Category Archives: Uncategorized

I had the pedicle flap procedure on December 28. It detached on January 9. Why it detached is anyone’s guess. The doctor is not taking responsibility, so that leaves me. I was as careful as I could be but it just came loose. I could suspect a faulty first flap fusion, but I have noContinue reading “Sisyphean Flap Fix”

Today Diane and I mark forty years of marriage. On January 13, 1983 we said our nuptials in our rented condo in Des Moines, Iowa. There were 7 guests. We catered our own wedding feast: Korbel Brut for an aperitif, a prime rib roast with all the timings accompanied by BV Private Reserve cabernet sauvignon,Continue reading “Cutting to the Chase”

Have I mentioned that I can’t ride my bike? In fact any exercise more strenuous that walking Luke the Dog is verboten. After Monday’s flap fail, I’m not taking any chances with the reattachment. I don’t have to bandage it if I’m inside the house, so I stay inside the house. I don’t think theContinue reading “Field of Study”

On Monday I was concerned enough about the state of my flap to call the doctor’s office The nurse gave me a script for antibiotics over the phone. But I decided if it really was infected it should be looked at and maybe have a culture taken. The doctor said everything was normal and thereContinue reading “Flap Fiasco”

I saw the dermatologist yesterday, and he informed me that my flap and skull sutures are healing normally. I guess normal means slight oozing and continuing pain. I feel like there is a bee sting under my left eye extending to my forehead. I also got an updated timetable for this unending ‘repair’. Next ThursdayContinue reading “Flap Follies”

From December 27 until January 1, I dumped almost 8 inches of rain from my gauge. After all this precipitation, on New Year’s Eve winds of 50+ mph blew through our area leaving fallen trees, broken limbs and downed power lines behind. On Brumby Road the power went out at 10:11 PM. We stumbled aroundContinue reading “How Not to Start a Year”

Today, per nurse’s instructions, I removed the bandages she put on yesterday. Carefully, using a clever technique she taught me: Take a cotton ball soaked in alcohol (the rubbing kind, not Stolichnaya) and dab the adhering part of the bandage. The alcohol loosens the adhesion so the bandage can be easily removed. For the firstContinue reading “Flip Flop Flap”

My first night with the pedicle flap was a rough one. I got about 3 hours sleep. I kept waking up because my head and nose hurt so much. I took a melatonin and a Unisom and managed to sleep from 2 to 4 am, then tossed for 30 minutes before getting up to startContinue reading “Flap Fixation”

I might not be on the bike for a while… Today I had the first step of the ‘repair’ for the hole in my nose from the Mohs to remove the basal carcinoma there. There were several options, including just leaving everything alone. Based on what a wonderful day today was, I kind of wishContinue reading “Richard the Red Nosed Rider Reprised”

Back in August 2000, something appeared on my left arm. Since Stoker had a carcinoma removed from her forearm a few years ago, I showed it to my regular physician. It looked like a hematoma but he didn’t know for certain, so he referred me to a dermatologist. The soonest appointment I could get wasContinue reading “Richard the Red Nosed Rider”