Hiatus, minor operation the reason

I don't always get to do this activity. That is my long legged tandem partner enjoying a sandwich in some brush on Burka coffee estate.


Shortly after my last post I decided to have one of my pinky fingers straightened. I forget what the orthopedic surgeon Dr Morilla called it, but it is a type of contracture that just happens to some people. The fibres between the skin and tendons in the palm of my hand snapped and caused my pinky to not straighten over some years. I had these hard callus like bumps on my palm.


That Friday I commuted by car for first time in several months. It was a good thing. I couldn't even drive the car afterwards.

Bernice left for a week trip to Philippines and I was scheduled for surgery on Friday. i figured it would be over by noon and i would go to work.

Man was I wrong.


This is what it looked like after they took off the bandages and stitches.





Because of the operation and recovery period I could not ride very hard. Rough surfaces were bothersome. I continued to commute by bicycle, even the next day I commuted by bicycle to work as normal, but I stopped Wednesday road rides and weekend bush trips. I did manage some shorter weekends rides. By mid July I was almost normal, but I was out of habit blogging.

THE PROCEDURE
Interesting about the operation. It was done at Arusha Lutheran Medical Center, a new hospital. The operating theatre seemed state of the art. I was really impressed.

They didn't have the particular local anesthesia, so it was a general one.

WOW. What a trip coming out of it. The first thing I was moving , like screaming fast, down the conduit pipes in the ceiling above me. Just like in the movies like "Matrix". I think it had something to do with the light fixture above my head. Then I started to have some groggy blurred vision and in and out consciousness.

Patients were wheeled next to me for recovery and then later to their rooms, so I got to "see" what else was going on that day.

As I began to focus a bit more I notice the other surgeon Dr. Kisanga at the desk area. I somehow managed to mumble hello and he came over. I told him about my trip and he asked if it was good or bad.

A bit later both surgeons and 3 interns were at the central desk. Dr Kisanga was checking his email on his phone, Dr Morilla was on the Internet, and the interns were singing and dancing to various songs the surgeons asked if they knew. It was like being in a MASH movie, or that movie about hotshot surgeon who gets cancer. Everything was so matter of fact to them, whereas a moment earlier and later they were performing miracles of science. Dr kisanga's head gear was psychedelic, not a plain dull one.

Then a scrub nurse came by saying they were ready and they left to operate on other people.

A few hours later I stumbled to where my clothes were and then sat in a silent "family room" as i was not able to walk right. another half hour and someone walked over to office to drive me home.

Now my finger is straight and cane bend 90%. There is still some scar tissue.