Just another week-end.. & just how we worry too much!!

Another nice one.. This was quite an uneventful week/weekend I guess. Just went to work, came back home and didn't do anything else much. Can't remember, so probably surely didn't. Doesn't it sucks how time just passes in our life. I mean, we worry each & every day, bother ourselves with one thing or other and  when you look back there is not even much you can remember. But we sure did worry about dozen of things on that day, pissed/angry/mad/sad/excited and everything else. But can't remember anything right now, just nothing. That's why we should worry less, I guess. Atleast not about the unimportant things. Worry about important things which are in our control, not about things which are not in our control or we can't do anything about...

Although all that reminds me of four things - 1) How I have to pay more than $2000 for my hand surgery even after having health insurance. This is the "co-insurance". The total cost just for the surgery is 12000+. Should write a separate blog about this. 2) I lost my nice cap & sunglasses y'day. Just while walking out from home, dropped it from my hand, JLT. 3) Went to & walked through the Highline Park in NYC taking pictures of park & the city. Guess I am finally getting hang of taking pictures than just getting taken pictures of. 4) I watched The Expendables (6/10) & Marigold (5/10): The first is a decent action movie with big ensemble cast & nice action etc on a thin plot. The second is another example of a good movie done wrong. It has a good plot & I would say god actors. But very bad screenplay, poor dialogues and horrible direction. It was not painful to watch but not as fun as it could've been. So, that's all I remember of just another weekend. Rest... All izz Well!!

The cast & Pin removed from my Hand | Warrior 2011 Movie - 8/10

So... after the injury & surgery, I had a cast on until today. Today the cast was taken off & the hand is free. Feels much better to not have cast on. Now I need Therapy for few weeks to get range of motion & strength back, hope all goes really well. Poor hand  looks like a Prisoner of War...

Also I watched Warrior with an advanced pre-screening again. Such an awesome movie. I'll easily give it 8/10, I would've given 9 but the plot is not exceptional. But definitely one of the best action movies related to boxing/fighting kinda stuff. For a change, there is no "bad guy". Both the fighters are not just male lead actors but also brothers. Brothers separated after parent's divorce, with an estranged relationship with their father. One guy is an ex ultimate fighter of lower caliber changed to High School Math teacher; and other is an ex-soldier & war hero. One is fighting for saving his house & family and other for helping his dead friend's family. Both have noble cause & good reason to fight. Both are kinda underdogs. But they come through challenges & emerge is Winner Warriors. The fighting & action sequences of mixed martial arts are very well choreographed and well done. The performances by all the lead actors - Tom Hardy & Joel Edgerton are great and Nick Nolte as drunkard old father, Jennifer Morrison as a struggling wife of struggling family, Kevin Dunn as the school Pricipal are just great. It's quite tight & crisp movie which is very enjoyable & lot of FUN. Go watch it!!

Hand in 4 week cast / Dinner Cruise in Manhattan

So I went for  doctor's review after last week's hand surgery. The 7 stitches were taken out, although pin has been left in, with the new blue cast which I have for 4 weeks. I have to go back after 4 weeks when they take the pin & cast off & then I have to go through occupational therapy until I get my strength & motion back. My right hand did look thinner & weaker than left hand (like it's starving), but otherwise it's okay so far. The new fiber casting is quick & impressive. It's like a wrap which they wrap around after putting some cotton base, then applied some sorta medical lubricant & it hardened into a cast in few minutes. I had choice of white/blue/black color; I picked blue because it's darker but you can still write on it... So, Doctor says it's all okay, so I have to take his word. I'll only know when I get my hand fully back!!

In the evening we went for a dinner cruise (7-10pm) with Bateaux Cruise New York from Chelsea Piers. It goes all the way to Interpid first & then back south to Downtown & then towards east side of Manhattan until Empire State - cross Manhattan Bridge & then very close to Statue of Liberty (it's beautiful at night) & then back. The food was nice on the cruise & live music was very good. Only bad thing was their photographer, who was really mean/selfish & bad. Tried to force people to buy pictures, not give enough time to think or try good positions, just ridiculous.... Anyways, overall we had a wonderful & great time!!... You should try it too, if you can, & feel free to ask any questions/comments..... I am HERE

My first surgery in US - MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

The surgery was at Beth Israel center at Union Sq. I was there before 11 am, 2 hrs before surgery as suggested (surprisingly... very unlike me). I was alone, all by myself. They had me fill this huge 10-20 paper form with my injured hand, funny!! Then this lady filled all info on computer, which was using DOS based system, with me. She told me that  I NEED to have an escort or somebody to pick me after surgery. Thanks to my roommate Eddie who agreed to come.  I had to wait little more before they took me in & asked me to change into hospital clothes. They gave me free Beth Israel bag & asked to put my stuff in locker. Now i waited in this small room with a TV for more than an hour. Then nurses, anesthesiologist & my doctor came asking same questions & filling more paper. In another hour, we were ready to go for surgery. I go in surgery room & start feeling cold even before anesthesia. They cover me up with blankets & stuff & sedate me. Sedate me fully to make me asleep & nerve block on right hand to do the surgery. I remember talking to anesthesiologist & assistant surgeon (I was asking if I am talking too much or everyone does that?.. r u angry/pissed at me?.. good luck!!) and then passed out. Next I wakeup, I am in recovery room surrounded by nurses/doctors & with no feeling in right hand. And suddenly it starts hurting, a LOT - 9/10. Nurse gave me some injection & I pass out again. Then I wakeup with 8/10 pain. Injection again & passout, wakeup again with 8/10. She forces me to take percocet & now i feel 6/10 for few mins. But then 7/10 again. The nurse says I can't leave with pain like this. I am smiling. She asks a question from her Nursing stuff: 2 patients saying 8/10 pain, one is smiling & other is crying/screaming. Who you treat? BOTH... Different people can have different pain thresh hold & reaction, but all need treatment. Good Point!! So now I lie to nurse that I am feeling okay, so I can leave. They do let me leave after this, with my roommate Eddie who was there by then. We first went to pharmacy to get my prescription medication & then we go for dinner at Coffe Shop Union Square - I hadn't eaten since last night. It's nice place & I got nice burger but I am in pain again. So we take a cab to go home. Takes almost an hour in cab to go to Hell's Kitchen from Union Sq. But finally I got home, straight to bed. That was my day of my first surgery in US.

I had hand surgery... MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

This is just a quick note for all of you who must(?) be worried about me. Surgery is done & was successful as per the doctor. I am back home & resting. I do feel moderate to severe pain right now. Also the pain medication is making me drowsy/groggy. Right hand is not usable atall, which kinda sucks & has to be kept elevated. Its fully wrapped from fingers to below wrist. So I am just resting. Anyways, All izz Well overall. Thanks to everyone for your help (although I did take care of this myself), support (expectedly/unexpectedly offered/not-offered)  & well wishes.... All the Best, to ME!! (U realize this is all written by left hand only. I'll provide full details of surgery tomorrow..)

I need hand surgery... MCP Joint RCL tear & subluxation

of my right thumb injury from last weekend. I have a grade III tear which mostly can't be successfully fixed by casting/immobilization, so requires surgery to fix. How do I know all that? Cuz I am smart & awesome. And also because I went to Hand Orthopedist at Beth Israel in NYC today. He did a review, some X-Rays (no MRI) and said that surgery is best solution to ensure (although doctors never 'guarantee' a fix from surgery, it just mostly works) full recovery/fix where they'll do an incision at the RCL joint of MCP, put the dislocated joint together properly and sew/fix the broken ligament, then put a pin in there to stabilize it, immobilize it with a cast. Then they take off the pin in 10 days & keep hand in cast for another 3-4 weeks. After that they take off the cast & put a splint/brace on & I start occupational therapy/rehabilitation to gain strength back. And after all this, I am back in motion. If I don't do surgery, it might heal by itself with the splint/cast/brace (at least it looks cool) they have put me in. But it might heal crooked or with bump. I might not get full range of motion or have pain or even future arthritis. All "might" happen (or I might get totally fixed!!), kinda SUCKS!! Doctor's suggestion is surgery & I am not very excited about it. But 2-3 months of pain for lifetime of no problems (guaranteed?) isn't that bad. I am still thinking of getting a second review... Any suggestions/comments??

The week & weekend was spent mostly relaxing & taking it easy, still working though. Got outta bed after 4(pm) on Saturday and 2 pm on Sunday. Sometimes its just god top lay in bed to feel that it's really a day-off, I felt good. Went to Sheep Meadow in Central park for sun-bathing; I love central park & I am even a member & do donations to them. It's so big & confusing though sometimes, need to explore more. Also went to Bryant Park which is small & cool & nice. That's it. Will keep posted of new updates, until then.... Good Luck to me, & U!!