If ever there is a reason I am NOT doing well on my 201 Challenges, yesterday was one of them! I had the complete opposite experience when I did 101, but that was then and this is now.
I have been going through some physical issues, not lethal, but not ignorable either. I got the name of a DO, Doctor of Osteopathy, in my yoga class about a week ago. I called yesterday for the second time and the doctor himself answered the phone. We made an appointment for that afternoon. I had been doing my usual computer stuff (emails, book editing, WordPress) in the morning, took a shower and headed out early for the appointment, as I wasn’t sure where the building was.
Then it happened. Something that I shouldn’t have done, that I’m mildly pissed at myself about, that was unnecessary and costly. After noticing that I had passed the building on my left, I decided (wrongly in retrospect) to make a K turn. I turned into what I thought was the driveway of a retail store to change direction. I heard a thump but thought nothing of it until a truck driver across the street started waving and yelling frantically as he emphatically pointed to my car . “What?” I mouthed, with my hands out and up by my ears. “Look,” he mouthed back. Ugh, so I put the car in park, got out, bent down and checked under the bumper of my car. “You broke something. You’re leaking oil,” he said through his open window, this time quite clearly. Shit. Oil was flowing, no – gushing, from my car at a scary rate.
Not one to be late (in this case not necessarily admirable), I parked the car in a nearby lot, leaking a trail of oil the entire time, and walked to the doctor’s office for my appointment. It was downstairs, the doctor was in a room talking to somebody, another patient was waiting to see him (he was running late) and nurses were cooking food on a hot plate, so there was the wafting smell of Indian/Asian fusion food lingering in the air. Oh and there was no receptionist with whom to check in. My critical self was screaming! My mind was certain this was a mistake, and the car was the proof’s manifestation.
He was a kind man. Tall, thin, dark. Accepting, intelligent, a listener and a communicator. He asked questions many doctors wouldn’t, and didn’t, and through his hands he was able to ascertain information (without my sharing) of instances that had occurred long ago. From a serious slip on my butt (that took me to the hospital in 2004) to the way I sit in the swivel chair at my desk now that is affecting my left hip. When I was leaving, I cared less about the smell, the wait, no receptionist. I was even significantly calmer when I went out to deal with my bleeding car.
The tow truck took forty-five minutes to arrive. I stood by my car, like a woman stands by her cheating husband, embarrassed and hopeful no one would speak to me. The driver arrived.
“How did you do it?” He asked.
“I’m not sure, I guess I went over a lip, even though I hadn’t noticed it. I’m so angry with myself – I should have just gone around the corner, but I was trying to save time.”
“Hey, it’s a beautiful day, don’t let this ruin that for you. It could have been worse and there’s a reason for everything.” I had to smile. He was right. I found a doctor I related to, no one I knew was dying, it was just a car. And believe it or not, I have kept that attitude going – even as I have no car nor have I yet heard anything from the mechanic regarding the cost of this repair (we shall see how well I do with that). I did, however, borrow my daughter’s car to attend this morning’s yoga class – which only made it that much sweeter!
Wendy Karasin - Musings of a Boomer 
Sorry to hear about your car! Glad you perked up at the end of the day!
Thank you for your kindness and your comment, it’s all a matter of how we see things – and I see this (now) as a minor setback – nothing more, nothing less.
It takes a bit of (perspective? balance? reason? context? …) to accept the driver’s counsel and move on from a pretty crummy incident. Good for you, Wendy.
Yes, all of the above – the trick is remembering we have the ability to access these life learnings and using them when those times appear. Thanks, Bruce!
If you have not had a hip x-ray, I sincerely recommend doing this. Osteoarthritis of the hip is appearing in boomers at a comparatively early age relative to earlier generations because we have generally been more physically active with repetitive sports — running, etc. and have suffered mor injuries from those sports (falls). Here’s my story. I’m sorry it’s so long, but it’s kind of a mission of mine since I went through hell unnecessarily.
At 52 (10 years ago) I was already experiencing severe hip pain — off and on. For years I’d hiked, climbed, run trails, rollerbladed — you name it. My doc, an osteopath to whom I related well, asked no questions about my life style. Based on what I told him (I’m not an expert) he sent me for back x-rays. They came back with nothing wrong so he sent me to physical therapy. End of story (for him, for then).
Two years later I was so crippled up I could not walk unaided from the front of the supermarket to the back. I was on a cane. I was in constant pain. I returned to my doctor. The doctor thought I was a whining woman and threw opiates at me. I returned for help (third time), at which point he was mostly simply angry at me out of (I hope) shame at his misdiagnosis, but he finally ordered hip x-rays. I was bone-on-bone. I could have been saved two years of agony and retained almost all my hard won (and quite excellent) physical conditioning if I’d gotten a second opinion OR had a better doctor. His justification? “You’re too young for osteoarthritis” in spite of my having absolutely classical and textbook symptoms. If I had had the money and the interest I would have sued him for malpractice.
He is not the only osteopath who has done bad work for me. For the past two years I suffered from ever worsening asthma, no sense of smell or taste. My “new” doctor (also an osteopath) threw every random asthma remedy at me meanwhile worried about my blood pressure (it doesn’t matter that every remedy she threw at me had blood-pressure raising side-effects). Sinus infection after sinus infection, asthma worsening constantly until I could not drive to school in the morning without having to pull over because I could not breathe. I called an ENT specialist. He discovered nasal polyps and completely closed ear canals. He treated me with an aggressive short-term regimen of antibiotics and prednisone and sent me to an allergy specialist. I was tested, came up negative for every allergy, we had a conversation lasting about 15 minutes, she pinpointed the problem. I have a rare sensitivity to aspirin and foods high in salicylate. She gave me meds for it, told me of a hospital treatment I can do to essentially “cure” the condition. I haven’t done the cure yet, but plan to. The meds have kept me symptom free for the last 8 months and I’m no longer inhaling steroids and sucking on an inhaler.
I’m sorry for going on so long but when I see “hip pain” and “osteopath” I kind of lose it. Please get more than one opinion.
P.S. When I was 55 I had my hip resurfaced.
Wow, Martha, sounds like you’ve been through hell and back (glad you’re back!). The body is so interesting, I too have sinus infections, and my hip hurts but not terribly. The problem I’m experiencing with my foot is also bone on bone osteoarthritis. The podiatrist offered cortisone or surgery. I’m trying to avoid surgery. Good for you for persistently pursuing a solution – and I will keep your words in mind! I’m truly glad you feel better and I thank you for your most thorough comment!