End of a Long Week

 I haven't been out of the house since getting back from the ER on Tuesday. During this time, I've thought a lot about pain and the numerical pain scale, where 0 equals no pain, and 10 is exruciating -- a number that hardly anyone ever reaches.

My personal points on the pain scale were previously something like 3 (joint pain most of the time) to 9 (serious knee injuries). When I couldn't stand up to walk yesterday morning, the pain made me want to shriek. I couldn't stop crying until the Tylenol and double dose of Robaxin took effect. Movement was difficult most of the day. Definitely right up there on the pain scale, maybe the worst of my life. Maybe not a 10, but damn close.

And then, almost suddenly, I felt better at the end of the afternoon. I had a good evening. I decided to sleep in an armchair and, in fact, got a really good 4 or 5 hours. I  feel so lucky to have a warm, easy-to-navigate house. I don't feel compelled  to check off a to-do list. Mostly, I wonder how people who don't have access to health care manage in a situation like this.

In the past when I've been sick, I've dreaded Friday because it's sometimes harder to deal with health issues on the weekend. This time, I know I'll be OK and find myself thinking "TGIF".

ER Trip + Follow-Up

Here I go again. I thought I'd closed the chapter on health with my surgery and recovery from a middle lobectomy in May of 2024. Guess I was wrong. I’ll post about my latest health adventure until the current issue resolves – soon, I hope!

I woke up on Sunday morning with pain and stiffness in my butt and thighs – not terrible but bad enough that I knew I couldn’t manage the steps at choir, so I didn’t even make it to Mass on the first Sunday of Advent. I had cleared snow the night before (we have a service but I love the exhilaration of  shoveling snow and needed to get out of the house after being inside all day).

I reminded myself that I’m 75 after all, but I’ve never had the slightest problem before, so I did wonder why this hit all of a sudden. While I was more or less OK Sunday during the day, the pain kicked in after I went to bed. It was so intense all night that I couldn’t even rest, let alone sleep. I thought it might be a severe side effect (rhabdomyolysis) from atorvastatin, which I had begun for slightly elevated cholesterol 10 days before.

My nurse practitioner said she didn’t think so but suggested I discontinue the statin for a week. Monday night I really didn’t sleep at all and woke Bob up at 5 AM to take me to the ER, where we spent the morning. By then I needed a cane to walk and was afraid I’d had a stroke.

I had great care in the Woodwinds Hospital emergency room: smart young doctor as well as very kind, competent nurses and technicians. All blood tests were normal, including the CK , which pretty much ruled my rhabdomyolysis theory . In quick order, I was scheduled for EKG, CT and MRI scans: no heart attack, stroke or brain tumor. MRI unchanged from all the MRIs I used to have when I was being closely followed for multiple sclerosis, so probably no MS relapse. ER doc thought sciatica is the most likely diagnosis, since pain originates at the waist and stretches down both legs. Now (a little late) I have a lot of empathy for the late sPope Francis who suffered from sciatica for much of his papacy.

I was released from the ER after a very long morning for Bob and me, with a prescription for a muscle relaxant (Robaxin-methocarbamol), a lidocaine patch and Tylenol., and referrals to primary care, neurology and spine clinics. I slept very little Tuesday night but yesterday was a pretty good day, and I was walking around for part of it without a cane.

I slept well in my comfortable recliner last night and expected to be a lot better today. However, I still have a lot of pain when I try to move and walking is arduous. I never thought I’d be grateful for a cane but here I am, using two of them. I also put myself on the waiting list for an earlier appointment at the M Health Fairview spine clinic, since I feel I can’t really wait for the scheduled Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, I had to cancel our family holiday party on Sunday and I won’t make it to either book club or choir this evening. Bob is taking great care of me and my lovely friend Sonia (Bob’s daughter) came over yesterday to do my shoveling. I’ve had a lot of texts and emails from friends and family, many of whom are doctors, nurses, or otherwise medically knowledgeable.

So, while all isn’t great, I feel very grateful for everyone’s kindness and excellent access to medical care . As Dr. Helmer reminded me on Tuesday, “we’ve ruled out the worst” – it made me laugh then and again now.