Spring Break…. Ah…. The perks of being a teacher!
On the first official day of my Spring Break (last Saturday), I was well enough to go to a Trivia Night honoring one of my dearest friend’s, Danielle, brother who is undergoing treatment for cancer. Even though the reason for the event was dismal, Danielle’s brother is doing very well and the event was a FUN fundraiser that raised Danielle’s family a lot of money to use towards medical expenses and her brother’s healing.
This was actually the first night OUT of the house for something other than a holiday or family event for Gage and I to attend with a group of people since before I had my surgery last JUNE. That in itself was a BIG deal and I was walking on air! I was so excited to get out of the house, to mingle, to laugh, to play…
The evening went very well! Danielle and her mother brought in a special chair (with a full back and arm rests) to support my back, they arranged our table to be near a wall as to protect me from people bumping into my chair, and they made sure we were close enough to all of the activities so I that wouldn’t have to do much walking. With all of the special treatment, I almost felt as if the event were held just for me!
The next day, Gage and I had a well-deserved lazy morning, followed by a peaceful afternoon taking a drive down River Des Peres; we listened to a new cd in which we had bought and sung like crazy teenagers at the top of our lungs. That evening, Gage grilled in the backyard while I chatted with him from the back porch. Life was good…
THEN REALITY SET IN: I started my Monday morning with an appointment to see Dr. C., my Pain Management Specialist. The Medical Team and I agreed that I needed a real BREAK, so instead of attending the FOUR appointments that were originally scheduled during my Spring Break, they decided that I would see Dr. C one time for pain management and that my lovely husband would be my personal physical therapist every night to help me through the rest of the week.
I arrived at the office with my list of questions for Dr. C and he helped me through each and every one. Thankfully, it was decided that since Dr. C works within my Medical Team, he should take over ALL of my medications (rather than still have me consult with The Surgeon and my previous Pain Management Specialist whose new office is an hour away). In doing so, Dr. C narrowed the list from SEVEN prescriptions to only three. Thinking outside-the-box (as this Team so often does), Dr. C also explained the benefits of trying a pain-reliever patch (as opposed to taking multiple short-acting pills throughout the day). He also agreed with Dr. Julie and prescribed me a sleeping pill. Lastly, Dr. Julie helped me find a supplement called 5-HTP (that I could buy at any Health Store) to address my low levels of Serotonin and Dr. C gave me a cortisone shot to help the inflammation in my hip (the source of the Nighttime Pain Monster).
THE SHOT HEARD AROUND SOUTH CITY – DAY ONE: When I first left Dr. C’s office, I felt relieved. We had a plan for my medications. We had an attack on the sleep-burglar, a supplement for my serotonin and a shot for my horrific hip…
I went straight to the pharmacy to drop off the new scripts, then tried running to the nearby Target to pick up a few items for my beloved. I had barely made it to the revolving doors before noticing that the more pressure I placed on my left leg, the more pain I felt. Knowing that cortisone shots can often have painful side-effects, I was not surprised by the discomfort. The last time I had received a cortisone shot, I felt as if someone had punched me in my back from the inside out and I was just waiting for the purple-green bruises to surface. This time; however, within fifteen minutes I felt that same pain times fifty-thousand.
I was home within the thirty minutes and by the time Gage came home three hours later I could not even walk from the couch to the door five feet away to greet him. As the hours passed, the pain intensified. Soon, I could not even move my leg on my own, let alone move around the house.
I contacted Dr. Julie in a panic. She explained that, unfortunately, what I was experiencing what was commonly called a steroid flush. This type of reaction to the cortisone is very painful and lasts, on average, 72 hours. When I found this out, I was in Hour 20. Fifty-Two more to go…
Gage and I decided that, due to my condition, I could not be left alone, so he took Tuesday off of work to stay home with me. On Monday evening, the pain had gotten so bad I could not even move my left foot without either crying or screaming. Gage did everything that he could to make me as comfortable as possible, but even that wasn’t enough. Finally, I took my new-prescription sleeping pill and went to bed praying for a better day.
DAY TWO: Thankfully, Tuesday morning, I awoke able to move my leg; however, I was still unable to walk without assistance. Another “Thankfully” – my husband was by my side.
My hip improved as the hours passed (as promised); however, the pain was still extreme. Around three in the afternoon, the pharmacy called to tell me that my pain-patch was ready for pick up. Dr. C explained that, because I have chronic pain (aka: pain that NEVER stops), the patch may be my best option; the directions were to wear it for seven days, and replace it four times each month. Dr. C directed me that the patch “should” take 12 hours to get into my system. Lucky for me, I felt its effects within two hours. Unfortunately, however, I reacted to the patch as I did to every new medication – SEVERLY.
The purpose of the patch is to release pain-managing medication every hour into my body. The common side effects included: headache, nausea, dizziness/light-headedness, drowsiness, etc. Unfortunately, I endured ALL of them – at the same time. The patch also came with the traditional warning NOT to drive a car or operate heavy machinery until I knew how I would react to the medication. Thank goodness I waited to see my reaction before getting behind our tractor, because, as my Spring Break preceded me, the day that had started to get better with a decrease in my hip-pain suddenly spiraled out of control again.
For hours, Gage helped me battle the side-effects of the patch. I was instructed NOT to take the patch off; rather, to let my body get used to the medication as it was intended. With a wash-cloth on my forehead, Sprite being the only thing I was able to get down my throat, a bucket in my lap (not for popcorn), and manic bouts of hysterical laughter and simultaneous heart-breaking, frightened tears, I managed through the night.
DAY THREE/TODAY: I awoke feeling a thousand times better, yet still healing and still adapting. Even after taking my new sleeping pill the night before, I got up when Gage did for work at 6:30 am. My biggest battle became my throbbing headache. I was able to walk, but not for long distances (as in from the couch to the kitchen), so to avoid the walking, I avoided drinking and eating until Gage got home from work (he had taken a half-day to help care for me).
AND NOW… As the day now turns into the evening, I can walk the distance of my house without assistance, I can move my left leg independently, my appetite is returning, the hysterics have vanished and my overall pain is being managed mostly by the patch that Gage practically had to tie my hands behind my back last night to keep me from ripping it off of my body…
I pray that as my Spring Break closes in on its mid-way point, I can be blessed with at least a few days of fun – or at least a few pain-free moments. Please pray this for me, too.
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