I am scheduled for outpatient shoulder surgery on Friday, September 5. That’s all I know right now. More when I know.

Preferred Care, my health insurance, has a nifty way of avoiding approving a prescription for Celebrex for me. They “never received” the faxed request in June. The latest faxed request “went to the wrong office”. And then they kept the MD’s office on hold for a half hour, waiting for a human.

Needless to say, on top of my pain, the lack of medication is discouraging. I took another tumble night before last and fell right on my right shoulder. Well, for the millisecond it took for the unbelievable stabbing pain to reach my brain. then I landed on my left, so am now bruised in several places.

I am told that I will not have the use of my right arm, post surgery, for three weeks or more. The lovely wife assures me she can cope. We’ll see.

Pebbles, in black, and Sarah, in white, watch a sparrow.

As you may recall, last week’s vet visit resulted in several recommendations for our portly Sarah.

The vet suggested we put Ban Roll On on her front leg where she has worried the fur off from stress. It would keep her away from the area.

Except, of course, our special kitty liked the taste. Or, at least, showed NO inclination to not lick the leg.

Suggestion two was to use Gold Bond powder on her butt. This would keep it dry and make the fecal matter less likely to stick.

Umm… the expression on her face when I first powdered her was unusual. I think she expected to get washed. She was both startled and intrigued.

And, the excess powder that fell off? Tasted good to her.

The Gold Bond seems to be working. Less stinky butt, for sure and it looks like less adhering to her as well.

Sarah and Merlin to the vet today. He used to come to the house, and I miss that. Now he works 45 minutes away, so we haul over there for visits.

Merlin has Eosinophilic Ulcer, also called rodent ulcer.

Eosinophilic ulcer in a cat can be a frustrating problem to eliminate. The lesion results from a localized invasion of a type of white blood cell called an EOSINOPHIL. A type of white blood cell found in vertebrate blood, containing cytoplasmic granules that are easily stained by eosin or other acid dyes, eosinophils often are associated with and invade tissues that are being physically irritated or are undergoing an allergic reaction. When large numbers of eosinophils locally invade the tissues they interfere with normal physiological processes and as a result scar tissue can form, microcirculation is impeded, and inflammatory cells migrate to the area in an attempt to heal the damage. Tissue destruction results in death of cells and, in the case of “rodent ulcer” in a cat, there can be a disfiguring ulceration of the upper lip. In severe cases the inside of the oral cavity and the lower lip may be involved.

He got treated in April and May and it’s discouraging that it has returned. He got a cortisone shot and we got one for me to give him in three weeks. He also got his waxy ears and his pee pee looked at. All good. He lost over two pounds though, not feeling food and the mouth sores hurting, before we could get him in. He needed to lose weight, but not this way.

Sarah was due her three years shots. We also had him look at a rogue nail on her paw. Because she is a mutant, with extra toes, some of that tissue is in the wrong spot and so she has a nail growing upward below one of her toes. I clipped it last time and the vet says that’s the ticket. If she’s ever in for a procedure, he’ll remove it permanently but for now, trim as necessary.

She also got her butt shaved again. Miss Rolly Polly can’t keep it clean. Some salve for now. He suggests God Bond powder to keep her ass dry and to limit any fecal matter sticking. She’s worried a bare spot on one paw due to her frustration with not being clean. Vet suggested using Ban roll-on on the spot to make it unattractive to lick and bit.

They’re both home now and all is good.

[channeling that cranky old guy from "60 Minutes"]Don’tcha just hate it when doctors keep you waiting?[/channel]

I had an MD visit today, about my shoulder. I, yes, I have to call Preferred Care to follow up on a request to authorize the prescription I need. Said authorization was requested June 28. No one told me, no communication from Preferred Care. MD won’t do it.

Anyway, two options.

Continue my exercises, take the meds that have not been authorized YET, and hope I do not injure the shoulder any further.

Surgery; regional anesthesia, scope not open surgery, two to three weeks without the use of my right arm!!!!!

Yeah, that’s gonna happen. Too many things around here require two hands and lovely wife is NOT up to helping with them.

The only benefit is that the orthopod I see is very cool, as have been all the orthopods I have ever met. The comedians of the medical profession.

And I so appreciate the 45 minute wait after my appointment time.

Lovely wife then had her appointment after I rushed home from mine.

Echo is good. Ejection fraction of her heart is 45%, about where it was last time. That makes her final heart recovery from the silent MI at about 80% of normal.

No changes in meds. Good to go for 6 months. Yay!

Half hour wait here, too.