I don’t like spiders or snakes!
Yea, I really can’t emphasize enough to be aware of your surroundings and be very aware of where you are walking and HOW!
With my husband being home during this quarantine, we have been getting a LOT accomplished together on the homefront. One day, we were working outside on one of the tractors, when he needed a crowbar. Ok, I was pretty sure I knew where to find one, so I took off heading towards the shop, doors all open. Note, about 30 minutes earlier, I witnessed a snake, about 6 foot, heading in there and slithered behind a refrigerator where we were not able to get to him nor run him out. So, we let him be, hoping he’d come back out on his own and go back into the woods. Hence the title, I don’t like spiders or snakes! And I don’t! lol
Ok, back to me heading in there. I’m thinking about that snake. Coming into the building out from the bright sunlight, my eyes were adjusting and I was looking all around for that snake, to be sure I didn’t come up on him. And then it happened. Because I was side-tracked, I wasn’t watching (or thinking about) where I was stepping nor HOW I was stepping, when my “dead foot” tripped over a little ledge coming up off of the concrete ramp onto the concrete floor of the shop. Needless to say, I went down and I went down hard. My lawn tractor was parked there in the shop, and as I was falling, I reached out and grabbed the bar across the back of it, to catch myself. Well, I saved my head, but was no hope for the rest of my body as my shoulder crashed down onto the concrete. Cue pain… intense pain! I lay there trying to gather my wits enough to call for my husband, all the while my eyes were darting around, expecting that snake to come slithering out over to me. And the pain, it was horrible.
Luckily, my husband’s brother was pulling up at that time and they both got out to the shop to me. Lucky because it really took the two of them to help my butt. The pain was unbearable, yet I wasn’t able to get up and they couldn’t touch me without making me scream out in more pain. We were all there talking about it, how I felt it best to do it, all the while I was close to passing out from the pain a few times. They asked to call 911, but I really thought given time, I would be able to shake it off and get up. (Yea, ok, old habits die hard.) But that didn’t happen, so there we were for an hour before they managed to get me up and to the truck. I insisted on going to my house instead of the hospital. I was torn. One, I don’t like hospitals (ok, fine, who does.) Second, since the quarantine, hospitals are not allowing anyone to go in with the patient, which meant I’d be alone. And I really didn’t want to be alone. Third, I had been in quarantine all this long (like 3 months), I was afraid to go out and be “exposed”. I was afraid if I went in there, they’d find me with a slight fever or something and “tag” me with the corona virus and not let me leave. (That probably scared me the most, being alone and not able to leave.) Lastly, it was Sunday evening… my regular doctor, who I know and trust, will be in his office tomorrow morning, I’d really so much rather see him, couldn’t I hang in there until then?
Well, another two hours went by and there I sat, still on my couch, still in freaking, unbelievable pain. And then I thought of all of you here. What do I always say we SHOULD do? We should ALWAYS take care of ourselves and GO to the doctor when really needed, not to wait things out, because doing so can cause even more harm. So, with that, it was 9pm that I told my husband we need to go.
So, my husband pulled the car around to the door and got me loaded in the car and off we went, every movement, bump and wiggle, wincing in pain. Get to the Emergency Room and could see a nurse sitting at a table in the entrance way and what looked to be a “bouncer” there with her. lol We make our way inside and the nurse immediately hands us face masks and quickly takes our temperatures. She asks basic info and then sends my husband off out the door as another nurse brings me a wheelchair and wheels me inside as I watch my husband heading towards the car, I’m whispering I love you, hoping not for the last time. There I am, feeling so alone. But so far, so good, no fever, no mention of keeping me.
Flash forward thru a lot of questions and a lot of painful x-rays, then I’m now sitting in a wheelchair in the ED room. I’m told I royally shattered my shoulder/humerus, given some pain medication and told to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon on Wednesday, for him to make the call for surgery or not. So a few hours later, yay, I’m released to my husband that was patiently waiting in the parking lot for me most of the night.
We get home and things were pretty uneventful for the next couple of days except I couldn’t do a blooming thing. I thought it was crazy how the problem was my arm, yet, I had trouble walking, and no way could I bend over to pick up something. And to top it off, I had to sleep sitting straight up. Forget even reclining back in a comfy recliner, that wasn’t happening. So my desk chair became my bed, with a pillow behind my back. Amazing how I pulled that off for nearly 2 weeks without falling out. lol
Alas, so Wednesday came, and off to that doctor I went. I get there and he determined that everything in my arm was perfectly aligned, so he opted against surgery, which was pleasing to me. He renewed my pain pill prescription along with a new script. Flash forward to the next day. I awaken with my head not feeling right, I had swelling… and as the day progressed, I broke out with an itchy rash. (red flags, however, I somehow thought, in my hazy thinking that it could be from the injury.) Then that afternoon, speaking with my husband, I starting having trouble breathing, then what in the world, my anxiety went all over the place! I finally got my head together enough to put two and two together and knew I was having an allergic reaction. I said “lets go.”
He was taking me to the hospital and I was having trouble speaking, my breathing was so shallow and my throat felt dry as a desert, I was feeling faint. Get to the hospital and check-in was a repeat of the previous time, except after my husband left and I was taken in, I had a full-on anxiety breakdown. All thru my check-in, I kept having sudden outbursts of uncontrollable crying. And that’s not to mention, it didn’t help any being in a full-wrap-around sling and face mask.
Spent the night in the ER with them giving me more meds and monitoring me. When they released me in the wee hours of the morning, I was equipped with yet more prescriptions, to my husband, who was, again, waiting patiently in the parking lot.
I get home, take the new meds, and as the day progressed, all of my symptoms were still there, as well as the anxiety attacks and I seemed to be getting worse again. I asked my husband to take me back to the ER, yet again, that night. I was sincerely concerned I wouldn’t even make it thru the night. So, back we went. After the usual check-in, I get yet another doctor who was concerned with the reaction I had and the different medications I was given, so he gave me a medication to counter-act all that I had taken and ran dozens of tests on me. During the next few hours, I was feeling better and my head was much more clear. I was asked to do another test, and before I could, a med tech came in with a “pill cup”. I politely asked what it was, he told me and I simply said that I am NOT taking those. That I have another test to do, so while I’m doing it, he can tell whoever said for me to take that medication to meet me back here and we will have a talk about it. When I got back, the med tech was gone and so was the med. I was happy about that.
A hour or so later, the doctor came in, said he heard I refused the medication. I told him I do not want meds, especially those I have not taken before, unless they are absolutely necessary, that I was feeling better and don’t want to mess that up. He seemed pleased. And yes, people, this is a point I want to make to you… If you are not comfortable with certain medications, it is ok to speak up about it!
So, a while later, a nurse came in with my discharge papers and sent me on my way… with ANOTHER prescription.
My wonderful husband was waiting in the parking lot for me, and we left. No, I did NOT take the new prescription medication nor any more of the previous. It was the weekend, yet again, therefore, my regular doctor wasn’t in, so I accessed the medical app online and put in for an appointment for Monday. I went the whole weekend with zero meds and I felt great! I hurt, but my head felt good. lol And when Monday morning came, they had sent me a reply with an appointment that same day. Why did I want to still see my personal doctor when I had been seen/treated by several already? Because he is MY doctor, the one whom I have built a trust with, and I wanted his input and him to know first-hand. After all, he is my doctor. I went in and told him the whole long story like I told you. He was pleased everything turned out well, agreed with what the other doctor said about my arm/shoulder, and agreed with me about the meds (or lack of.)
It’s been over three weeks now. I have been able to manage the pain fine on my own, have kept a clear head, and my anxiety attacks are no more. I can finally use my hand, so, yay, I can finally type again. I can only use it from the elbow to my hand, but at least my hand works now and typing is part of my therapy. (hmm… possible subject for a future post? lol)
I am saddened for, what I consider, wasting my summer. My husband and I were making so much progress and now it has come to a stand-still because of this. I AM thankful, however, that my shoulder was all that I broke. Remember I told you I broke my fall from grabbing the lawn tractor. Yea, it could have been my head. So, as bad as it is, yes, it could have been worse and I’m thankful that it’s not. Also, that allergic reaction could have killed me had I not gone back to the hospital. And my wonderful husband has taken over the duties of cooking, cleaning and dishwashing, yardwork, along with taking care of me, until I get use of my arm again. So to spite what happened, I feel blessed!
I wanted to share this experience with you for multiple reasons. First and foremost, please, be aware of where you are walking and how you are stepping! Slow down and take your time! Be aware, not just with your eyes, but also your mind. Also, to let you know that you’re not alone with a fear of hospitals. To actually GO to the hospital/doctor when you need to! That is it okay to speak up about the care you are given or the medications you are given. And have a doctor that you can call yours, whom you trust! It’s YOUR body, YOUR life and YOU are in control!
Always remember, always look for the silver lining. As bad as things may seem, if you look hard enough, you will find it.
Oh, and btw, if you have access to a medical app online with your doctor, get it and use it, it’s handy to have! 🙂
