June 24th – Dr. Bonnett

Written by Matthew Warlick

June 25, 2004

So i went to see doctor Bonnet yesterday, an orthopedic surgeon recommended by a co-worker who had a clavicle resection. He seemed nice enough and had a good disposition, and genuinely seemed to want to help.

I could hear him outside looking thru my chart and x-rays, he musta’ been out there a good 5 minutes, flipping back and forth.

The first thing he said when he walked in was “Sound like you’ve been thru hell this past year!” And i’m thinking in my head, “wow, you’re the first doc to really notice that.”

I went thru the usual steps with a new doc, describing the history and symptoms. And he retorts with all the things that could be wrong, “pinched nerve, carppel tunnel, cubbital tunnel, Thoracic Outlet, Nerve Damage, Brain Tumor.”

All my symptoms seem to point to nerve damage, although it’s random and intermittent, and nerve damage is usually pretty bad consistently. Also, every doctor, including this one, says if it WAS nerve damage, it would have been bad to BEGIN with, and would have gotten better this past year, adn not worse.

SO i asked him what he thought was wrong and what i should do. And he goes … “well, usually i would send you to a shoulder specialist, a really good doctor by the name of dr. Hansen downtown.” It would figure that he is already my doctor and seems just as stumped.

So he reassured me that a clavicle resection wouldn’t disable me, and would be fairly painless and routine, all things considered. He did also say however, that it probably has nothing to do with my hand and shoulderblade. It may help my clavicle and the pain in my bicep, but who knows what it might make worse. I’m just so damn scared of having another surgery.

So as i’m leaving, Dr Bonnett shakes my hand and goes. “You’re a very interesting man with a very interesting case. If you don’t mind i’ld like to call Dr. Hansen and discuss you’re case with him to try and get to the bottom of it.”

I said “sure, please feel free to do whatever you think will help.”

So i called Dr Hansen again and have an appointment This coming Tuesday. I’m still no closer to figuring out what’s really wrong; it could be a multitude of possibilities.

At least my hand isn’t numb today, ahhh the joy of unpredictability.

I think now would be a good time to draw…

You May Also Like…

July 7th – Wednesday

Well i think the cortizone is wearing off. Today i hurt more than i have in a few weeks, and over the past 2 days my...

July 7th – Good Advice

A fellow clavicle sufferer gave me some words of wisdom recently, he said: "When you feel good, you are cocky like it...

July 4th – Independance Day

Today was great. I went out to the parent's house in princeton and had home-grilled burgers with all the fixens. I...

0 Comments