2 February 2005
I'm quite looking forward to today. I have an appointment with a physiotherapist, Gavin Williams, at Epworth Rehab Centre. This is the assessment I've been waiting for since I saw John Olver, a gait specialist, two weeks ago The purpose is to find out whether I can have a Botox injection in my leg to stop the ankle inversion. My one big concern is whether I'll be able to get there on time after my appointment with the rehab specialist at MECRS, Dr Fary Khan.
Tim dropped Lillian off at childcare at 8.30 a.m. before taking me to MECRS. He had to get to his workshop by 9.30 a.m. so he had to drop us off early. I was at the clinical centre before 9.00 a.m. and my appointment with Fary was scheduled at 9.30 a.m. Knowing Fary, I would have to wait for a while. From my previous appointments with her I know she would always be late, the question is how late since I have to get to Epworth (in Richmond) by 11.00 a.m. or 11.30 a.m. the latest. I also have to count in the time to wait for a taxi. I sat at the waiting area reading some trashy magazines and anxiously waiting for Fary's arrival. She didn't turn up until about 9.45 a.m.
She ushered me to the same consulting room as last time. She talked a lot but nothing really important. She checked my arm and commented that my arm has improved a lot. I told her that I worked very hard to get that. She said she knows. She also said that I shouldn't expect 100% recovery. I told her that I don't expect 100% recovery, I'm aiming for 110% recovery. She looked at me and said she knows I'm always ambitious but I should not aim for too high or else I might be disappointed. She was the one who told me that I may not be able to lift my affected arm above my head ever. When I told Neil about it, he didn't believe that at all has worked tiredlessly with me - like the Mt Everest exercise. Now I can definetely lift my left arm above my head. It just proves how wrong she was! I really didn't think the meeting was useful. Apart from her usual pessimism, the other annoying thing was that she left her mobile phone on and she had to answer it a few times - every time she answered it, she had to leave the room and I had to wait for her. I think that's very unprofessional of her. I would never do that to my clients when I was working. I certainly can't imagine her doing that if I was her private patient. I was pretty keen to end the meeting so I can get to my next appointment. She mentioned that they are thinking of discharging me end of March. She said they had been pretty good to me that I have been treated (for free) for so long. She said other patients wouldn't stay for this long. I felt like saying to her that firstly, it wasn't free - I had to pay tax and it's all taxpayers money. Also, I remember there is this partner at a chartered accounting firm used to tell us (about clients who are stingy with fees), "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". Look at the bunch of 'monkeys' I got at MECRS! I felt like telling Fary that but I was pretty keen to get out of there asap so I can get to my next appointment. When she started talking about sexuality AGAIN!!!, I just thought I didn't have time to listen to her crapping on trying to be Dr Feelgood so I told her that I had to go and she wanted to see me again after Easter.
Despite of the pouring rain and traffic, I actually got to Epworth not too late. When I went to the reception desk, someone came up to me and told me that Gavin had to go to the hydro pool and will be back soon. He then ushered me to the physio gym and sat me down. He called the pool but couldn't find Gavin there. He then went around like a headless chook trying to locate Gavin for me. Every few minutes or so he would come back and assure me that Gavin shouldn't be too long. What a contrast of service compares with MECRS! If this was MECRS, I would be the headless chook - wondering around looking for Gavin.
Finally, Gavin turned up. He assessed my arm and my leg. He commented on how well my arm has recovered (he got a copy of the MECRS Sept 04 discharge report - I obtained a copy from my GP and gave it to John Olver last time so he knew how bad it was before). I told him that my friends and I worked very hard on that. He asked me what do I do in physio. I had to think very hard to answer this question. I don't actually do all that much these days in my physio sessions. After the assessment, he commented that I could be better. I looked at him, didn't quite understand what he meant. He explained that he thinks there is a lot of improvement can be made. If I go there for treatment, I should be running by June this year. Apart from Prema, my private physio, this is the first time a rehab physio has said anything positive about my prognosis. I wish I was there in the first place. I noticed that there are a lot of young paitents around. He told me the average age (of the patients)is under 25 and most of them had motor accidents.
I think I have finally found someone who specialise in neuro rehab who has a positive attitude. I think there is lot to be said for being in a rehab place where there are a lot of younger patients. The expectation is higher! I also start to loose faith in the public health system. Tim always says public hospitals are better than private ones because you get the best doctors there. It might be true for hospitals but for rehab places it might be a bit different.
Gavin told me that I probably shouldn't have a Botox because injecting it in the tibialis anterior muscle will cause my foot to drop. He will talk to John Olver about it. I have another session with him same time next week.
Tim dropped Lillian off at childcare at 8.30 a.m. before taking me to MECRS. He had to get to his workshop by 9.30 a.m. so he had to drop us off early. I was at the clinical centre before 9.00 a.m. and my appointment with Fary was scheduled at 9.30 a.m. Knowing Fary, I would have to wait for a while. From my previous appointments with her I know she would always be late, the question is how late since I have to get to Epworth (in Richmond) by 11.00 a.m. or 11.30 a.m. the latest. I also have to count in the time to wait for a taxi. I sat at the waiting area reading some trashy magazines and anxiously waiting for Fary's arrival. She didn't turn up until about 9.45 a.m.
She ushered me to the same consulting room as last time. She talked a lot but nothing really important. She checked my arm and commented that my arm has improved a lot. I told her that I worked very hard to get that. She said she knows. She also said that I shouldn't expect 100% recovery. I told her that I don't expect 100% recovery, I'm aiming for 110% recovery. She looked at me and said she knows I'm always ambitious but I should not aim for too high or else I might be disappointed. She was the one who told me that I may not be able to lift my affected arm above my head ever. When I told Neil about it, he didn't believe that at all has worked tiredlessly with me - like the Mt Everest exercise. Now I can definetely lift my left arm above my head. It just proves how wrong she was! I really didn't think the meeting was useful. Apart from her usual pessimism, the other annoying thing was that she left her mobile phone on and she had to answer it a few times - every time she answered it, she had to leave the room and I had to wait for her. I think that's very unprofessional of her. I would never do that to my clients when I was working. I certainly can't imagine her doing that if I was her private patient. I was pretty keen to end the meeting so I can get to my next appointment. She mentioned that they are thinking of discharging me end of March. She said they had been pretty good to me that I have been treated (for free) for so long. She said other patients wouldn't stay for this long. I felt like saying to her that firstly, it wasn't free - I had to pay tax and it's all taxpayers money. Also, I remember there is this partner at a chartered accounting firm used to tell us (about clients who are stingy with fees), "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". Look at the bunch of 'monkeys' I got at MECRS! I felt like telling Fary that but I was pretty keen to get out of there asap so I can get to my next appointment. When she started talking about sexuality AGAIN!!!, I just thought I didn't have time to listen to her crapping on trying to be Dr Feelgood so I told her that I had to go and she wanted to see me again after Easter.
Despite of the pouring rain and traffic, I actually got to Epworth not too late. When I went to the reception desk, someone came up to me and told me that Gavin had to go to the hydro pool and will be back soon. He then ushered me to the physio gym and sat me down. He called the pool but couldn't find Gavin there. He then went around like a headless chook trying to locate Gavin for me. Every few minutes or so he would come back and assure me that Gavin shouldn't be too long. What a contrast of service compares with MECRS! If this was MECRS, I would be the headless chook - wondering around looking for Gavin.
Finally, Gavin turned up. He assessed my arm and my leg. He commented on how well my arm has recovered (he got a copy of the MECRS Sept 04 discharge report - I obtained a copy from my GP and gave it to John Olver last time so he knew how bad it was before). I told him that my friends and I worked very hard on that. He asked me what do I do in physio. I had to think very hard to answer this question. I don't actually do all that much these days in my physio sessions. After the assessment, he commented that I could be better. I looked at him, didn't quite understand what he meant. He explained that he thinks there is a lot of improvement can be made. If I go there for treatment, I should be running by June this year. Apart from Prema, my private physio, this is the first time a rehab physio has said anything positive about my prognosis. I wish I was there in the first place. I noticed that there are a lot of young paitents around. He told me the average age (of the patients)is under 25 and most of them had motor accidents.
I think I have finally found someone who specialise in neuro rehab who has a positive attitude. I think there is lot to be said for being in a rehab place where there are a lot of younger patients. The expectation is higher! I also start to loose faith in the public health system. Tim always says public hospitals are better than private ones because you get the best doctors there. It might be true for hospitals but for rehab places it might be a bit different.
Gavin told me that I probably shouldn't have a Botox because injecting it in the tibialis anterior muscle will cause my foot to drop. He will talk to John Olver about it. I have another session with him same time next week.
posted by Teresa Liu at 5:06 PM
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