Teaching Artists' Blog

Teaching Artists Blog

Maude Baum

Teaching Artists' Health Issues

Name:: Maude Baum
Subject:: Health issues
Date:: 13 Jul 2007
Time:: 10:10:36 PM -0400

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I scheduled another appt with my Dr. No easy task! I had to jump through hoops to get the appt. But persistance paid off and his nurse decided she could not answer my questions so I really did need to the the Dr. Much to my surprise, he spent 45 minutes with me, after spending his day in surgery, and was forthright and very informative. He answered all of my questions and suggested more info. I felt assured and confident that I needed to have this done. I was scared to death! So, I decided that since I was having the ip replaced I would concentrate on strengthening and stretching all the muscles of my body in prep for the surgery and recoup. In 6 weeks I developed from not able to swim a lap to swimming 10 laps each workout as well as the 45 minute stretch and strength routine. I was going to be ready for whatever! Being the anxious sort...prone to panic, I slept little and wanted the surgery day to be NOW. I had appts with nurses for admissions, tests for all sorts of things, pre-op inerviews and directions for the day of the surgery. At "my" hospital, you arrive the day of surgery 3 hours before your surgery time. I had to arrive at 5:45am. The night before and the again the morning of, I had to shower with an antibacterial. But not on my privates! I loved the nurse telling me that. What was it doing to my skin if I couldnn't use it on my privates. I showered with the soap they gave me. It wasn't that bad. I arrived a few minutes late. They didn't seem to mind. But others were taken care of and I had to sit and wait. Then, changing (actually completely undressing and putting on a hospital gown), attaching to monitors, etc. ther were lots of people gong through this same procedure. then onto the gurney, goodbye to my husband and off I went to the staging area. Rows of people on gurneys with Drs. hovering around, chatting, giving additional orders, etc. My Dr arrived after the anesthesiologist gave me the once over and assured me that he would be with me throughout. My Dr. was cheerful and alert. He obviously had enough sleep, I thought. Not a party night, last evening. Good! phew! Then he asked which hip I wanted him to work on. I didn't get the humor. Then He signed my right hip, I signed my right hip and his assisting nurse signed my right hip. Mybe they will do the correct hip. I sure hope so. The everyone left and I contemplated the obvious. It seemed like a very very long time before someone said, well let's do. And off i went. The last ting I remember is saying or thinking this is the operaing room. It was dark, basement looking, sort of Dr. Strangeloveish and someone was working on a side table and looked over at me. That was it. I hope I didn't beg them not to do the surgery. I did that once before. How humiliating! I woke up in the same room I left, only on a differnt side of the room. I looked around and remember thinking I've been here before. and off to nana land I went again. I woke again and was completely swathed in white. The only thing not covered was my eyes. I was convinced that I had been abducted and sold to someone who wanted me completely covered. I decide that if I didn't say anything they might not realize that I was an American. Too may preps for international touring!!!!! I fell off again and woke up in a hospital room with a chicken dinner in front of me. I put a carrot in my mouth and promptly fell asleep. A nurse woke my saying you can't have this yet. Why did someone give you this? As she was taking the tray, I took the carrot out of my mouth, it was still unchewed, and gave it to her. Now that is surreal. I was very out of it. My nurse told me that that was to be expected. As she said, they did a lot of work and gave me a lot of stuff down there.???? Shortly after my youngest sister came in and took care of me. then my husband arrived with my bag of "essentials". He said it was about 3 hours before his # was upon the "bakery -you are next" sign. My Dr. told him all was fine and he was abel to do the resurfacing rather than a replacement. Whatever they gave me for pain, made me very thirsty. I consumed massive quanitites of water. I needed to use the bathroom. So, I rang and an aid came in and assured me that I was, under no circumstances, to get out of bed until my Dr. saw me. Okay bedpan then. Since I had ortho work, I was given a fracture pan. They are very tiny. I was abel to relieve myself. However, I really needed 4 bedpans. I was drenched, my hospital gown was drenched, the bed and all sheets were drenched. When the aid came in to take the pan away, the poor guy could only say, oh you really had to go didn't you? He slooshed the fluid all over everywhere. He called in asome help and the two aids, both men had to clean and change me and everything. They were very good. and I rewarded them with ice cream. Shortly afterwards, the scene ws repeated. They really were not that fond of changing me and everything around me. I asked them to come in more often. But my Dr. ;intevened and I was able to get up and go to the bothroom with assitance. Odd to be in the btahroon peeing with someone on your arm! It was fine. My pain meds kept me comfortable and I was happy. Then, the PT came in and aske dme to go for a walk. This was about 6 hours after surgery. I was game. Get me going and let me out of here. So with a walker and her by my side, we went for a walk donw the hall. I was elated. I could walk and I didn't feel anythiing.,, until it happened. more later.

Name:: Maude Baum
Subject:: Health Issues
Date:: 26 Jun 2007
Time:: 03:22:02 AM -0400

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So, my Arthritis Dr. suggested I see an ortho Dr. who was just doing hips and knees and was working with atheletes... not just ball players! He was also performing the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing. So off I went, not expecting much. I was beyond surprised. He was direct, caring, honest and to the point. He assured me that I have issues with my back and my neck. However, taking care of the hip would get me out of that constant pain. I could deal with the other through physical therapy. The hip was gone! Just bonespur on bonespur! It had progressed so far that the muscles supporting the hip girdle had taken on new roles. Aother reason for the constant pain. One of the students in the morning class I work in asked me why I always look so mean. I was taken aback. I think of myself as a glass half full kind of person. Now, I know why he thought that. My face was all screwed up from the constant pain. I had lost track of how my facial expressions looked. Once again, I couldn't trust my body. So, within the 45 minute visit to Dr. ortho, I was scheduled for surgery. I was to get a new birmingham hip. I hit the jackpot! I was on cloud 9. As Dr. ortho explained to me, the BH rger ball and socket meaning more mobility and greater range of motion. Sounded excellent. He even shared stories of others who we able to to back to martial arts and do those round off style kicks that touch the top of the door jam. I really didn't hear the "after a year part". Would I be able to dance and teach again without the misrust and the good natured laughter about my odd movements? this all seemed too good to be true. A Dr. who spends time with his patients, is up front about what he sees and listens! And the possibility of pain free movement. I was estatic! I left the visit on such a high. I had my papers, my instructions for what to do when, and a series of visits to various medical offics for various assessments, test, and the like. I was ready. Whe, I came home, I was too excited to talk about anything. the next day, i told my husband all about my wonderful experience. In the telling, I realized that in four weeks, I was going to have surgery. I neede dmore informaiton. I needed more reassurance that I would ---survive. the high lasted about 24 hours. I was panic struck. I know, this sounds over the top overblown. I was as surprised as anyone that my imagination went into hyper overdrive and manufactured every possible scenario for yesterday's bliss. I decided that I needed to find out a lot more aabout the surgery and BH. I went on line, to very site I could find. I learned a great deal. The scariest thing I learned was from one of my students and a fellow PT participant. My student's husband was already under, having hip surgery and they couldn't get the breathng tube down his throat. He woke up and still had his bum hip. Can you imagine? My PT buddy had had his knee replaced. However, it got infected. Eventually, they removed the artifical knee, put a spacer in and put him in bed for 6 weeks while intrvenous antibiotics tried to do their magic. He was unable to move for 6 weeks. If all went well and the infection stopped, he would get another new knee. This was done by my Dr. I was about to experience the first of many meltdowns. The emotional, psychic, soulful, spiritual variety. I couldn't wrap myself around this. I needed more assurance, more definitive answers. Would I survive? Would I be able to walk? Would I feel better? Would I really be able to walk up the 4 flights of stairs to get home after this was over? I had no idea what I was doing when I scheduled the surgery. I cancelled it! More later

Name:: Maude Baum
Subject:: Hip Replacement
Date:: 15 Jun 2007
Time:: 10:33:00 PM -0400

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I will tell you a story, then talk about and hope to get a good back and forth going about medical issues that artists face. It started 10 or so years ago. It won't take that long to share my story. I have been dancing professionally for 45 years. About 10 years ago my right buttocks started gripping when i did repetitive side to side movements. Then it started really gripping. I walked around for about 24 hours after each episode massaging my butt! Get the visual? Not very dignified! Then my groin and the inside of my leg began to throb and spasm. I thought I must have pulled a muscle. So, my butt and my groin and the inside of my leg were now, 6 years later, causing severe discomfort. Yes, i kept dancing and teaching and kept up with everything else on my plate. then I began the Dr. trail. I went to a spine Dr. He said it must be my hip causing the problems, not my back. (I had a spinal fusion at 20). So I went to a hip Dr. He assured me it was not my hip it must be my back. X-rays, Cat Scans, injected dyes, MRIs, you name it and still no conclusions. I went to 6 or 7 different Drs. Each costing a certain amount of $. I felt like a ping pong ball. Then, i visited an arthritis Dr. and found that I have an RA factor (indicating rheumatoid arthritis could be present). Now what? Okay, now the medications started. Anti-inflamatories, pain meds. Little relief. Different ones. Some relief. It seemed like I was playing an odd game of russian roulette. When would i explode? Then, came the steroid injection into my hip. Yup, relief. I was back in action. I could jump, twist, turn. Thanks goodness. The relief lasted exactly 8 days. I kept telling the Dr. that my pain level must be a 5 on the 1-10 scale. Little did I know that a dancer's 5 is a normal person's 9. So, the Dr. didn't think I was in that much pain. MUCH PAIN! I had 5 more steroid injections into my hip. The last just before a trip to Morocco. At least I could walk and enjoy the medinas, etc. Then the scariest of them all began. PAIN MANAGEMENT. I thought biofeedback, massage, maybe acupuncture, etc. NO, steroid injections directly into my spine. Here, there, did i hit the right spot? Can you feel it in the sore areas? I was so out of my mind imagining what was going on in my spine, I turned off my capacity to feel. Then I learned that it was a several step process. More injections. Little relief. I gave up on that method. I spent more time grabbing my butt! So about one and a half years ago, I gave up dancing. I couldn't trust my body. Still could not get a diagnosis. It was a sad day for me. but I decided that I had a good run. How many dancers get to perform for 35 years? I decided I was blessed and needed to get on with things. i still taught as best I could. My over 40 class and i laughed at my weird movement patterns. My 3 year olds laughed at me as I tried to get down and up from the floor. They decided I was doing a weird dance for them. More later!