Chad to get better.)

Chris H., Carolyn H., Tina V*., Jake W., Kamwin D., Chad D., Dave M., Brista M., and your's truly.

Hate to say it but...WHO'S NEXT?  0_0

(*Good news is that Tina was told by her chiropractor that she won't need surgery and she doesn't have a bulging disc in her cervical vertebrae.  She just needs to rest.  I'm skeptical because I was told comforting words by a chiropractor initially too.  However, not every case is the same.)

I think people easily brush off these injuries as just a sign of getting old or bad luck...however I know plenty of "old folks," who don't have any health ailments and every action has a consequence.  I think you can only get away with punishing your body for so long until it starts to push back (Newton's Third Law.)


Watch out for Poison Ivy, Y'all!

This is totally random but my friend Stacey H. got poison ivy on her face and hands and has pustules and contact dermatitis on her face from the urushiol oil.  I've always lived in the 'burbs so I know close to nothing about Poison Ivy or sumac.

(So apparently the cut-off time for this is 10 minutes tops.  After that and the nasty urushiol oil has already absorbed into your skin signaling your immune system to attack the affected epidermal cells!

"Before Urushiol has been absorbed by the skin it can be removed with water. However, time is of great importance as 50% of urushiol is absorbed in 10min. Once Urushiol has penetrated into the skin, attempting to remove with water is inefficient. Once urushiol has been absorbed by the skin it is recognized by dendritic cells called langerhans cells that are part of the immune system, these cells then migrate to lymph nodes where they present the urushiol to T-lymphocytes and thus recruit them to the skin, once in the skin the T-lymphocytes cause pathology by producing cytokines and cytotoxic damage to the skin.")

This website is a wealth of information though.

This made me LOL:  "Note that all parts of the vine contain urushiol, including the hairs. Using a chain saw to cut down such a tree produces flying poisonous sawdust."

I'm surprised terrorists haven't synthesized urushiol oil and used it as a biological/chemical weapon hah.

The most insidious part of this is that besides the first image (on that website linked above), the rest look like innocuous, run of the mill weeds in your yard.  I wouldn't think twice about mowing that down with a lawn mower and then getting urushiol oil bukkake'd all over my exposed legs or whatever.

Ah well, I guess I'm not going into the country anytime soon.

Mosquitoes, poison ivy, chiggers, mites, black widows — these are a few of my least favorite things...

Oh yeah and this sneaky f*cker won't even stay the same.  Apparently as the seasons change, poison ivy does too, and not just in color but also in form:

"At this time of year, looking for three leaves will not work. The green lines indicate where two leaves have already fallen off. The asymmetric leaf shape and the color pattern are the best keys in autumn."

So for those who forget that plants are living organisms.  Realize that they too want to live as much as any other animal life form, like us.  They also have defense mechanisms to fend off predators, who view them as food.  We tend to forget this reigning complacently at the top of the food chain.

I'm not just talking about the popularly known ones like the venus flytrap or other plants that consume insects.  There's also the cassava (yucca or manioc) root, which naturally contains high level of cyanide.

From Wikipedia:  "It must be properly prepared before consumption. Improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication and goiters, and may even cause ataxia or partial paralysis.  Nevertheless, farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves."

It's also well-known that many mushrooms are poisonous and contain mycotoxins that can cause convulsions, hallucinations, abdominal cramping, coma, and even death.

So next time you dig into that healthful salad, give thanks for your green friends your consuming and hope they aren't poisoning you.  I'm sure they're working on it though. ;-)  Food for thought.


The Facts & Figures


*Fund Amount (as of 10:20 PM, 4/25/12):  $2,322.77

(*Once again, this amount reflects the PayPal account money including $ already spent on surgery and fees, but excluding checks sent in the mail.)

Updated Contributors List!


Cream O' the Crop

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alvin Lin
Niven Hsu
Ted Glomski
Alex Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon
Jonathan Ko

Uber-Generous Group

Jessica Wang
James Ash
Molly Wang
James Haver
Chase Park
Tina Ayala-Vance
Shawn & Stacey Hiller
Pearl Chang
Valerie Easterling
Kim Palumbarit


Gonna Get My PT On Thanks to Y'all!

You guys are amazing.  I was going to just YouTube physical therapy after I get my cast off but now maybe I can actually afford an actual PT when this is all said and done! ;-p

Day 23 Update

It's been so long since I've updated that I think I've forgotten how to do this...


What I've Been Doing...

I've been pretty absorbed in practicing the three songs for my solo guitar test on Tuesday.  I got an extension but the downside to this is that I have to play individually!  Everyone else played as a group last Thursday.

I've been practicing "Killian's Ground," "Impressions," and "Guadarme Las Vacas."  These songs only involve the 1st through the 4th strings and for "Killians" we first do tempora, then root strum, and finally play the melody twice through.  For "Impressions," I'm playing the melody while others are playing the easier (repetitive) arpeggios.  For "Guadarme Las Vacas," we will play the chords first for some measures, then continue on with the melody.  (I probably misspelled all those classical guitar techniques.)

For the most part, I've gotten this down pat except I'm afraid I'm not changing the chords fast enough for the root strum, especially when changing from A to D and then immediately to e.

Oh yeah and as for the science classes that count, I have finals just around the bend.  Meh.


E'rrbody's Gettin' Surgery!

Seriously, I don't know WTF is going on lately but it seems like every CrossFitter I know has encountered some horrible random-ass calamity or requires some type of orthopedic surgery due to insane training.

Jake, a crossfit trainer at an affiliate in Plano, tore his bicep and has bone spurs and requires surgery.  He told me it was probably due to lots of "overhead movements" but primarily due to carrying Atlas stones, but that was way back in December during a local CrossFit competition.  (I had suspected that it was due to tons of snatches (I know that sounds wrong) or butterfly pull-ups or curls?)  The problem is that he's a past addict and cannot take any painkillers, so I really don't know how he's going to be able to handle that post-surgery pain.  I think he's really underestimating how much it's going to hurt.  And keeping your arm completely immobilized is not easy!  So any slight movement is going to send waves of intense pain through his body.  I suggested just getting piss-ass-stupidly drunk off his poison of choice but he says he's given up alcohol as well.  I told him that we all need our vices and he's too young to be a saint already!

Anyways, Carolyn, someone who has been certified in level 1 CrossFit, is also going to need surgery.  Her's is on her spine though!  She says her doctor is very good though.  He better be, since one little slip or nick at one of those hundreds of thousands of nerves running through your spinal cord and you're paralyzed for life.  (I can't imagine being that surgeon having that amount of mind-numbing pressure; I don't know if I would be able to do it.  Surgeons are amazing people, truly.  And spinal surgeons even more so.)  She has 3 bulging discs in her lumbar region.  It happened many years ago during US Air Force training and a fully grown man fell over a 15 ft wall and landed right on her neck.  She's been scaling her WODs but I can't imagine not treating something for that long.  She said she's been having injections in her back but now the pain is unbearable.

I've mentioned this before but Chad, my CrossFit evening trainer at the local CF box I used to attend, was in a freak car crash.  Apparently, he was at a stop sign when someone slammed into him from behind and pushed his car out front and then some other car slammed into him from the side.  His car was totalled and had to be cut into and he was medi-flighted out to a hospital, where he was in the neurological ICU.  Like Carolyn, he's also an Air Force veteran.  However, his wife and her friends have been organizing fundraising events and is even selling his Harley Davidson bike for at least 11 grand, so the medical bills MUST be high.  If our nation can't even take care of its veterans anymore, it's a sad day in 'merica.  (Update 12:30 AM, I found out through Facebook that the car wash fundraiser / auction event was wildly successful and they managed to raise more than $20,000!  That's amazing.)

Then there's Chris, who I used to CrossFit with.  He got surgery on his rotator cuff around a month ago and is still doing physical therapy now.  I saw a photo of him and his face looks rather gaunt.  We were both trying to gain weight prior to all this.  I was doing the GOMAD protocol and he was using a traditional weight gainer supplement.  I think we both were making good progress but that's all been for naught with the injury and subsequent surgery and inactivity.

Now there's Tina.  I used to CrossFit with her at another local CrossFit affiliate in TX.  She had been complaining of shoulder issues for a very long time but now it's her neck that's giving her issues.  She had borrowed someone else's muscle relaxers medication (I advised against it) but it's been giving her gastrointestinal discomfort.  She hopes that she won't require surgery.  She's been hitting the WODs really hard as of late.

For older surgeries, there's Brista, who made it to the Crossfit Regional competition last year and this year.  She had surgery on her shoulder last year.  Not to be left out, her husband, Jonathan, had a box jump incident (not as bad as mine) where he went to the ER for stitches.


I'm Not Invincible After All

All this is hammering home the ominous message my orthopedic surgeon told me about how doing exercises similar to CrossFit is just asking for future surgeries.  I'm not sure I've sworn off all such exercise entirely (because I'm a dumbass) but I've definitely decided I'm no longer INVINCIBLE and I need to be more cautious and smart when it comes to exercise.  I've treated my body like I'll never get hurt for too long.  I used to do back handsprings in the yard where I landed hard on the side of my neck and not even thought too much about it.  Those days are over.


Vicodin Depletes Your Liver's Glutathione Stores!

I was reading more about the side effects of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen (5/500 mg) the other day and realized that it's not just constipation I should be worried about! LOL

Apparently, acetaminophen (aka Tylenol or Paracetamol for international readers) also depletes your body of its most important endogenous antioxidant — glutathione!
(Well, it actually recycles other antioxidants, but it's known as the "mother of all antioxidants.")

According to Wikipedia, acetaminophen is added with hydrocodone to help with analgesic effects but also to discourage additive behaviors because it can lead to fatal liver toxicity!  Maybe it's just me, but I think they are better ways to discourage "recreational drug use" besides killing someone through liver failure!

From Drugs.com, under the "Hepatic" subtitle :

"Alcoholic patients may develop hepatotoxicity after even modest doses of acetaminophen. In healthy patients, approximately 15 grams of acetaminophen is necessary to deplete liver glutathione stores by 70% in a 70 kg person. However, hepatotoxicity has been reported following smaller doses. Glutathione concentrations may be repleted by the antidote N-acetylcysteine. One case report has suggested that hypothermia may also be beneficial in decreasing liver damage during overdose."


Chicken Legs

It's also rather frightening to see how fast muscle atrophies.  I can visibly see the dramatic difference between my right thigh and left thigh now.  Both legs have lost a lot of mass but my right leg looks so emaciated, like an AIDs victim's leg...well not really but nearly.


On to Biznass...


To my surprise, people are still donating to the fund!  THANK YOU SO MUCH, Y'ALL!  Because honestly, even though the surgery is over, follow-up visits are still breaking the bank!

Just last week I had a short follow-up visit with the doc, where he took out some staples and put on a cast and bam!  That was $300.  I, then had to plead for a discount, and like 25 minutes later it was reduced I think $15 bucks or so.  Barely even worth it.

Meanwhile, my doc is going on a vacation to Italy and the French riviera.  Then when he comes back I'm going to have to change my cast again in order to change the angle of my foot.  This means a new cast and I'm assuming another $300 bucks spent! Lucky me!

Then, eventually I'll have to get a boot.  Maybe I'll just tell them I'll buy one off e-bay LOL.

After all that, I don't have any idea how much physical therapy sessions will cost without insurance.


The New Cast!

I'm really glad my leg is metal-free now and while my leg feels like it's 10-15 lbs heavier, any progress is welcome.


The Figures!


Expenses So Far*:  $3,685.00

The Breakdown: Faith Surgical Center Fees: $2,000
Surgeon's Fee (with the 30% discount): $878.00
Anesthesiologist Fee: $250.00
Orthopedic Consultation Fee: $125.00
Previous Ortho. Office Visit: $78.00
Crutches: $32.00
Prescription Meds: $22.00
Dr.'s Follow-up Visit (staples removal & cast):  $300.00 

(*Not including the next follow-up on May 8th and then the future physical therapy sessions.)

Current Fund Amount*:  $2,278.88

(* Amount including the money spent for surgery and follow-up visits so far but excluding the checks received in the mail from family friends.  I'm keeping track since PayPal displays all transactions made in the account.)

I am thrilled at breaking that 2 grand barrier!  It's been sub-2 grand for a very long time.


Updated (4/22/12, 9:30 PM) Contributors' List

List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations): 

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Ted Glomski
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop): 

Jessica Wang
Shawn & Stacey Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Molly Wang
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit
Pearl Chang

Once again, if you don't see your name here yet.  Don't fret.  I will soon put up a comprehensive list (unless you object) without these categories.  I also appreciate all those who helped me out in non-monetary ways.


Can't Thank Y'all Enough

I am so grateful for my generous friends.  When Ted Glomski suggested I set up this fundraiser online using PayPal, I told him that I'm not going to be able to raise even $100 dollars.  Little did I know that in a week I would get more than $1500 and even though it's slowed dramatically in a few more weeks after that, I've garnered more than 2 grand now.  I'm amazed by everyone's out-pouring of kindness for their fellow human being.

Day 18: Staples Off, Cast On! (My B-day)

This won't be a proper post because I still need to cram for a test, but I wanted to touch base with everyone since it's been so long since my last post.

Today happens to be my birthday...a lot of family drama to be honest, but I'm not going to launder my dirty laundry here.

While today certainly wasn't what I had in mind, I guess I can't complain since I'm still alive. I just got to keep reminding myself that each day is a gift and I know I'm extremely lucky despite it all.

The surgical staples were yanked out today without any lidocaine or any other numbing agent.  It didn't hurt as much as I expected but it definitely wasn't painless. A lot of puss came oozing out as some of that black coagulated blood was disturbed.

Casts are so easy to put on now! They just wet some bandages and wrap it tight and in 2 min., it's dry — presto! A few minutes of work and $300 is spent, yikes!

(Stay tuned.  I'll update this post tomorrow.)

Achilles Tendon Repair Info. (Day 13)

Follow-up Visit

I went to the doc's office this morning for a follow-up and got my bandages and splint taken off for the first time since the surgery!  Don't worry I got new bandages put on again and a hard splint on the bottom to maintain plantar flexion.

(Turns out the doc is going to recycle this for the hard cast...I found that rather distasteful but then he assured me just the cast part in the back, not all the soiled, bloody bandages as well.)

Soiled Dressings

It was pretty gnarly looking.  I had no clue there were friggin' staples in me haha.

My cell phone doesn't have flash and Samantha has an iPhone 4s so she offered to take some photos and send them to me as e-mail attachments but I decided to go with my own photos after all.  They are more close-up and you can see more details like that weird blood pustule and the weird black grooves.

Also, there's an odd growth at the bottom of my foot that was never there before (see that bright white spot on my sole?).  The surgeon said it was probably just a "maceration" (maybe he meant laceration?) but later said it's probably a tumor.  I said I'll cut that out myself and he said he would watch.

Metal Gear in Me

He said I would get a cast put on, on Tuesday since the staples aren't ready to come out yet.  He said if he tried yanking them out today they would "hiss" and "squirt"— nasty!

New Ace Bandage

The doc said, "Don't worry.  I'll make it all pretty again for the ladies.  I could see the stress in your eyes."  What a joker.

I asked him if it would be OK for me to return to classes next week and he said, "I want you to.  We can cure everything but stupidity.  Have you heard that before?"

He also told me that since I waited so long to have surgery, the gap has widened considerably so instead of using 2-4 strands, he needed to use 6.  I asked him about the suturing and he said it's super strong sutures.  He said those 6 sutures are strong enough to support my whole body if they were hanging from them upside down.

Surgical Staples vs. Sutures


I forgot to ask why staples were used to close the wound instead of sutures though my mom said that black stuff ARE the sutures so she said both were used, only since it was such a large wound both sutures and staples were required.

I'm not so sure but this eHow Health article explains it pretty well.  (Note to self:  also ask the doc to check my left Achilles because it's been feeling odd.  I hope it's not tendonitis.)

I read a study that said in stapling led to 4x the number of infections versus traditional suturing but since I obviously have staples in, I'm going to ignore that study and not post the link.  Ignorance is bliss.  Anyways, there are plenty of other studies out there that say they are comparatively the same, the only difference being cosmetic (staples leave more scars, but scars are sexy so who cares?).

A preview of what's going to happen to me next week:

__________________________________________


The Nitty Gritty

I found some more interesting videos to post.

This one is just a general video on how one ruptures their achilles tendon or if it's just tendonitis (check this out, B-money!).

\\


This other one talks about the Krakow suturing technique for connecting the two ends of the ruptured tendon.  It's a very detailed and informative video.  The best one I've seen so far.  (FYI:  some graphic still images show up after 2 minutes though.)





David Beckham's Ruptured Achilles Tendon (2010)


After seeing that video, I looked it up and apparently soccer star, David Beckham, ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2010; I don't follow soccer/football so I never knew.  Read about it here.

After 2 years, David Beckham I guess is still not all healed though and he never went to the World Cup because of it.  Now he's doing Bikram yoga to heal his Achilles.  Sigh ... I tried to find an article stating that the soccer star was now all healed but even after 2 years, I couldn't find any.  Oh well, I'm a lot younger than him...

_____________________

"Plastic Planet"


I know this has nothing to do with my achilles surgery at all, but I also wanted to write a review on a brilliant documentary I started (but didn't finish) last night called "Plastic Planet."  It's fascinating and scary how much a completely synthetic product has come to dominate our planet, from clothing, chemicals, fuel, to even cosmetics and food additives.

They assured everyone that plastic is a completely inert material that will not invade the food system but in fact, it has.  Fish eat tiny bits of plastic that has broken down from sunlight exposure and the churning of the seas.  Cattle and livestock eat petroleum-derived, pesticide-laced grain feed.  Even our processed foods are all packaged in various plastic materials and even preserved and colored with petroleum-derived preservatives, food colorings, and other additives.  We are assured it's all safe, but we now know (after all the BPA, pthalates, parabens, plasticizers, etc. media blitz) that it's endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic.

I believe it's a German documentary so I couldn't find the interview I was after with the scientist, Klaus Rhomberg.  He talked about how a single PVC diaper takes 200 years to breakdown to its component petroleum materials.

Anyways, for those that comprehend German, enjoy! (I didn't see this clip in the documentary; it's probably part of the deleted or extras from the DVD, so I have no clue what he's talking about.  Can someone translate?)

For English-speaking folks, here's a trailer:

Day 11 & 12 (Today) Update

Day 11 (Yesterday):


Orgo II

I tried to read about phosphorous ylides and Wettig reactions but basically zoned out.  I finished reading Ch. 19 but I just couldn't seem to focus.  I tried to finish the OWL homework online today too but only managed to get through carboxylic acid nomenclature and a tutorial on the Wettig reaction.  Sigh.


"Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox"

I also watched this rather quirky but illuminating documentary ("Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox") on the late Dr. Emmanuel Bronner, the creator of those Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.  You know the peppermint soaps with the crazy labels:  "All One! All One! All One!"

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-dr-bronners-classic-liquid-soaps

It was quite entertaining.  The man escaped the Nazis from Germany only to be locked into a mental asylum in the U.S. and put there by his own sister!  He escapes to California where he sunbathes in the nude and preaches about "uniting Spaceship Earth" while selling his castille soap.  Brilliant.

http://brokelyn.com/tested-the-crazy-alleged-uses-of-dr-bronners-soap/

Disturbing Jewish Complex

One disturbing fact, was about how Dr. Bronner actually favored his youngest son who appeared to be Aryan since he had blonde hair and blue eyes.  He neglected his older son, Ralph, who took after himself and "looked Jewish" with dark brown hair and thick glasses (Dr. Bronner was legally blind).  Dr. Bronner developed a complex over his Jewish heritage in Germany.  When he tried to play with the neighborhood kids a group of them took a pail of piss and threw it at him and called him a "Jude (Jew)!"  In his labels and in his preaching, clearly the Jewish faith remains a strong part of his identity but in his unbalanced treatment of his children, it's also clear that deep down in his subconscious he bore a self-hatred for his Jewish heritage.

So it's ironic, that Jim (the favored Aryan child) grew up to completely dimiss his father's teachings as insane ramblings and it was Ralph, who has gone on to carry his father's legacy and spread not only the message of the Castille soap but also his father's message of unity and faith.

Dr. Bronner lost both of his parents to concentration camps and his sister thinks that trauma destabilized his psyche.  Dr. Bronner referred to his stint at the Elgin Mental Asylum as "a concentration camp" where he was forced to "mix cement like a slave" (the mental patients were forced to do labour as it was believed to help aid in their treatment).  He also had undergone shock therapy there.


The Groovy 60s

Apparently, during this time in the 60s, Dr. Bronner was a contemporary of Paul Bragg (the apple cider guy), so the heath movement was strong, especially on the West Coast.  It was said that Dr. Bronner was embraced by the counterculture, which is ironic since Dr. Bronner had this paranoia that the commies were out to get him.  He even called the FBI numerous times claiming that the communists were poisoning the public water supply with sodium fluoride.  (There are only a few American cities that have refused fluoridation of tap water, off the top of my head Ashland and Portland, OR have always refused fluoridation due to its toxic effects.)

One would think that Dr. Bronner would be more concerned about right-wing fascists due to his experience in Nazi Germany, who knows.

Ralph Bronner had this to say about the documentary.


More Netflix Streaming

OK so I got carried away with my synopsis of an interesting documentary... It's on Netflix streaming for those interested.  I've been watching a lot of Netflix lately.

I'd recommend "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil;" it's about these rednecks in West Virginia fighting off stupid preppy college kids. "Phase 7" is another quirky, funny horror movie (It's Argentinian).  Oh and I actually liked "Quarantine 2" and unlike the first one,"Quarantine" being a complete rip-off of the original Spanish movie, "[Rec]," "Quarantine 2" is completely different from "[Rec]2" and I think it's even better.


Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was hilarious.  I love horror/comedies.
"They hate my face!" LOL!


___________________

Perspective

Day 12:

Now about my recovery.  Laying in bed all day has given me some lumbar back problems that I hope will go away once I start moving about some more.  At least I don't have to worry about bed sores developing.

My mom gave me some perspective too.  She said back when she broke her collar bone, she was forced to wear a torso cast and in the summer it was so sweltering and humid that it got itchy and she developed boils underneath the cast.  It also didn't heal properly because she was still made to do household chores like sweep the floor etc.

I also found out that my CrossFit coach was in an awful car crash, where his car had to be cut into and then he was medi-flighted out to a hospital.  He had two brain bleeds and was not breathing on his own. Then just today his wife said on Facebook that he has opened his eyes and even breathed for awhile without the machine.  The marvels of modern medicine.

So yes, I'm extremely lucky to have a brain that is functioning (more or less), a heart that beats, and lungs that work on their own.

___________________


Surgical Footage (for the "Nip/Tuck" Fans Out There)

I've gotten to the point where I can now look at images and videos of the surgical operation that I underwent on Friday without getting too squeamish.  Perhaps, it's just morbid curiosity but I'd like to know exactly how I was repaired.

Part of me wants to give up Naturopathic Medicine and become an orthopedic surgeon now...especially since graduate students and professional students can no longer apply for subsidized loans I might as well be learning something that can truly help someone, right?  I don't know.  I was so sure about becoming an ND after India but now I'm not so sure...

This is a cool video showing the surgical repair using a "burrito technique," where the orthopedic surgeon places a graft jacket over the sewn tendon.

This, on the other hand, is just a really bizarre video since it has upbeat Greek music playing to a seemingly more gruesome repair of the torn achilles.

Rubber Ducky (Day 10)

It's the Little Things...

I don't think I've ever been so thrilled at the prospect of taking a bath.

This must be some grand scheme by the universe to teach me gratitude or something.

I'm never going to take for granted hot running water and soap again, especially shampoo!  My head was so itchy after several days without a shower!  It was interesting having to take a bath sitting in a chair in a bathtub with one leg all wrapped up and hanging out over the edge LOL.  Now I know what it feels like to be an old man in a retirement home getting a sponge bath (or conversely a swaddling baby...).

A few days ago, I was ecstatic at being able to poo and now I'm thrilled that I can take a bath. It's like I'm a baby again!

Next step is being able to walk again...but that probably won't be in the horizon for the next few months.

It truly is remarkable how you feel after a hot bath though.  It's as if shedding all those dead skin cells, dirt, grime, and hair externally also leads to an internal renewal process.  Shedding the old shell and emerging a new rejuvenated you.

____________________________________________

List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

(4/9/12 Updated) Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):

Jessica Wang
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

Total Amount Raised To Date (including the $ spent for surgery, so far):  $1,955.58


Close to 2 grand after a week of fundraising is amazing!  I am so grateful to everyone who donated and those who helped in non-monetary ways as well.

The Breakdown:

Faith Surgical Center Fees:  $2,000
Surgeon's Fee (with the 30% discount):  $878.00
Anesthesiologist Fee:  $250.00
Orthopedic Consultation Fee:  $125.00
Previous Ortho. Office Visit: $78.00
Crutches: $32.00
Prescription Meds:  $22.00

Total Surgical Cost To Date*:  $3,385

*The anesthesiologist office warned that the bill may be raised retroactively if the surgery took longer than expected.  Also, I'm not sure if they charged for those shots of Demerol, cortisone, etc.  I won't know until they send the bills in the mail.


I'm just amazed that 57.8% of the surgical bill (that we know of) was covered by fundraising done in a week.  And it's all thanks to y'all.

The need for donations is no longer urgent since the surgery has been done and they require payment beforehand but it would be appreciated if the surgical fees could be defrayed and the future follow-up visits and physical therapy costs could be cushioned as well.


No One Is Forcing You To Donate; Private Message Me If You Want A Reimbursement

Again, I don't think I can stress this enough, only donate if you are freely willing and able.
(I would much rather you not donate, than try and hold me in your debt or blame me for any future financial troubles for taking your $20 to put towards surgery...)

For those that for whatever reason regret giving a PayPal donation should step forward and let me know and I will gladly reimburse them, no questions asked.

I sincerely dislike passive aggressiveness, so instead of bearing a grudge against me behind closed doors or expressing dissatisfaction in other insidious ways, just spit it out and I'll appreciate the initial gesture and sentiment, nonetheless, since you helped me through a very hard time.  I promise I won't hold it against you.  I've forgiven much worse, believe me.  I also understand firsthand what it's like to be between a rock and a hard place, so don't fear, you'll have a sympathetic ear.


Thank You

For those that have donated freely out of the abundance in their heart, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart and have all the confidence in the world that material and spiritual abundance flows both from you and to you for the rest of your days.

Are You Regular? (Day 9)

I've never had a problem with regularity.  My bowel movements have always been punctual and frequent and work like clockwork.  Then comes along Mr. Narcotic Analgesic, Hydrocodone, piggy-backing on Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen and bam!  I'm stopped up like the Hoover Dam!

It's been more than 2 days and let me tell you, that's not a pleasant feeling.

I had no clue what to do since I've never been in this position before.  So I did a little Googling:

Constipation due to hydrocodone/APAP will not go away on its own, as long as you continue to take the medication. Someone who has been taking the medication for years is just as likely to have constipation due to the drug as someone who just started taking it. The body never adjusts or adapts to the effects of hydrocodone/APAP that cause constipation.

(From the website eMedTV.com)

So, I took Metamucil (Psyllium Husk) for the first time in my life today ... and it worked like a charm!  WOOT!

LOL I've never been so thrilled to drop a deuce before! Now I can't wipe this idiotic grin off my face. =) 

That Metamucil/Psyllium Husk did the trick! No need for hardcore laxatives, psh! Narcotic analgesics ain't go nuthin' on my colon!

We take so many basic things like being REGULAR for granted. The next time you get on that john, thank your lucky stars that things are going smoothly (mine was painful as heck at first before it was smooth sailing) LOL, TMI?

Well, get over it!  Talking about and observing your stool should be part of your daily routine.  Check out the book, What's Your Poo Telling You?

And yes, I own the book.

The Morning After (Surgery; Day 8)

Once again, I'm tired and in pain, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.


Eating is a Chore

It's extremely awkward eating while laying prone.  I've made a compromise to sit up and try and keep my leg semi-propped up (those yoga classes paid off finally).  It still hurts but it's better than letting my foot just rest comfortably on the floor in a seated position.


Logistics of Pissing (The Female Persuasion Is the Key)

It's not that bad using the restroom.  I just sit down like a woman instead of trying to keep balance on one leg and giving the toilet seat and rug a golden shower.  (Now I know why y'all get mad about keeping the lid down!)

Oh and I dunno if this it TMI, but I've also been constipated ever since I started taking the Vicodin.  I'm going to try and eat more raw salads and see if that helps.  Meh...I've never had this issue before, but my dad said the nurse warned that this could happen.


Smellin' Like the Filthy, Rank Dog That I Am

I haven't showered or bathed in 2, maybe 3 days now and I'm sure I smell like a rank, mountain man...but oh well, it's not like I'm entertaining guests in my condition.  And according to Alex, a man's rank B.O. attracts the opposite sex with his pheromones (I'm not holding my breath on that one).

When it gets so bad that I can't even stand my own odor, I'll probably have to figure out the logistics of crawling into a tub with my injured leg hanging off the edge.  (And no I don't have someone in mind to help me with this endeavor.)


Reason for the Cortisone Shot to the Bum!

The scars have mostly all but faded but there are still remnants on my upper right arm (yes, it looks like some bulbous fat thing but that's actually my arm.)  The scratches on my belly have already faded away.  I have fast healing abilities!  Let's hope that applies to the poorly vascularized Achilles tendon as well.


Keep Dat Foot Up, Son!

Whenever I have to stand up to go to the bathroom or let my foot drop down, the pain comes rushing back as the blood pools and collects in the ankle that has been operated on, so I try my best to keep it elevated above my heart at all times.  This means I'm basically an invalid at age 26.

It's a gorgeous day out and I'm stuck here looking out from my bedside perch by the window.

Free Mystic Tan (From the Knee Down)!

FYI:  My skin isn't naturally that orange-y...they covered my leg and even the toes in some reddish-orange disinfectant, probably something like iodine. It stained my skin.

So now I have a free mystic tan on my right leg (below the knee) from Faith Surgical Center! Yay! ;-p


Why the Hard Splint?

A friend just commented that he was surprised that I will need a cast put on after this hard splint is removed.  From my limited knowledge, it's because my tendon has contracted so much and they had to pull it and then sew it together.  It's really taut right now, hence the extreme PAIN.  (Someone f'n get me some codeine or oxycontin please!  LOL...I'm actually kinda serious. Vicodin is not doing it for me.)  If it wasn't held in place by a hard splint and/or a cast, then I may accidentally flex my foot back and rip apart the fragilely-held together strands that are holding my ruptured Achilles together now.  Right now, the splint is keeping my foot in the awkward position where the foot is angled down (like when a woman wears high heels), which doesn't exert pressure on the achilles tendon.  (So now I know what it feels like to pee like a woman and to wear heels...)

The hard splint was put on to allow for some swelling post-surgery.  After a week and the swelling subsides, then a hard cast can be put on and that will be left for around 2 months to let my tendon fuse together on its own.  This is slow work though since tendons and ligaments are not highly vascularized like bones and muscles (thinking back to A&P class...I think that's right?).  After the cast is removed, then I will wear a boot for a month or so.  Then I believe finally, I can start physical therapy.  Dr. Hanssen said that recovery will be 3 to 4 months and he warned of a 20% reduction in strength but I'm hoping with proper nutrition, rest, and physical therapy I can beat the odds and get it back up to 100%.

(Beastmodal told me that he has set PRs after his surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon so there's hope for me yet.  He did say that his calf muscle is weaker but he feels like his tendon is back to where it was.)


School Next Week?

I doubt I'll be leaving the house next week due to the pain and since just letting the foot drop below my heart increases the pain.  I seriously hope I don't wind up failing Organic Chemistry II because of this.  I've already failed the past 2 quizzes and then having to miss the quiz next week would not be ideal.  Then I would miss the 3 hour lab and all those hours of lecture as well.  I'm way behind in guitar class too.  Oh well.  I think I'll pop some more pills pass out and hope for the best...

___________________________________



This Would Have All Been for Naught,  If Not or Y'all!

I've spent nearly the whole fund on the surgeon and anesthesiologist already (father paid for the facility fees) but I was reminded by Ted that I'll have to still pay for follow-up visits and a long physical therapy, so I'll still be accepting donations.  Thank y'all for continuing to express your generosity with your pocketbook (#PayItForward).

Updated List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):
*
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

*Vast majority of donations ranged from $20 -50, so I needed to make a judgement call and have a cut off point for this second list (right below top contributors).  Since the amount donated could be any amount you typed in, it was hard making that decision.

There were amounts such as $40 and $60, etc.  Just know that whatever amount you contributed, you definitely helped tremendously and you are greatly valued and loved.  Thank you all.  Even to those who did not contribute and helped out in non-monetary ways as well.  Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers.

I promise whatever you dole out will come back to you double or triple-fold at least.  It's an undeniable fact of life.  Those who are perceptive enough already know this.  Skeptics will discover it eventually as well...that karma is as real as electricity.  We're all connected on this Earth and every action has a reaction (e.g., the holographic universe, Indra's Net, and all that jazz ... a friendly suggestion — watch "What the Bleep Do We Know?").

Whatever we do for (or to) another, we ultimately do for (or to) ourself.

I still need to calculate the fund amount since most of it has already been spent on the surgery... I'll post that later (my mind is foggy after taking that Hydrocodone + Acetaminophen + Ibuprofen).  (Around $200- $300 has been added to the pot since then though.)

If you don't see your name on this list, know that I still greatly value your contribution and that every bit counts, even the single digit donations.  I just wanted to provide more praise and recognition to those that went above and beyond the call of duty.  I promise to include the entire list of contributors eventually.

Post-Surgery Update!

This will be very brief because it's hard for me to type with the laptop on my belly (I have to remain prone in order to keep the right leg elevated above my heart).

So I have been sleeping off and on for about 5 hrs after coming home from surgery...I'm awake now.


Morphine is Weaksauce

After surgery I was in so much pain that my whole body was being racked by violent and uncontrollable tremors.  It hurt so much that the sweet nurse, Rosemary, gave me something similar to Demerol (I think she said Thalide or Thalidol?  I googled that and it's not right, so I'm not sure. I was in and out at that point so I couldn't think straight.)  I asked Rosemary why the morphine was not working:  "I'm not a junkie."  She said, "No, you are just in too much pain."


Blood Pressure Through the Roof!

My body could not handle the pain threshold so my blood pressure was dangerously high and I could see the concern in the nurse's face.  She told me that the opiate she was injecting into my IV was "extremely dangerous" but at that point I just wanted the pain to subside.

 The nurses told me that Dr. Hanssen had paid me a visit before he left for his next surgery appointment but I have no recollection of it at all.  My father tried to explain to me what the doc said...apparently my tendon had contracted so much (after nearly a month) that he had to go to extreme lengths to connect the ends.  He normally uses 2 to 4 threads to sew the ruptured tendon together but required 6 threads for my injury.  I doubt that's the correct terminology but that's what my dad said to me more or less.  All I know is that it hurt like a motherf*cker!!

The nurses were very conservative with the Demerol (Like I said don't know exactly what opiate it was but I overheard another nurse saying to give me Demerol, so I'll just say that.  Rosemary told me that it was a "top-shelf painkiller" and that it is "several times the potency of morphine.")  Each time they gave me an injection it was only 0.5 milligrams.  Eventually after like 4 or 5 injections (so 2.5 mg ?) of Demerol, my blood pressure came back down to normal.  (I was trying to control the pain by focusing on my breathing by doing deep diaphragmatic breathing but that only gets you so far.  I needed hardcore drugs, man!)


Cortisone Shot to the Ass!

I had an allergic reaction to the medication and was scratching all over until I had visible scars, so she gave me a cortisone shot in my bum.  (She was so skilled, I barely felt the needle at all!)  Rosemary told me in the future to tell them that I am most likely allergic to morphine.  


Vicodin & Vomiting Time!

When I was finally allowed to go home, I took 2 Vicodins (Hydrocodone) in the car after eating a sandwich.  (Another nurse told me that I needed to get the vicodin in my system ASAP since my body would metabolize the Demerol quickly and I needed to get the Vicodin to cover that ensuing pain.)  When I got home, I was so nauseous that I threw it all up.  The fluid and particles rushing out with so much force that I couldn't even hold back; I basically opened my mouth and it came shooting out like a fire hydrant!  LOL.  It went all over the Persian rug.  I was concerned that I threw up the Vicodin too, so later when the pain came rushing back with a vengeance, I took an Aleve and that actually helped (my dad didn't want me to risk taking another Vicodin).


ER

Oh yeah, one thing that scared me was that Rosemary told me that if the pain returns to high levels even with the Hydrocodone, then I need to go to the ER immediately.   She said, "You don't want to lose your foot!" She said there's a risk that if the foot swells to the point where the skin can no longer accomodate it, then circulation would be cut off and the foot may be lost.  Yikes!

What an ordeal.


Fasting

I had to fast from midnight to 1 PM last night and then today after eating a sandwich I barfed it up.  It's currently 10 'til 10 PM but I almost don't even want to eat anything because I don't want to feel that nausea again.  Blah.  Funny thing is that before the surgery started, I kept thinking about sinking my teeth into a juicy, rare T-bone steak.

But I guess I'll have to eat something since I need to take my next dosage of Vicodin and Benadryl (to help with the nausea).  Let's hope it stays down this time.

_________________________________________

Future Physical Therapy Sessions (aka Continued Need for Contributions to the Fund)

Clearly, as I've already had my surgery it's no longer a pressing matter but I'm going to leave the donate button up since I'll still need to have follow-up visits and eventually start seeing a physical therapist.  That may add up to a pretty penny, so I'll appreciate any additional help from peeps.


Refunds Will Be Kept Discreet

Again, no pressure and no obligation at all.  As I touched upon in the previous post...I would much rather you NOT donate at all than do so out of a feeling of obligation and then wind up bearing ill will or resentment towards me!  Either donate freely and with joy or don't do so at all.  No hard feelings.  If you have already done so and regret it.  I will find a way to return it to you and I promise I'll be discreet about it.  No one will know and we'll still be friends. =)  I appreciate the initial sentiment to help a fellow brother out, in any case.


Drugs, Baby!

Alright, now that I just took a Hydrocodone & Acetamitophen and a Benadryl.  I feel kinda sleepy.  I'm going to watch "Role Models" DVD, which I got at Redbox on the way home.  Peace out, y'all!  Stay safe out there.

Day 6 Update (Surgery Tomorrow)!

I'm honestly exhausted from this process, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet.  I may update again later tonight after a nap.

I just wanted to update the top contributors list to give them major props.


Updated List of Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations)!

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Siby Spurgeon
Alvin Lin
Jonathan Ko
Kyuha Lee


My Struggle with Big Hospital Greed

Also, I wanted to inform everyone that I have defeated Goliath aka Methodist Richardson.  Not only did they concede to matching Medical Center of Plano's price but I declined their offer.  It was insulting and way too late.  (I later said if they agreed to half what Medical Center of Plano was offering I might considered it, of course there was no callback.)

Even better, Dr. Hanssen suggested I do it in The Colony at a surgical center where there would be a much smaller chance of infection and I wouldn't have to show up 2 hrs ahead of time.  Instead I would just show up 1 hr ahead of time and there wouldn't be risk of being bumped off the schedule if an emergency surgery needed to be done in our operating room at a large hospital.  Also, Samantha from The Cole Clinic got them to do it for cheaper than Medical Center of Plano.


New (Lower) Cost for Outpatient Surgery (aka All That Wrangling Paid Off)

The new cost of my surgery will be around $3,200 though I don't have an exact cost yet.  Much more reasonable than Methodist's final offer $7,210.00 (This is hospital fees alone not counting everything else; this was before they offered their lowball offer.)


New (Tentative) Goal Fund Amount = $3,150

Current Repair Kyle's Achilles Fund Amount * = $1,619.47  $1725.38 (as of 7:45 PM)

(*This amount does not include the pledges I received from friends telling me they will donate in the indeterminate future, nor does it include the two checks that are being sent to me in the mail from family friends; they would rather not have their contribution be deducted by PayPal ($0.30 + 2.8%).
This is the amount that's currently actually in the PayPal account.)


Do You Want a Refund or Regret Making a Donation?  No Biggie.

I also wanted to say that if you have made a contribution but suddenly have pangs of regret or suddenly have hit a rough patch yourself and regret it — no problem!  (It's not mine anyways, I'm just borrowing the money until it passes through my virtual hands and goes to the surgical center, the orthopedic surgeon, or the anesthesiologist.)

Let me know ASAP and I can still issue a refund from the PayPal account back to your credit card or bank account.  PayPal may keep that small deduction though, I'm not sure.  Again let me know immediately before I spend this $ on Friday for my surgery.  (My dad told me he would cover the costs of the facility fee if I will pay the surgeon and the anesthesiologist.  The good news is that I am now going to Faith Surgical Center in The Colony, which is cheaper than any hospital, more on that below.)  If, after this period, you still want a refund or regret helping me out, I will see what I can do and maybe I can pay you from my own bank account.


The Flip Side

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, Dr. Hanssen warned me that I would have a 20% decrease in strength and range of motion =( after the surgery, but we'll see about that.  You can probably tell by now that I don't take no for an answer.  ;-)

He also was kind of stern asking why I waited so many weeks to get the surgery.  He said not only has the tendon contracted but there's a risk of it turning into a gelatinous MESS!  So yes he stressed the importance of having this surgery basically YESTERDAY.  So I'm going under the knife tomorrow at 1 PM.

I sincerely hope all goes well and I regain 100% of my strength.  I need all of it!


Life Post-Surgery

I asked if I can ever go back to squats and power cleans etc. and he gave me that look.  He said as an orthopedic surgeon he can never recommend anyone to do that, period.  He said that those movements are good for building muscle but in the long run will lead to lumbar problems and other issues.

Wow.  Basically he's saying Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, CrossFit, and the like should be avoided altogether whether you have an injury or not!  I'm going to ask him what the f*ck he does as exercise/sports/hobby then on my follow-up visit.  (I'm going to be put in a splint then after a week of letting the swelling go down and then I need to go back to get a cast put on.  Then it's a 3 - 4 month recovery period – that notary guy at the bank scared me and said it's 9 months bc some NFL player was out for 9 after he ruptured his Achilles!)


Food is a Joy Again

Well, after securing an affordable surgery for tomorrow I finally could breathe a sigh of relief!

Today was the first time I ate a proper meal and enjoyed it.  I ate at IHOP and then I went and had beef noodle soup, fried tonkatsu (fried pork chop), and a sweet soya bean custard and lotus soup at a Taiwanese restaurant called Shabu Shabu in Plano haha.  It's time I start enjoying food again.  Also, if I'm fasting until 1 PM tomorrow, I need to get it in today!


Is My Doc a Junkie? (J/K!)

Wish me luck.  I'll admit, surgery honestly scares me, but Dr. Christopher Hanssen at the Cole Clinic seems like a stand-up, competent surgeon.

He told me he liked Organic Chemistry because it allowed him to learn how to make heroin:  "The first lesson in nerd school is how to make heroin!"

Sweetness.

Proof is in the Pudding!

For the Cynics and Skeptics Out There (especially Redditors):

So it was brought to my attention by Jonathan that for complete strangers, who don't know me, the veracity of my 'story' may be called into question.

So, I went to the doctor's office and got the transcription from Dr. John T. Wey's dictation during the office visit.

As some of you know, I am now getting a second opinion from Dr. Christopher Hanssen tomorrow morning.  Once I've seen him, I will post a note from Dr. Hanssen as well.

The following is a scanned copy of my records from L&W Orthopaedic Associates:

Just skip down to "ASSESMENT" AND "PLAN" and you'll find your answer.

Since this fundraising campaign was originally only meant for family and friends, it didn't even occur to me that people would have that suspicion.  I guess I am just too naive.  Anyways, I hope this settles all doubt.  If there are any more concerns, feel free to post a comment.
______________________________________________________


P.S.:  So much sh*t went down yesterday that even thinking about writing an update on it makes me weary.  I promise to provide an update on Day 4 & 5 (Today) later tonight though.  Bear with me.  Organic Chemistry II and dealing with hospital bureaucracy is very tiring.

One thing I will bring up now though is the shady game that hospitals apparently are playing at.

Methodist Richardson Medical Center to be specific is extremely shady (and yes I am tagging Methodist Richardson because I don't wish anyone to go through what I had to go through and I want as much media exposure as possible about their greedy policies).

I have not filed an official complaint yet but I spoke to Eric, the financial counselor over at Methodist Dallas, about my grievances and he is a wonderful individual, who is caring and conscientious.  I can't say the same for Mike Dowling, who is the sole person in charge of finances over at Methodist Richardson Med. Center.  L&W gave me Mike's number to ask about the price of using their facility for 35 - 40 min., which is how long this outpatient surgery takes.  He told me it would be $9,300 but since I'm self-pay he can offer a maximum discount of 30%, coming out to $7,210 (this is hospital alone, not including the surgeon's fee and the anesthesiologist).  Later, I was told that I was required to pay 1/3 of this amount the day of my surgery.  Anyways, I told him that I don't have that kind of money and he said he can't help me and that was that.

Then I met Kathy at Medical Center of Plano, who told me that Methodist Richardson was charging ridiculous prices and that she will find a reasonable price for me.  She did, so naturally I cancelled my surgery with Methodist.  Well, now they are pleading for me to go back and offering to match Medical Center of Plano's price.

Talk about too little, too late! Beg all you want, but I'm not crawling back into your greedy paws. Oh and I'm going to make damn sure everyone knows what a rapacious, rude individual Mike Dowling is over at Methodist Richardson. He's the one person in charge of billing AND financial counseling at Methodist. Talk about a corrupt system. (Don't get me wrong, not all Methodist Medical Centers are like this; Methodist Dallas seems to have a decent system, with the 2 branches kept separate.)


I've been talking to my CrossFitting friend, Stacey, about this situation.  (Basically it would be cheaper for me to go to Methodist now since the wonderful Dr. Wey is only charging me a Medicare rate (unbeatable) and very low anesthesiologist fees, but I refuse to go just because the hospital is shady.)  She made a great comment that sums it all up:

"It's the mentality of realizing that it's a machine thats gonna try to churn you into pink slime, lol....when you need to remain true to being organic grassfed you!"
-Stacey Hiller

Indeed.

Day 3 Update

FREE BEER:

Alex Holliday, my brother from another mother, has agreed to provide FREE BEER to anyone who donates to the cause! Definitely take advantage of that amazing deal. (Unfortunately for us stateside folks, his restaurant, "The Drunken Monkey," is located in Taipei, Taiwan near Guting MRT station. So as for you expats and locals on the island of debauchery and hedonism — I'm definitely jealous!)
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My (Pathetic) Personal Efforts at Paying Off Surgery Expenses:

I went to the Collin County Health Dept.'s Indigent Health Services this morning in McKinney and was basically told that I would most likely qualify due to my income level but a case worker can take up to 14 days to evaluate an application. And then after approval I would have to see their approved physician and then that physician would decide whether or not I needed surgery; I can't afford to wait that long.

I then had to rush off to class in Frisco but there was a traffic accident on the highway on US-75 and traffic crawled to a halt. Took nearly an hour to get to Frisco. I forgot about that one stretch of 35 mph zone though a neighborhood and these Frisco cops were OUT of their squad cars hidden in the bushes by a small neighborhood road with their radar guns! They caught me going at 47 mph in a 35 mph zone. I didn't even realize what happened at first when they signalled me to pull over... When it rains, it pours.

Then, that afternoon I went in person to Plano Medical Center today (since the financial aid folks were not answering their phones) and found out that their hospital fees are dramatically cheaper than Methodist Richardson Medical Center; however, this would mean I need to find another orthopaedic surgeon all over again (one that can operate at PMC) and then have a consultation and then schedule a surgery date. Delaying the surgery may not be wise though.

Currently, I have this Thursday morning as the surgery date but if I choose to save $ and go to PMC that means the Methodist doc won't be available for surgery (if things fall apart) until April 17th (ironically my birthday) and that would be too late. That would mean about 5 weeks from the time of my surgery increasing chances of complications.

It's a lot to think about.  I honestly cannot wait for this to end.  It's ridiculous that Methodist Richardson Medical Center is charging nearly 3x the price as Plano Medical Center when I believe they are both owned by HCA. Also, that they don't even have a process to refer specialists for patients.  I was even pushed in a wheelchair by a PMC greeter to the ER to ask for a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon and they just told me to look it up myself online (even though the website doesn't list sub-specialities for orthopaedic surgeons; they told me to call them then).

Oh even worse, I was coming downstairs when I accidentally stumbled and hurt my injured foot. Now I'm wearing the ankle brace again and it hurts to walk (there wasn't much pain before).  I'm hoping another minor tendon wasn't ruptured.  Hence, I accepted being wheeled around in a wheelchair when offered hah.
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Well, enough depressing issues to discuss.

Moving on to Why This Fundraising Effort is Still Alive and Kicking!


(Tentative*) Fund Goal Amount: $7,500

 (*Dr.'s office still hasn't given me the exact cost of the anesthesiologist and I was too busy running errands and getting speeding tickets to call and ask before they closed at 2 PM.)

Current Fund Amount: $1,560.00 (as of 6:50 PM)


The donations have slowed somewhat but I'm still keeping hope as larger donations are coming in just at a slower rate.

Also, the T-shirt design is going to take longer than expected since the talent has informed me, rather brusquely, that the deadline I set was unreasonable and inhumane.  I guess I'm not dealing with sweatshop laborers. :-p  So designs will most likely be submitted one week from now.  This means that donations and T-shirt sales will most likely continue post-surgery due to the imminent surgery date and postponement of T-shirt sales.  (Obviously, the top contributors will be mailed T-shirts after they are made.)  In the meantime, donations are still encouraged.


Updated list of Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):


*
Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Jonathan Ko
Alexander Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon


(*Once again, let me know if you wish to have your surname removed or wish to remain anonymous.  I will eventually post everyone's names even those donating $5, unless there are objections.  There were also quite a number of contributions that were very close to triple digits and I may post those names for recognition as well.)


I cannot thank y'all enough!  This has been a very trying process and I'd think I'd have a nervous breakdown if not for the support and love I feel from my friends and even strangers.


When Push Comes to Shove:

I'm really impressed and honored by how my friends are pulling through by contributing with their unique talents.  Laura Ng has decided to contribute not with her purse but with her artistic talents.  Alex Holliday has decided to show his generosity through a substantial donation as well as using his successful restaurant in order to raise awareness as well as create monetary as well as gastronomic incentive.   Even another close friend, Ted Glomski, who used his tech saavy to introduce me to the notion of fundraising with PayPal.  Jonathan Ko, another tech whiz, helped raise awareness for the cause by posting on Reddit (click on that hyperlink, and 'upvote!' =)).

The creativity and ingenuity of my friends never ceases to amaze me, which is why through this sh*tstorm, I can still keep heart.

Day 2 Update on the Fundraiser!

I honestly had no idea if this would be successful or not, but the CrossFit community and the community at large has shown its true colors and embraced a fellow brother in need.

Tremendous gratitude from the bottom of my heart.

The Repair Kyle's Achilles Fund stands at a very respectable $899.34 so far (as of 1:17 PM, 4/1/12). I wish there was a way to display the amount in the pot in real time so these updates weren't necessary. I'm looking into checking out other websites to do this more effectively. Chris suggested in the comments, I check out Kickstarter. I will look into that shortly.

Jorge also mentioned an issue with using Amex and Mastercard to contribute.  From my knowledge, you are able to donate even without a PayPal account and I know those who have done so successfully; however, he told me he had to create a PayPal account to successfully donate.

The (Tentative) Goal Amount: $7,500

Current Fund Amount: 899.34 $980.97 $1,000.09 $1,096.89  $1,245.28  $1,360.00 (as of 9:45 AM)

Seems like a long way to go but with less than a day's progress. I think that's spectacular. Thank you to everyone who has helped spread the word.

I'm not sure if this is the right move but I feel like I should give a shout-out to those who went above and beyond the call of duty.  While, I certainly appreciate any amount that can be given, even single digits, I'm in awe and extremely humbled by those who have donated in the 3 digits!  Thus, the gold members, the top contributors, so far in order of generosity:

*
Jorge Salhuana
Jonathan Ko
Alexander Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon

Clearly, with a grand in the fund.  It shows that the vast majority of donators are contributing $10 or $20 bucks and that's absolutely brilliant to be honest.  My heart leaps for joy even when I see the $10 donation!  However, I felt I had to do something for the above individuals, who didn't ask or expect praise or recognition when they made their generous donations.

(*If you would like to remain an anonymous donor or if you don't want your surname displayed please let me know and I will remove your name ASAP!  Perhaps, I should include the names of all donators?
If people think this is a tacky move, I will delete this portion as well.  Forgive me for my ignorance, I'm just trying to show my gratitude in any fashion I can think of.)


Also, if there are other ideas for fundraising.  I'm open to 'em!  I was thinking of possibly selling American Apparel T-shirts? Anyone good at art design?  (I'd like to provide a product/service in return for the donations.)  Obviously, you would be compensated a certain percentage for each transaction.


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***

9:09 PM Update:  The T-shirt idea is in the works and I have currently artists coming up with designs.  I will post about this hopefully tomorrow (or the near future) when designs have been selected and then I can figure out the logistics of imprinting the designs on T-shirts and selling them.

I might even post all the available designs by all artists and let y'all choose your favorites!  Put it up to a vote.  I may even accept all designs if there's a demand but that may be difficult to execute, so it may be most expedient to narrow it down to the top 2 (3?) best designs.


So far it seems we have artistic talent coming from the Deep South (Atlanta, GA), Brazil, and a local Texan as well.  May the best artist win!

***
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Godspeed and God bless.