Where has the Musicians' Health Collective Been?
Things have been a little busy here in Seattle, and every few weeks, I get an email or message asking when I’m going to write something new. I just wanted to fill in folks on what’s been shaking, and where things are going next.
I had a really busy December- my boyfriend had surgery to remove a cyst near his sacrum, and while the initial surgery was successful, he developed a hematoma (swelling and blood pooling), and the wound had to be reopened. From there, I managed his wound care, packing and cleaning the wound a few times a day, taking him to a few appointments a week, and playing my 25 Nutcrackers for PNB. It was a busy time! We eventually got a referral for the wound care team, but I spent 2+ weeks managing his wound care without much guidance, managing the house, food and dogs, all while also trying to teach movement and practice for an audition.
It was a busy few months, and while the wound is still open today, it’s much smaller than it was and my responsibilities as nurse are decreasing. It’s illuminated a few things: no one from the initial nursing staff showed me how to do wound care. The surgeon that reopened the wound remarked, “I hope your girlfriend isn’t squeamish,” and gave him a handout on wound care, since I had to work during his appointment. No doctor or nurse showed me exactly what to do, which in retrospect, is appalling and totally unacceptable for the general public. I was expected to figure this out from a handout, and prior to this, I had never handled large quantities of blood, pus, or a gaping open wound. Turns out that I don’t get squeamish, so that’s good, and my boyfriend’s brother has wound care experience and walked me through the process patiently. It wasn’t until we were approved to see the wound clinic that I was assisted directly by a nurse, thoroughly, kindly, and step by step.
Since the wound was on his low back, my boyfriend could neither see nor touch it, nor know what was actually going on. If someone didn’t live with a caregiver or someone with wound experience, how would they handle this? How can we give more post-operative support to caregivers? Within two hours of surgery, the dressing needed to be changed due to copious amounts of blood, which neither of us were truly ready for. We also hadn’t been given a day’s worth of dressings, so I ran to the drugstore, leaving my boyfriend to sit in the bathtub, bleeding. The surgery itself took 2.5 hours from start to outpatient, but there was no offer for a nurse to visit and check in on us, and we were left to figure this all out as we went.
I don’t think our privatized health system really helps patients get the best care possible. Of course, any surgery gets nickel and dimed in billing for everything from blood tests before surgery to anethesia to surgery to follow up visits. We had to get a referral approved to see wound care, which is why it took a few weeks, which is also absurd. Surgery also happened before Christmas, where the surgeon went out of town for a week, and we instead were trying to contact the clinic to see if his symptoms were abnormal.
Couple that with my normal freelance life of playing, teaching movement and music, and practicing, all while trying to be in audition shape, and it was a lot. If anything, the whole experience taught me a few things:
Our medical system needs serious change. If insurance doesn’t cover treatment that a doctor recommends or is deemed necessary, a patient can be stuck with a huge bill, unexpectedly, weeks or months later.
Pharmaceutical companies do absurd things. Some “name brand” drugs are hundreds of dollars (with less side effects) whereas a generic is cheap. Having to choose a cheaper drug with more side effects, is insane, especially when looking at more complex drugs for neurological issues, hormones, and more.
Surgery is no joke, and the people that care for those after a joint replacement, back surgery, cancer related surgery, or pretty much anything, are resilient folks. Managing open wounds, suture, and pus is a real thing!
Caregivers work really hard to manage their patients or family member’s issues, all when cleaning, cooking, and taking care of household tasks. I have many clients who take care of their spouse, parent, or child, whether temporarily or long term, and I really see how taxing that can be. As someone who works with clients with neurological issues, I know their partners work tirelessly to support them, and I understand how taxing that can be.
Back surgery (on any part of your spine: low back, mid back or neck) really impacts your ability to move, sit, lie down, sleep, or do pretty much anything. The hope is that things improve afterwards, but this has definitely impacted how I perceive clients who’ve had back surgeries.
Because of all these things, I’ve been a little slow on writing and producing new content for the blog. Despite that, readership has been steady, with over 10,000 views this year, and a record 60,000 views last year, which is pretty great for a niche blog done in my spare time. If you’ve sent an email asking a question or suggesting a topic, I know I haven’t responded but it’s on the back of my mind! And I do have plans to keep writing soon. Thanks for your readership and support and I look forward to writing more soon!