Our Weekend With Lance - Part 6

Part 6
Sunday 10-15-06

Jimmy is laying on a litter in the corner of the ER when I come in. Everything in the room drops away from view except him. I just zero in on him and walked as fast as I could to get to him.

His leg on the right side is shredded and bloody. Damn ... those new Livestrong bike shorts are history. His right elbow is a bloody mess too. His face has a grayish tone to it. I can tell by looking at him he is in pain and since he's from damn stoic German blood, he's not telling anyone he's in pain or asking for anything for the pain.

I bend over and give him a kiss on his forehead ...

Pammy: Awww Jimmy, what happened?
Jimmy: Well, I was pulling into the rest stop at mile 60 and my front tire slid out and I fell over.
Pammy: Like you did in Gettysburg when you got your new bike shoes?

LOL ... the first time Jimmy rode in his brand new clip-in bike shoes (about 6 years ago) , he was on a ride to Gettysburg with his BFF Jeff and their other cycle buddy, Jess. Jimmy came to a stop in downtown Gettysburg, but he didn't get his shoes out of the clip fast enough and he went over like that funny guy on Laugh-In riding the tricycle. Needless to say, Jeff and Jess laughed their butts off and road away, leaving Jimmy on the sidewalk with his legs in the air and his bike over him, his feet still clipped into the peddles, with the wheels spinning around. I sure wish I had a picture of that!!!

Jimmy: No I didn't have time to even think about taking my shoe out of the clip, I went down ... BOOM ... right on my hip.
Pammy: Did they take you for x-rays yet?
Jimmy: Yeah. I'm waiting for the doctor to come over and tell me what's what.

Just like that ... Dr. P pops his head around the curtain and introduces himself.

Dr. P: Hi, Mrs. Fortney? I'm Dr. Passmann.
Pammy: Hi. So what's the story?
Dr. P: Well, your husband broke his hip.

Me thinking -- OH SHIT!!!

Side Note: I have a part-time job in the evenings and weekends transcribing for Dr. Butera (one of York's leading Orthopedist) and I know from typing those notes, a broken hip and Jimmy only 48 years old is not good! He's too young for hip replacement and I don't even want to think about how many screws they would use to put him back together again.

Pammy: Are you doing the surgery here?

(me thinking -- Oh great -- I don't know anyone here and if we were at home I'd be calling Dr. B right this second. What the hell are we going to do?)

Jimmy: SURGERY? What surgery?
Dr. P: No, we're not set up to do that here.
Jimmy: SURGERY? What surgery?
Dr. P: (to me) Who do you want me to call?
Jimmy: SURGERY? What surgery?
Pammy: I don't know any doctors in Austin; I have no idea who we want to see.
Jimmy: Surgery? What surgery?
Dr. P: (to Jimmy) you broke your hip and you need a hip replacement.
Jimmy: WHAT???
Dr. P: The head of your femur (upper leg bone) was snapped off and is no longer connected to your femur, which is why you can't stand on it.
Jimmy: [he groans and looks like he's going to pass out.] Can't we just go home and have it done there?
Dr. P: Where do you live?
Jimmy: Pennsylvania.
Dr. P: Uh ..... NO!
Pammy: Dr. Passmann, who would you recommend?
Dr. P: I think I'm going to call Dr. Albrecht.
Pammy: Okay.

Who the heck is Dr. Albrecht? I have no clue! He could have said, I'm going to call Dr. Doolittle, Dr. Killdare, Doogie Howser, M.D., Dr. Drake Ramoray, Ben Casey, M.D., Dr. Hawkeye Pierce, Dr. McDreamy ... Those doctors I know!

I don't know if Dr. Albrecht is a good doctor or someone I wouldn't let operate on Reggie ... again ... if he needed it a 3rd time ... which he better not!!!