After my X-Rays and MRI in Kuwait, it was determined that I tore my labrum and had an acute Hill-Sachs Legion. That means that my bone was dented from the dislocation, so the ball of my shoulder was not perfectly circular anymore. Getting the tests scheduled and figuring out what was wrong with me was quite easy in Kuwait. Ever since my first hospital experience, I have been going to private hospitals using my insurance through the school. My tests, surgery, and physical therapy have been approved by insurance within a few hours. I think if I were to schedule an MRI in the States, it would take more than two days to go in for the X-Ray, get approval for the MRI, then go back for the MRI.
The costs has also been exceedingly low. My insurance company has covered almost every fil (Kuwaiti cents) of my medical needs here. Sometimes when I go in, the secretary asks me for 4KD ($13.00) as a copay. Other than that, insurance has covered everything. I have a copy of my bill from the surgery. I was charged 1.25KD ($4.00) when I ordered a late-night sandwich because I was hungry. They didn’t even charge me a co-pay for my major shoulder surgery. Masha’Allah.
However, it was not all easy. Finding a shoulder surgeon was no simple task. The first surgeon I went to for my tests only performed open surgeries. He tried to convince me that the surgery is the same. He must have been dreaming. To solve my problem, I told each of my classes I needed shoulder surgery. I asked them to tell their parents and maybe they would know a surgeon who performed the surgery arthroscopically. I had heard that very few to no surgeons could perform this surgery arthroscopically in Kuwait, so I did not have high hopes.
A few days later, I had six or seven emails, notes, or phone numbers from my students’ parents. Not all of them were arthroscopic shoulder surgeons, but it turns out that one of my grade six parents is highly trained in arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries. I talked to him that day on his private cell phone for about twenty minutes to discuss my complications. I received an appointment in two days. This is the first time I have ever had wasta (influence) in Kuwait. I can imagine it usually takes longer to get an appointment.
The morning of my surgery, I was brought into my beautiful private room at New Mowasat Hospital. I wouldn’t have been upset if they kept me there for a week. Nurses came within thirty seconds of pressing the help button, the hallways and rooms were immaculately clean, and it wasn’t crowded. After I had my initial tests and meeting with the surgeon, they started prepping me for the surgery. I was wheeled down to the operating room and met with my anesthesiologist. She came in and said “Nice to see you again.” It turns out I taught her daughter last year and we met at parent-teacher conferences. Not only do I teach my surgeons daughter this year, now I have become the official math teacher of New Mowasat Hospital. I said a little prayer that they would do well in math so they wouldn’t take it out on me in the operating room.
The recovery has been slow, but it’s going well. I have had a lot of help and company from Tori. I was off from school for a week, but I still went in everyday for about two hours to do short lessons with the kids who were preparing for their tests. I am now sitting in Cairo Airport typing with both hands. Today, I am currently two weeks out from surgery. I had to inject myself in the stomach with a shot at a 45-degree angle to thin my blood. Apparently, you cannot fly after a major surgery because your blood can clot. With this shot, I am assured I won’t die from blood clots. Turbulence is a whole different story.
The following are just a few pictures from the past two weeks while getting and recovering from the surgery.