Doctor, Doctor, Doctor....ugh!

This has not been a very good year for Linda

It seems like all she has done is go to the doctor so

we will be glad when it is over.

FIRST

We spent Christmas with Trudi since George

was still deployed and when

we returned home from Texas Linda's back was

a bit sore so she decided to go to the chiropractor.

Her regular doctor was closed for a few days

so she went to someone else

that was very highly recommended.

To make a long story short, the treatment she

received triggered severe muscle spasms

 in her back and she couldn't move.

It took two - three weeks for her to recover.

SECOND

Just as her back was feeling better

Linda's shoulder started getting stiff and sore.

All symptoms pointed to a torn Rotator Cuff

so at the end of the month off she went

to St. Alphonsus Medical Clinic to have it checked out.

Yes...the doctor said it looked like the rotator cuff to her

but the insurance wouldn't pay for an MRI

until she'd had 6 weeks of Physical Therapy.

So off Linda went to ....

In Eagle.

After her 6 weeks of PT the insurance authorized an

MRI (after requiring an X-ray)

The MRI showed rotator cuff damage so next

she was off to the

Orthopedic Surgeon in Boise.

This doctor had good news and bad news.

The good news was the rotator cuff was NOT torn.

The bad news was she had a frozen shoulder and 

would need to have several additional months of

Physical Therapy.

By now it is the end of May and we are planning a trip

to Texas to help Trudi move, so the doctor

suggested I come back for a cortisone shot before we

leave and have the Physical Therapist set up

a home program that could be done while we were away.

Here Linda is using a pulley assembly to pull her

arm up and stretch out the shoulder.

THIRD

We went to Texas to help Trudi move across town

and while helping Trudi put dishes

away in the cupboard next to the oven

she stepped off a small step stool and came down

on the corner of the granite counter top behind her.

This is the corner that hit on her tailbone....really hard!

After 2 months it still hasn't healed and the

doctor said it is possible she broke or cracked it.

FOURTH

Most of you know Linda has a condition that causes

noise in her ears...the only trouble is the 

doctor's don't know what the condition is 

or what to do for it.

She has been dealing with this for 45 years,

with periodic doctor visits.

The problem is really affecting the quality of her life

so last summer we started going to doctors again.

GP, Audiologist, ENT & a Neurologist who, in frustration,

 finally suggested we go to the....

 It took several months to get an appointment and

on the way home from Texas we stopped

in Salt Lake for the long awaited appointment.

They are currently researching all the symptoms and 

collaborating with other doctors at the

 medical school to

try and find an answer.

We are cautiously optimistic that they will

finally be able to find an answer.

FIFTH

Last of all Linda has been having a hard time

with her contact lenses.

So After working with the eye doctor and trying several

options she has decided to give up wearing

contacts.....a VERY hard decision for her.

Linda's new look....hmmm....it is going to take

some time to get used to wearing

glasses all the time!

It is now the end of July and she is down to one PT appointment

per week with her Range of Motion almost back

to normal.

We are still waiting for the U of U to decide what

they will do next.

The tailbone is still a problem and

Linda is starting to get used to her new glasses look.

At this point

Linda's goal is to just be well by the end of the year.