25 November 2006

just so you know...

I'm still alive! That last entry was posted from the airport in Seoul. They made me fly Business Class home so I could elevate my leg properly (oh darn), so I was chillin' in the Business Class lounge, where they give you free (hah) food and internet and everything. Anyway, this post is from home, and I just wanted to let Concerned Readers know that I'm doing ok.

I got home on Thanksgiving and, after eating turkey etc., went straight to the hospital to get x-rayed and remove the (uncomfortable and outdated but very effective) plaster cast the Russian doctors had put on. They informed me there that my tibial plateau is fractured, which I knew, and explained what this means. The tibial plateau is the top of your tibia (shin bone), a flat area that the femur (thigh bone) rests on. It has to be absolutely flat, otherwise you'll get arthritis. When you break it, it usually stops being absolutely flat. This is the case with me, although the break isn't too bad and I only have 4-5 mm of displacement. This will "probably" require surgery (according to the ER doctor). I'm assuming that he, like many other English speakers, over- and/or subconsciously misuses the word probably* and really meant that it will "definitely" require surgery, although even when we questioned him on this point he hemmed and hawed. I guess I'll find out on Monday for sure.

*I've noticed that people tend to use the word 'probably' any time they deliver news they perceive as unwelcome, and also when they're stating a fact that they 100% believe to be true but still don't want to be held accountable for. An effect of our overly-litigious society?

Many thanks to everyone who's emailed me with their concerns and well-wishes. I have a lot of time on my hands, so you'll all get responses soon, but possibly not today because I'm tired.

As for the fate of this blog...? I might still write a few things in it while I'm home. I have at least one good "View from Vlad" entry planned that doesn't require my being there to write. We'll see. If I don't write in it while I'm here, I will certainly start it up again when I get back. So, until then, до встречи.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

On "probably":
I can think of two good reasons why the physician used the word. First, he's not an orthopedic surgeon, so he doesn't want to jump the gun and give you a false sense of dread just in case the orthopedist disagrees. Physicians will rarely state things with certainty if it's outside their specialty, to avoid misunderstanding and ultimately lawsuits. Second, even the orthopedist would (or should) never say "you will have surgery," even if it's life threatening not to. The patient always has a choice. Yay medical ethics, for which I must write a 5-pager today.

Christina said...

glad to hear you made it back! I've been telling all of my reckless friends to stop walking out in front of traffic. boston drivers are probably (hehe) right up there with russian drivers.