Life goes on. Painfully. I don't know where the pain came from last night as I was getting ready for bed, but it was shockingly intense. I had wakened from napping on the Lazy Boy, had navigated to the kitchen for two of my pills and then into the bathroom. Even now, I can't remember where the pain came from; I was moving between the toilet and the countertop when it struck. BANG! This was the kind of pain you would expect to leave scars on your psyche. It may have.
It's been 5 hours since that event and I don't think I'm recovering at all from the pain of last night. And I've been up every two hours since that time. Most of the time, it's because I need to urinate and that's a good thing. I'm hoping that the increased urination will draw fluids away from my ankles, which were looking particularly swollen; a bad sign. As of this hour, I have urinated 3 times since midnight for a grand total of 43 milliliters.
Funny, ever since my year of Medical Miseries began with surgery to repair my umbilical hernia back in October of 2008, I have become quite comfortable with all of the different medical terms for peeing and pooping and how often those things should occur. Plus, the doctors and nurse are quick to discuss just what portion of your anatomy they will be caring for. It's all so familiar that we think nothing of discussing these matters in mixed company and even with strangers; as long as a few of them have a white coat on. Yes, all modesty is abandoned once you go through those hospital doors. Modesty only gets in the way. When I needed my catheter reinstalled late one night, I never even though about the gender of the one to do the chore. OK, I did think about it, but only briefly.
Here I am, I've got a few pills in me; Norco and Tizanidine. That makes me close to comfortable but offers no cures. And the Tizanidine is the one that gives me hallucinations that are more enjoyable than not. In another fifteen minutes, I can take a Dilaudid. An even better chance for fantasy! By the way, fantasy is 100% better than pain. Most of the hallucinations have been of a parallel universe. I live in this one but dream/live in that other one and sometimes they twist and loop and become one universe for a moment or two. Strange things can occur.
But, right now, the pain is affecting my memory and that makes writing very difficult for me. And, when I read over what I've written, a lot of it makes no sense. I may have to go and sit for awhile; in the dark.
3 comments:
I appreciate how you can blog and at the same time be in so much pain. I cannot imagine how you do it...although in a couple of weeks I will be tested too. Oh..I can't wait!
By the way, should you call the doctor about the swollen ankles and sharp intense pain that is still felt 5 hours later?
Actually, knowledge from my previous life as a Hospital Corpsman tells me that both can be expected. In the meantime, the swelling is about the same, but the pain is manageable once more. The hospital will be making a follow up call today and I will report to them.
In a couple of weeks, we'll be praying for you of course...and you will do fine. Just never reject an offer of pain meds!
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