Getting old still sucks

As I mentioned in my last weekly recap post, my insurance denied the MRI that my doctor ordered on my ribs, so she referred me to Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery for a consult/eval. I had that appointment yesterday.

The doctor I saw was great. He was straightforward and actually listened. After checking me out, he said, “I believe you. A lot of the cases they send me are bullshit, but this isn’t. I absolutely believe there’s something here.”

Unfortunately, that’s about where the good news ends. He thinks my previously broken rib — or ribs — are separating when I cough, sneeze, or exhale hard, causing something (we don’t yet know what) to herniate out and result in this loveliness.

He wants me to see one of his colleagues next, but the only real fix is surgery¹ — and only if I want it. He was honest that both the procedure and recovery are painful, so it’s not exactly an easy decision. After nearly three years of this, it’s less of an acute pain and more of a constant, extremely uncomfortable annoyance. I guess I have some thinking to do.

At this point, what I really need to understand are the possible complications if I decide not to have the surgery. For now though, I’m just waiting for my next appointment on October 22nd.