Surgery and Disability: Recovering from a Routine Procedure
Hey All!
Truthfully, I have spent my fair share of time in Hospitals for both extended treatment and more immediate surgery. Some operations and treatments, while not exclusively reserved for individual conditions, can be somewhat more closely tied to disability and chronic illness. The distinction I wish to make is between treatments particular familiar within disabled communities and those which can easily come with age or less persisting illness. Many of my earlier experiences with surgery and treatment will have been far more familiar to those with similar disabilities, including cerebral palsy. In particular, physiotherapy and botox spring to mind. However, my experiences with bunion removal during year eleven and thirteen felt significantly different, primarily because this is a common procedure performed upon disabled and able-bodied folks alike.
The removal of bunions is a procedure that is not as closely linked to disability as many of my previous experiences, with the development of bunions often having more to do with age or genetics. For me the cause of my developing bunions was probably a mixture of the cerebral palsy, the splints I was given to aid my walking and a susceptiveness suggested by my family history. Obviously surgery is surgery regardless of disability; my cerebral palsy didn't change the procedure itself or how the procedure was performed. However, my disability certainly did impact my own perception of the operation, the lead up to surgery and my recovery in a way that may demonstrate the impact of disability upon routine procedures.
As I previously mentioned, one potential factor in the development of bunions is age. I am not saying that my procedure normally being performed on older individuals was a problem, but rather the fact that it was more rare for it be performed on a young adult. I have also likened myself to a young OAP, but both my cerebral palsy and hearing loss have caused this comparison to extend beyond my personality. Since reaching my older teenage years I have become increasingly aware that my cerebral palsy means that my body doesn't always act its age, with aches, pains and fatigue sometimes making it hard to remember that I am still a teenager. Cerebral palsy is a disability which is likely to affect how you age as you get older, sometimes bringing certain physical milestones closer than you may have hoped. Personally, the awareness that I was having a procedure that my peers hadn't even heard of, let alone had to consider for themselves, didn't exactly help the realisation that despite my being 16 my body didn't exactly function as such. None of this is to say that I am not eternally grateful for my grateful or that I think I am the only to ever have had bunions removed at 16. Rather that I think it's perfectly valid to feel a little alienated from your own age group when the only people who can understand a particular experiences you are having are a least a generation older. It can make a little conflicted about your body and how you are perceived, especially when you turn up to the school carol concert with a tinsel covered zimmer-frame!
This isn't a particularly uncommon experience for young adults living with disability or chronic illness. Many conditions can cause the need for young people to receive treatment than many may not even think about until later life, such as joint replacements or transplants. I think it's important to remember that one can have immense gratitude while also having mixed feelings about the need for treatment.
Due to my age and the simple fact that my disability had accelerated my journey to treatment, the lead up to my surgery was somewhat impacted and altered. Of course, the procedure itself was uniform and the goal of surgery was exactly the same, but there were some added factors to be considered. Firstly, because my bunions were caused my condition and not age, being still a young teenager when the bunions were first recognised, it was deemed necessary to wait until my bones had stopped growing before operating. Secondly, because the development of bunions was most significantly triggered by a neurological condition rather than external circumstance, there was an increased risk of reoccurrence. Both these factors meant that there was a greater gap of time between my diagnosis and treatment than there may otherwise have been. While this may have increased my gratitude and relief post-op, it did also extend my pain and lead to a longer period of tests. While this was ultimately nobody's fault, it was understandably a little frustrating.
Finally and possibly most significantly was the impact of my disability upon my recovery. For many of those who are able-bodied and whose need for this particular procedure is created by age, genetics or external circumstance, things such as balance, strength and fatigue may not be as big an issue. This may not seem like a big deal, after all we all had the same operation. However, all these things can have a major impact upon post-op recovery. With some of the more disability specific treatments I had received as a child my cerebral palsy was a more predicted obstacle, but with my bunion operation the only people I had personally known to have the same procedure came out relatively mobile and on crutches. This added an additional challenge when I quickly realised that this style of recovery was not going to work for me. For a short period after surgery of my first foot I was heavily reliant upon a wheelchair due to how unstable I was on crutches and how much they tired me. After my second foot was operated on around Christmas of year 13 I was allowed to stay overnight for additional physiotherapy and was provided with said sparkly zimmer-frame (I added the decorations) to use in conjunction with crutches and a wheelchair. I think that maybe the logical assumption that a five minute demonstation of crutches and a discharge letter after my first visit would be sufficient was somewhat based upon my youth, forgetting the potential impact of my disability. Ultimately it was maybe unclear that I would be Bambi on crutches and that my cerebral palsy would unavoidably have such an impact upon my post-op mobility after such a routine procedure.
Not every operation that a disabled individual will have performed will be reserved solely for their particular disability, but their disability will always impact upon their experience of that operation. I think it is important to go into any procedure free to let your disability impact how you feel about your treatment and aware of how your disability may create additional challenges. Most importantly, it is crucial that anyone about to relieve treatment has a strong support system but this can be especially important if you know your condition may make the process especially difficulty, emotionally or physically. To anyone who is approaching treatment in the near or distance future, you are strong enough and the wisdom of the medical world is a beautiful thing!
I hope everyone has a fantastic week!
See you later Alligators!
Freya x
PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/its-time-to-disrupt-the-existing-hospital-business-model/
Truthfully, I have spent my fair share of time in Hospitals for both extended treatment and more immediate surgery. Some operations and treatments, while not exclusively reserved for individual conditions, can be somewhat more closely tied to disability and chronic illness. The distinction I wish to make is between treatments particular familiar within disabled communities and those which can easily come with age or less persisting illness. Many of my earlier experiences with surgery and treatment will have been far more familiar to those with similar disabilities, including cerebral palsy. In particular, physiotherapy and botox spring to mind. However, my experiences with bunion removal during year eleven and thirteen felt significantly different, primarily because this is a common procedure performed upon disabled and able-bodied folks alike.
The removal of bunions is a procedure that is not as closely linked to disability as many of my previous experiences, with the development of bunions often having more to do with age or genetics. For me the cause of my developing bunions was probably a mixture of the cerebral palsy, the splints I was given to aid my walking and a susceptiveness suggested by my family history. Obviously surgery is surgery regardless of disability; my cerebral palsy didn't change the procedure itself or how the procedure was performed. However, my disability certainly did impact my own perception of the operation, the lead up to surgery and my recovery in a way that may demonstrate the impact of disability upon routine procedures.
As I previously mentioned, one potential factor in the development of bunions is age. I am not saying that my procedure normally being performed on older individuals was a problem, but rather the fact that it was more rare for it be performed on a young adult. I have also likened myself to a young OAP, but both my cerebral palsy and hearing loss have caused this comparison to extend beyond my personality. Since reaching my older teenage years I have become increasingly aware that my cerebral palsy means that my body doesn't always act its age, with aches, pains and fatigue sometimes making it hard to remember that I am still a teenager. Cerebral palsy is a disability which is likely to affect how you age as you get older, sometimes bringing certain physical milestones closer than you may have hoped. Personally, the awareness that I was having a procedure that my peers hadn't even heard of, let alone had to consider for themselves, didn't exactly help the realisation that despite my being 16 my body didn't exactly function as such. None of this is to say that I am not eternally grateful for my grateful or that I think I am the only to ever have had bunions removed at 16. Rather that I think it's perfectly valid to feel a little alienated from your own age group when the only people who can understand a particular experiences you are having are a least a generation older. It can make a little conflicted about your body and how you are perceived, especially when you turn up to the school carol concert with a tinsel covered zimmer-frame!
This isn't a particularly uncommon experience for young adults living with disability or chronic illness. Many conditions can cause the need for young people to receive treatment than many may not even think about until later life, such as joint replacements or transplants. I think it's important to remember that one can have immense gratitude while also having mixed feelings about the need for treatment.
Due to my age and the simple fact that my disability had accelerated my journey to treatment, the lead up to my surgery was somewhat impacted and altered. Of course, the procedure itself was uniform and the goal of surgery was exactly the same, but there were some added factors to be considered. Firstly, because my bunions were caused my condition and not age, being still a young teenager when the bunions were first recognised, it was deemed necessary to wait until my bones had stopped growing before operating. Secondly, because the development of bunions was most significantly triggered by a neurological condition rather than external circumstance, there was an increased risk of reoccurrence. Both these factors meant that there was a greater gap of time between my diagnosis and treatment than there may otherwise have been. While this may have increased my gratitude and relief post-op, it did also extend my pain and lead to a longer period of tests. While this was ultimately nobody's fault, it was understandably a little frustrating.
Finally and possibly most significantly was the impact of my disability upon my recovery. For many of those who are able-bodied and whose need for this particular procedure is created by age, genetics or external circumstance, things such as balance, strength and fatigue may not be as big an issue. This may not seem like a big deal, after all we all had the same operation. However, all these things can have a major impact upon post-op recovery. With some of the more disability specific treatments I had received as a child my cerebral palsy was a more predicted obstacle, but with my bunion operation the only people I had personally known to have the same procedure came out relatively mobile and on crutches. This added an additional challenge when I quickly realised that this style of recovery was not going to work for me. For a short period after surgery of my first foot I was heavily reliant upon a wheelchair due to how unstable I was on crutches and how much they tired me. After my second foot was operated on around Christmas of year 13 I was allowed to stay overnight for additional physiotherapy and was provided with said sparkly zimmer-frame (I added the decorations) to use in conjunction with crutches and a wheelchair. I think that maybe the logical assumption that a five minute demonstation of crutches and a discharge letter after my first visit would be sufficient was somewhat based upon my youth, forgetting the potential impact of my disability. Ultimately it was maybe unclear that I would be Bambi on crutches and that my cerebral palsy would unavoidably have such an impact upon my post-op mobility after such a routine procedure.
Not every operation that a disabled individual will have performed will be reserved solely for their particular disability, but their disability will always impact upon their experience of that operation. I think it is important to go into any procedure free to let your disability impact how you feel about your treatment and aware of how your disability may create additional challenges. Most importantly, it is crucial that anyone about to relieve treatment has a strong support system but this can be especially important if you know your condition may make the process especially difficulty, emotionally or physically. To anyone who is approaching treatment in the near or distance future, you are strong enough and the wisdom of the medical world is a beautiful thing!
I hope everyone has a fantastic week!
See you later Alligators!
Freya x
PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/its-time-to-disrupt-the-existing-hospital-business-model/
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