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Not quite the Bionic Woman
May. 30th, 2026 08:06 amThe thing that always bothered me about the bionic man and bionic woman shows was the introductory images showing where their artificial parts were installed. OK, so you have an enhanced and reinforced arm and you go to lift an impossibly heavy weight. But your spine is not reinforced so that's where everything goes sideways. Literally.
In any case, I've always assumed that "bionic" involves something more than simple strengthening, although artificial hips and knees do seem to fit the bill. Much more solidly, my brothers implanted defibrillator is clearly bionics. But a mere titanium reinforcement plate? I don't think that gets me in the bionic club.
So yesterday I had my operation on my broken arm. It was all very smooth, successful, and uneventful other than being the main event. Massive props to the surgery staff and nursing staff at Kaiser Dublin. The ambulatory surgery wing has this fascinating almost assembly-line structure with a ring of individual patient bays around the central nursing station. You get a succession of visits from all the different individual functions getting you set up, sorted out, and interviewed. Everyone allowed plenty of time for chatting and questions, making the whole process more friendly and relaxed.
My input regarding aftercare was accepted and discussed seriously, especially with regard to expectations around pain management. I declined getting additional oxycodone beyond the prescription I hadn't used from the initial bone-setting and it looks like that will be plenty to get me through the initial stages, relying more solidly on Tylenol. I got a solid night sleep last night so I think I'm on top of that aspect.
The nerve blocks that they done on various parts of my arm wore off at different times. Initially my ring and pinky fingers were numb and the back of my thumb was numb and while the first two came back over the course of the evening I was a little worried that the thumb was still numb when I went to bed. But on waking up, it's definitely coming back too so I guess it just got an extra big dose.
I reluctantly decided to skip the party I had scheduled for this evening (yes, I know, I know, I was being stupid to think I could make it in any event) but expect to be solidly on for tomorrow's presence at the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley. I'll be taking BART in, with all my books and paraphernalia in a rollaway which makes everything much easier. And it's a group table with the Bay Area Queer Writers Association so I'll have friends and back-up there.
In any case, I've always assumed that "bionic" involves something more than simple strengthening, although artificial hips and knees do seem to fit the bill. Much more solidly, my brothers implanted defibrillator is clearly bionics. But a mere titanium reinforcement plate? I don't think that gets me in the bionic club.
So yesterday I had my operation on my broken arm. It was all very smooth, successful, and uneventful other than being the main event. Massive props to the surgery staff and nursing staff at Kaiser Dublin. The ambulatory surgery wing has this fascinating almost assembly-line structure with a ring of individual patient bays around the central nursing station. You get a succession of visits from all the different individual functions getting you set up, sorted out, and interviewed. Everyone allowed plenty of time for chatting and questions, making the whole process more friendly and relaxed.
My input regarding aftercare was accepted and discussed seriously, especially with regard to expectations around pain management. I declined getting additional oxycodone beyond the prescription I hadn't used from the initial bone-setting and it looks like that will be plenty to get me through the initial stages, relying more solidly on Tylenol. I got a solid night sleep last night so I think I'm on top of that aspect.
The nerve blocks that they done on various parts of my arm wore off at different times. Initially my ring and pinky fingers were numb and the back of my thumb was numb and while the first two came back over the course of the evening I was a little worried that the thumb was still numb when I went to bed. But on waking up, it's definitely coming back too so I guess it just got an extra big dose.
I reluctantly decided to skip the party I had scheduled for this evening (yes, I know, I know, I was being stupid to think I could make it in any event) but expect to be solidly on for tomorrow's presence at the Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley. I'll be taking BART in, with all my books and paraphernalia in a rollaway which makes everything much easier. And it's a group table with the Bay Area Queer Writers Association so I'll have friends and back-up there.
