News Of the Day
It's probably kind of ridiculous that I, of all people, don't have a primary care physician, but I don't. I mean, who goes to the doctor? I never really needed one before my accident, so when it comes to things like getting surgical staples removed those of us without primary care physicians need to go to the urgent care clinic. That means I get to answer questions from befuddled nurses like, “who put the staples in for you?” and “why didn't your doctor take these out?” After establishing the fact that I brought them back as a souvenir from Portugal, where I underwent an experimental surgery, I had the staples removed. Not a very difficult procedure, but just painful enough to make you wince and distract you as you try to keep a count. I think the total was somewhere in the 12 to 15 range. The doctor asked if I wanted to keep them, but I declined.
I've posted pictures in the photo gallery from Portugal, and I added captions to the old ones, but I think the old ones are pretty self-explanatory by now. Most of the pictures are from after my surgery, so you see me in yet another neck brace. I've decided that neck braces are a good way to eliminate a person's photogenic qualities. Hopefully, I'm done having the back of my neck laid open, and having doctors play around with my spinal cord. I think twice is twice is more than enough, so I'm guessing I've used up my quota. Dr. Lima did however save some of my extra olfactory cells, just in case down the line I need some sort of recharge.
By my calculations, I saw about 1.5 km of Lisbon, and that would not have been possible without my parents helping me up and over the uncut curbs and pushing me down the cobblestone sidewalks of the area around hospital. Lisbon was not wheelchair friendly, but I didn't really expect it to be. I'm sure there will be future American patients that go there and come away amazed by how inaccessible Lisbon is, but I think it's important to keep in mind that (a) it's Europe and (b) the city is also hundreds of years old. Those aspects of Lisbon that make it difficult for me to get around—the hills, cobblestone sidewalks, narrow streets, etc.—are also the same things that give the place character and that attract tourists to Lisbon in the first place. People don't travel to New York City to marvel at the wide sidewalks and curb cut outs. It isn't those types of things that attract people to visit place. That's not to say it wouldn't take too much to make it more wheelchair accessible, and maybe as more and more people go there to work with Dr. Lima, improvements will be made. I would definitely go back. It's a pretty place, and the weather this time of year was great compared to how slowly spring comes around in this part of the world. But, if there is ever reason for me to go back to Lisbon, hopefully the improved wheelchair accessibility, or lack thereof, will be a moot point.
For now, I have about a week to rest up until I go down to Rehab Institute of Michigan to meet with Dr. Hinderer about starting their physical therapy program. So until then, I should be around my apartment most of the time if you want to drop me a line.
