Saturday, December 29, 2012

Scary Christmas and a Crappy New Year

Winter storm FREYR


Christmas was scary this year. I woke up Tuesday morning and found that the entire left side of my body was numb - from the top of my head down to my toes. After fretting about it for a couple of hours, I called my GP and she told me to get to the emergency room right away. Well, okay. But I wasn't enthused about it. Luckily my neighbor was home and he drove me there.

Long story short, after 5 HOURS in the ER waiting for a doctor, I was admitted for observation and discharged the next day. All they did was rule out stroke and heart attack. As for the continuing random numbness? "You'll have to follow up with your own doctor...." My doctor, of course, didn't know WHAT to make of it so she had sent me to the hospital, remember? They didn't care. Hospitals today aren't like on TV. They don't really seem to care about sick people.

The numbness is random all over my body and usually occurs when I'm either sleeping or resting/sitting down. While I'm active I seem to be okay. Tuesday morning I was scared to death. I'm still scared, but right now I'm just flippin' angry at the cavalier attitude the hospital showed for my condition. They couldn't discharge me fast enough after they ruled out stroke. Heck, they didn't even bother to wheel me off the floor and downstairs like they used to. Nope. I had to carry all my stuff and hoof it out of the hospital myself. For a hospital named MERCY, it sure didn't have much of THAT to go around. Pah!

So now I have to pursue this issue on my own. My doctor suggests a neurologist take a look. Or an endocrinologist. Or some other -ologist. Can she recommend someone?  No.  %$#@*!

Why stop there? Why not a faith healer or witch doctor?  How can they be any worse than our great American medical profession?  *sigh*  Well, at least I'm angry.  Angry is better than being scared any day of the week.  Christmas was a bust and the New Year is not starting out well.

Oh look.  Another winter storm to clean up after to boot.  Euclid socked me at the hospital and it needed a neighbor with a jeep to get me home.  Freyr (who comes up with these winter storm NAMES?) dumped 6" of snow last night.  I've been digging out since this morning.  Oh well, I'm sure the exercise is good for me, right?  One thing for sure, I won't be asking advice from any d^mn doctor!

16 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with this! But I agree with what you said. I've been coping with back spasms that come on without warning or apparent cause. Had a trip to the ER by ambulance once. If I'd known they were going to take me from my bedroom to the front door by the corners of my bedsheet, owwwwwwwwwww, I'd have crawled there on my hands and knees. And then, yeah, once they shot me full of powerful pain killers they had Hubs walk me out the door and to the car -- in my jammies because he hadn't thought to bring me any real clothes OR my coat -- in front of all those folks sitting in the waiting room.

    Nobody knows how to treat me successfully, and my pocketbook and insurance company can attest to that. Everybody I went to had a different diagnosis. Then I retired early, had no insurance, and learned how to do things to head it off. Haven't had to go to the doctor with it or take prednisone for almost five years now. Crossing my fingers, though. I'm never pain free.

    So yesterday I had a bad backache and about bedtime I felt spasms coming on. Dosed myself up with aspirin, rubbed on Icy Hot, used ice but that made me worse, so then the heating pad, which was comforting, and went to bed early. Woke up at 2, worse, started doing some stretching exercises, took more aspirin. Better now, but still feeling sore. Nothing nearly as bad as if I just let the spasms begin and do their damage for two or three days, when my doctor prescribes pain killers and prednisone, I'm flat on my back for a week and then it's at least a month of trying to move around through intense pain.

    Sitting here now with the heating pad. So far, so good.

    Yep, real life's nothing like on TV. Why are we surprised. ;) I guess we WANT to believe. But it's all about the money.

    At least they've ruled out stroke for you. If I were you I'd do some research on the internet. Can't hurt. See if you can get pointed in the right direction.

    You'll just have to be your own advocate, we shouldn't have to do this ourselves, especially when we're hurt or sick, but what choice do we have?

    Hang in there. I'll keep you in my prayers. XOXOXO Ilene

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    1. Thanks so much for the sympathy, Ilene. The worst part of all of this is how alone I am. And I hate feeling even the least bit helpless.

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  2. Sweetie, I am so sorry to hear about this. Being sick is bad enough, being sick when you're on your own and the damn 'experts' don't have a clue is no joke at all. But you do have one HUGE thing on your side (actually, two things). One - you're angry :} Secondly, you're smart .....

    Random numbness, huh? Trapped nerves from physical activity? I have no idea what to suggest, but I'll be here for you with sympathy and emails . . .

    On a brighter note, did you get this year's Christmas Dr Who? No Spoilers Sweetie ... but 1000% better than last year's crappy offering if you haven't seen it yet :} Love from me, licks from Daisy.

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    1. First off, that is a big YES to this year's Doctor Who Christmas special! I've watched it 3-4 times on "On Demand" channel (so I can listen for all the fast dialog and decode it).

      Yep. Angry AND smart. I refused unwarranted drugs and infusions while at the hospital. "You should have this or that because at your age...." I'm NOT an age, dammit. And none of it had ANYthing to do with treating/investigating the numbness (that lasted 10 hours) that brought me TO the hospital. They looked for a stroke victim. Didn't find one. Lost interest.

      Hugs back and thanks for the comment. Give Daisy a scratch for me.

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    2. So how are you today, and how's the online research going?

      PS: Glad you enjoyed Dr Who. Have only watched it once so far but likely to view it again this afternoon. I keep telling myself I am going to tidy my study and catch up on unpublished blog posts ... but my brain is tired and I have no enthusiasm for the tasks :}

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  3. I've been researching this situation for over 2 months. The web is full of conflicting, misleading, frightening and patronizing information. I was hoping a hospital would be less so. It was not.

    Glad Moffet wrote/directed this year's special. It far and away better than last (though I don't think he'll ever beat the first one!).

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    1. Kris, I'm sorry the health situation is causing you such angst. Has changing your diet helped at all, I saw at your 'Chef's Table' you've been trying life without wheat.

      PS: I too noticed that Moffat was responsible for this year's Dr., which is why it was brilliant. I don't think anyone but him should be allowed near future scripts! As you like SM's work, have you seen his (fairly) recent Sherlock Holmes with Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman? Highly recommended ... sadly only six episodes so far

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_(TV_series)

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    2. Though I'm trying to avoid modern wheat, I'm not avoiding other grains. Wheat is not necessary for health. BTW - the random numbness started many weeks before I decided to go wheat free for now.

      No, I've not watched SH.

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    3. Is it just numbness or has there been pins & needles/tingling?

      You said it's worse when you are sitting/resting. Could there be a blood-flow issue (like when you fall asleep with your head on your hand and wake up with dead fingers?)

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    4. Let's switch to email.

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  4. I'm very sorry to read about your troubles! How IS the online research going? Have you come across shingles as a possibility?
    I've heard the early phase can cause numbness.
    Mary
    P.S. We watched the Dr. Who Christmas special at our house, too!

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    1. Hello Mary - and happy holidays. When I mentioned my online research to the hospital doctor, he laughed, shook his head and walked away. Of course he also didn't believe me when I told him I didn't have a stroke....

      P.S. I'm intrigued by Oswin. Can't wait to see how that story develops. Still, I sorta wanted to take the Doctor to task for liking her so much. After all, he IS a married man!

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  5. OK, my suggestion was going to be your new diet....if you have ruled that out, then I am at a loss. Have you added anything at all new to your diet, even some small thing that you haven't had before? Rule out some freaky allergy; meds, supplements, anything at all?

    I can imagine how scared you are and I share your frustration with medical personnel.

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    1. Yep - no changes to diet or lifestyle. I now have a huge aversion to hospital and staff doctors.

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  6. Make an appt with a neurologist and/or a physiatrist. This could be a nerve problem. It sounds like something is blocking the sensation of feeling, which accounts for the numbness. Get off the internet. You'll just torture and terrify your self. Hang in there and I will add you to my prayer list. :o)

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    1. Thank you, Tammy. You are a kind soul. I must admit when I first read your comment I was shocked! Incredulous! Then I read it again and realized you WEREN't referring me to a psychiatrist. LOL I've never heard of a physiatrist before. I'll fly that by my GP.

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