(TW: Medical, Hospitals.)
Well, somehow, not even the title can sum up the complete and utter chaos that is going to be this post. The same post that came really close to being called “Doctors, Jerky, & Dying” but I was worried that it might have been misconstrued as I am dying, and I didn’t want that.
So, where to begin? We left off about 7-days ago where I gave you my second surgery update. Now, here I am on post-op day number fourteen. The stitches came out yesterday. We drove all the way down to Rush in Chicago to see my doctor for all of five minutes, and that is only after the doctor was over twenty minutes late to the appointment, and made me deal with an incompetent medical student, who I scared off rather quickly.
He was not equipped, nor ready to handle the kind of patient that I am.
Full disclosure, I come along with a lot of baggage. I mean a LOT of baggage. I am 27-years old, with purple hair, and a long list of medical issues. Chronic idiopathic angioedema, chronic migraines for the past 10+ years, unmanaged CRPS, generalized anxiety disorder, suspected hEDS (in the process of finding out and confirming but, all symptoms are pointing to yes), MCAS (also in the process of testing) and POTS. My family has a history of everything from cancer to high blood pressure, to kidney issues, and almost everything else you can imagine (at least that’s how it feels).
So, I don’t think I blame the poor kid for getting spooked. However, I will say that I don’t like medical students. Sorry, not sorry. But every time I’ve come in contact with a medical student, they’ve either told me that I’m too young to be this sick, faking it, need to seek psychiatric help, or that I’m some kind of drug seeker. That, or they completely devalue my experience as a chronically ill and disabled human being because if they can’t physically SEE something wrong with me, there’s apparently nothing wrong. Right?
To your average person, I might just look like your every day alternative chick. Until you factor in the things like the constant limp from the weakness in my leg, that has only been exacerbated since my surgery on the 14th, the custom orthotic leg braces that I’m needing to have made so I don’t constantly roll, dislocate, and sublux my ankles, knees, and hips. Hopefully, I’ll have them within the next few weeks but, I also understand that things like that take time to make- especially since they’re molded leather. Or the rollator walker that goes just about everywhere with me to help stabilize me, stop me from falling, and gives me a place to sit when the particularly bad dizzy spells, or muscle/leg spasms make me feel like I’m going to crumple like a paper bag. Even then, a lot of the times, I still fall, or need to stop and find something immovable to hold onto.
My doctor then proceeded to cut my stitches, without numbing, knowing damn well that the medical tape makes my skin react poorly, resulting in hives, welts, and weeping. Several of those stitches were cut, and not properly removed. Angel and I had to finish pulling them the rest of the way out of my skin. So that was… fun.
Altogether, it wasn’t so horrible though. Because, before the appointment, we stopped to get lunch at what was honestly, the most amazing McDonald’s I have ever seen. I know, you’re probably thinking that if you’ve seen one Mickey Ds in the U.S.A you’ve probably seen ‘em all, right? Crappy burgers, soggy fries, same old same old. But you would be wrong. Because this was McDonald’s Global Menu Restaurant! That means that they serve McDonald’s menu items from all over the world!
Did we plan to stop there? No. Did we plan to stop at the McDonald’s on the way down, snag a couple crappy breakfast sandwiches on our way into the city and call it a morning until some asshat in a silver Chevy truck wouldn’t let us over? Yep. And to that asshole in the Chevy, I honestly have to say thank you.
Angel got the Kung Pow Chicken sandwich from China. It was crispy, crunchy, a little spicy and the sauce was to DIE for. To the point where I would be willing to buy a bottle of that sauce to put on legitimately everything; burgers, fries, nuggets, stir fry. Literally everything. We would definitely love to have it again.
For myself, I chose the Aussie Angus Burger. What drew me to it, and struck me as really odd, was that it was topped with a thick, crunchy slice of beetroot! Burger patty, onion rings, cheese, lettuce, amazing garlic sauce, and a slice of beet! From a basic, American standpoint, it was weird. Taste wise? I would absolutely love to have it again.
I have a follow-up at Rush next month. Hopefully, we’ll go back and try more of their global menu items at that time. Because honestly, it was a fun and unexpected experience, one that we’d like to have again. After all, who doesn’t like getting to try fun, new things with the people they love? Maybe Grandma or Pip will tag along next time, and we could all go together and order something different.
And while we’re on the topic of different- Angel and I made beef jerky! No, really, we MADE beef jerky! All we did was marinade some really thin cut steaks, and then pop them in the Ninja Foodi for 2-2.5 hours on dehydrate at 150 degrees, and they turned out absolutely flawless. We don’t like super brittle jerky, so we opted for less time so it could be softer and more pliable, and we’re probably going to make some more today. It’s a good, tasty snack to have on hand, and the salt and protein are good for you, so why not?
Our cherry barbeque jerky was a hit all the way around with the whole family.
Next, who knows what flavor we’re going to make?
And in other news, I decided to dye my hair last night because, why not? I wasn’t feeling great, and it was time to appease the mental breakdown gods. Too many doctor’s appointments, not enough words, and way too much stress means it’s time to make an offering. And to be completely honest with you, I think it turned out really nice. Wickedly purple!
‘Til next time.
-Sky
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