Posted on 10/31/2014 3:14:25 PM PDT by lee martell
I was supposed to have surgery on one of my ankles to reduce chronic pain. Eventually, I will need flatfoot corrective surgery on the right foot too. I've been ready for quite some time, and miss being able to walk without limping like an old man. The procedure would be a Sub-Talar Fusion. I have Veterans' Health Insurance only. I was less than 3 days away from the surgery date when I got a call from one of the Resident Surgeons. Apparently, he had been told that I use e-cigs and sometime actual cigarettes. My actual cig use is very low, from one to three a day, if at all. The concern was that the level of nicotine in my system would make healing more difficult. Therefore, the surgery I had waited over a year for was off. However, I was offered a chance to take a blood test, and if nicotine levels were significantly lower, I could still have the procedure in the first half of November. Was I interested? Of course I said yes, put me down for that date. The thing is, not once was I told verbatim that if my nicotine levels were to exceed a certain threshold, the doctors would cancel the procedure. I was given advisories, but never a clear directive, a definition of a 'dealbreaker' from my end of it.
Not much later, I realized that by having my surgery then in the middle of November, I would screw up the work schedule for all my coworkers. I work at a Care Facility for mentally ill adults. I had hoped to be ready by mid December to take some of those shifts open because of other's taking their Christmas Breaks. I;m probably the oldest person on staff, and I don't want to take too many chances with my position, i.e., absences due to recovery times. I realized I would be better off just dealing with the discomfort until after the holidays. I'm now waiting to get a new surgery date that is hopefully in January or February. I dealt with the change of plans logically and I think stoically. However, I felt a crushing disappointment inside, knowing that I would not be starting on the road to repair after all. I was still stuck on 'Pain Island'. I requested to meet with one of the Attending Surgeons next week, just to give them an update view on my general health and demeanor. I wonder how common it is for hospitals to cancel surgery within the last three days prior to the procedure. I've somewhat recovered now, a week since that phone call. However, I don't think that I have felt quite so down in years. The last time I felt that bad was when my mother died. Now, I have less trust in the doctors, but, I'm stuck for now. Have others had this kind of experience?
In case you haven’t figured it out they are trying to bully you into quitting smoking. It is pure BS that ‘high’ nicotine levels in the blood prevent or deter healing. Utter utter crapola
Source? Link, documentation, or backup?
*I* actually insisted on smoking DURING my surgery. They started whining about 'flammable gases' and 'risks of explosions', but I whipped out an assault rifle and demanded they start. Now, because I had to keep an eye on these tricky doctors, I couldn't take any anesthesia, so there I was, smoking cigarettes and pointing an AR15 at them as they did a complete heart removal and replacement with a Sears-brand sump pump.
True story.
throw them in the litter bag hanging from your glove compartment latch....not on the roadway where someone else will have to pick them up!!
“True story. “
—
I didn’t doubt it for a minute.
.
How about ANY evidence that ‘high’ (which they don’t define) levels of nicotine deters healing????
I will offer that no studies have been done on this piece of nonsense. Further I will offer that generations of smokers in the US healed just fine after surgeries of all types
That’s probably true. Birds can’t use cig. butts to feather their nests. Worms have no use for them either.
http://www.amjmed.com/article/0002-9343%2892%2990623-J/abstract?cc=y
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0748798302913089
http://www.joponline.org/doi/abs/10.1902/jop.2001.72.1.43
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/027823919290318T
You have a vivid , ummm, writing style. I can see a Jack Nickelson or Christian Bale type acting as the testy patient with no patience.
If this country were run by doctors:
Bland, but nutritious food; no smoking; no drinking; and maybe no fun at all.
Nanny State PING!
We have a family friend who is Chief of Cardiology at a major US hospital. He is very upfront about the fact that he will not operate on or treat people who continue to smoke after he tells them to stop. He’s been doing it since at least the late 70’s, and we’ve had friends on the receiving end of his ultimatum. Some quit. Some didn’t.
His reasoning is that if you don’t care, why should he? He also tells them that the outcome for smokers is poorer than for non-snokers. He is blunt and to the point.
I quit cold turkey many years ago, and you can, too. Do it because you are worth it.
Cigarettes constrict the circulatory system. That complicates everything.
I wanted to add that you should ask the doctors if they see any vascular or other changes that concern them. Even slight - you want to know.
Also, I want to tell you that all these years after I quit, I developed a blood/bone marrow disease - being treated for it now. My oncologist asked me if I smoked. I told him that I’d quit years ago. He sent me for a chest X-ray and cardiac stress tests, which are normal.
Those normal tests are allowing me to take treatments which are more rigorous and difficult/painful, but which work much better than the treatments that carry significant cardiac/thorasic risks.
You just never know when you may need to have clear lungs and a great vascular system.
I am holding you in my prayers.
English Sparrows! Is there anything they won’t use for a nest?
That’s the FIRST I’ve ever heard of that. Got a link for that confirmed study?
I have two relatives who smoke and they’ve each had several surgeries....that they didn’t die from, afterwards. Still kickin’.
Lee, this has been the *best* thread!
But at the expense of joking about the condition you are suffering. I truly. truly feel so badly for you. I’ll pray for you every day that you get the care you need for your pain....so you can get mobile again!
That is absolute nonsense...My hubby has had several surgeries, including a kidney removed and each time has healed up so rapidly it amazed the doctor. He smokes more than a pack a day. My dad was also quick to recover from surgery, he smoked camel non filters. I know many smokers and they have breezed through surgery over and over. One thing is they are all hard working, fit country people so that may help. The smoking has not slowed their healing though.
I have already posted numerous apologies for forgetting the sarc tag.
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