MIND BODY CONNECTION

My total hip replacement surgery is just two days away now - Tuesday morning at 8:15 AM to be exact. It's a little freaky to accept that my doctor will cut into me, saw off parts of my bones & replace them with metal parts. While I work on calmly resigning myself to this fact, I am focusing on using guided imagery to keep myself relaxed in a positive place for surgery, minimize the pain & bleeding, promote healing & making a speedy recovery.

I have always believed that our minds have amazing control over our bodies & our health. Pretty much everyone believes we can make ourselves sick, so doesn't it stand to reason that our minds can also make ourselves better? There is such power in our brains & our subconscious but we don't know how to fully use it for our benefit. Back during the years I was going through menopause, I could bring on a hot flash in a matter of seconds just by thinking of it engulfing my body in searing heat. BUT, damned if I could figure out how to stop one in its tracks as soon as it started.

I believe that meditation & guided imagery is a fantastic tool to aid us in preparing ourselves for a positive experience as we face surgery. Fifteen years ago when my father was having his first back surgery, I did some research & purchased a CD titled "Preparing for Surgery - guided imagery exercises for relaxation & accelerated healing". The CD includes an introduction & three 22 - 25 minute guided imagery sessions - the first for before surgery, the next for the day of surgery & the last for healing after surgery. The CD is narrated by Dr. Martin Rossman who co-founded the Academy for Guided Imagery.

Way back when, my dad agreed to listen to the CD prior to his back surgery even though I'm sure he thought it was gobbly gook. Dr. Rossman puts suggestions into your mind that you don't have to believe will work or know how it works but your body can use to promote healing. He stresses that your body knows how to minimize bleeding during surgery. One of the first things my dad's surgeon told me when he came to talk to me after the procedure was that there was remarkably little bleeding. Whoa! I was a believer.

Over the years I have copied the CD & shared it with a few friends facing surgery. Being one who likes to put my money where my mouth is I pulled my trusty Guided Imagery CD out of the file cabinet & started listening to it several days ago. I bought a small CD player on ebay & will be listening to the day of surgery mediation as well as taking it with me to listen to the healing after surgery one in the hospital. The Joint Institute staff encourages us to bring music or meditations.

While I am not looking forward to this surgery by any means, I am definitely looking forward to two weeks from now when it will all be over & I should be well on my way to healing & being pain free. I know that it is time. It won't get better on its own. I am 100% confident that I am in the best place possible with the best surgeon doing the surgery. I am as prepared as I can be for a positive outcome. I have numerous friends & family members who are keeping me in their prayers, sending good wishes & generally supporting me. But I'm still scared. This is my first major surgery - ever!

I even filled out the Advance Directive form with my health care wishes just in case it all goes to hell.  And as my son pointed out over dinner last week, "That's good, but I think with a spinal block instead of general anesthetic & replacing your hip joint, it will be pretty hard to kill you. They would really have to work at it." True!

So, here we go!  I'll keep you all posted.

SCORING DRUGS IS NOT EASY

Okay, one more rant before I begin to calm down, relax, listen to my guided imagery CD & generally prepare myself for successful surgery. But first, I have to say that our medical system is genuinely fucked up (sorry, but my soapbox rants usually include a few swear words!)

I spent the past four days at four different pharmacies attempting to fill my prescription for Vicodin from my surgeon in Fremont. They told me to fill it prior to my surgery so I would have the pain medication at my disposal. My prescriptions are normally filled through mail order but I have a local CVS on file for one time things. I headed to CVS on Monday with my prescription in hand. Interestingly, I found out that CVS doesn't take my insurance, Medicare & Tricare for Life (the military retirees insurance). Fine. Guess that's good to know.

I went to Walgreens & was assured they take the insurance & can fill it with doctor approval. Apparently, since doctors give this stuff out like candy for any ache or pain, there are now new regulations limiting the dispensing of Vicodin. They would contact the doctor & I should come back the following day. I did & it wasn't ready. The doctor hadn't gotten back to them. Hmmm, every time I call the office they return my call within a couple hours. This was now Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning, I got smart & called using their automated phone system to check if my drugs were ready. Can anyone talk to those recordings in the same voice that you talk to a real person? I sure can't. Anyway, still not ready....waiting for the doctor. I pushed the number to talk to a real person. I read them the riot act & told them that if it wasn't ready the next day, this morning, I was coming down to get my prescription & go elsewhere.

To cover my ass, I called RiteAid to make sure they took my insurance & would fill the prescription if needed. Sure enough, the same run around this morning from Walgreen's, now Thursday! I told Lou I was going down to yell at Walgreen's & get this shit done. Enough already! My surgery is now only five days away & call me crazy but I definitely want some pain medication available.

The woman at RiteAid was wonderful after hearing my sob story. She said we can certainly do it but will have to call the doctor. I said, "Call them." I had called them yesterday & they had no record of anyone asking about approval but were happy to help. Two minutes later, she comes out from the back with an I'm sorry look on her face. She says, "I really wanted to help you but we can't fill a narcotic prescription outside of Placer or Sacramento counties." I muttered "Thanks," but didn't really mean it.

Back home I started calling pharmacies. Eventually a really nice man named Daniel at WalMart helped me with good information. He said technically a pharmacy can't refuse to fill a prescription outside of the area. They could do it with doctor approval BUT he didn't have enough of the correct dose to fill my prescription. I genuinely thanked Daniel for his help.

Finally, on the third WalMart I called, they said they had enough medication, would take my insurance & if the doctor approved it they could do it. Off I went again. Ultimately, they did fill the prescription but only for 70 pills instead of 100 for some reason or other. By then, I really didn't care what bullshit regulations they were spouting. THEN they had to call the doctor to make sure they could fill the prescription for LESS than the prescribed amount. The doctor said, "If she is okay with it, we are okay with it." I said, "I'm okay with it, please fill it."

So, I am now the proud owner of 70 generic Vicodin pills & it only took four days of my time! Twenty-five years ago I took one when I had a breast biopsy & it knocked me on my ass. This same medication made my sister throw up & had my son feeling like he was high on drugs so I don't even know if I'll be able to take it.

BUT there is some possible good news. My son thinks there is a street value of probably $3 to $4 per pill if I want to sell them. Well, guess what? Those 70 pills cost me $3.04......sooooo, I could make a cool profit of $250. Don't panic, that was obviously said tongue in cheek.......I think.