Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
It was about 11:00pm on Saturday September 10, 2011. I was feeling a twinge in my back and not thinking too much about it, I decided to finish up reading my messages on the computer and head for bed. By the time I was brushing my teeth, I was hanging onto the counter for support and breathing funny. Laying in bed and on my back, I initially felt relief but less than 5 minutes later, anybody looking on would have thought I was having a pillow fight with myself! lol! I was trying to arrange them and me to get relief from the pain which was intensifying and unrelenting at this point. What started as a little tightness now feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest and his friends are climbing on with him. Breathing is laboured and painful. It's only been a half hour and I think that if this continues I am going to go out of what is left of my mind.
So I called TeleHealth Ontario - for those unfamiliar, it is a telephone service that you can call 24 hours for advice. I wanted to know if they felt a medication relieving back pain might help with the pain. The young man who answered briefly listened to my complaints and then said he would have to transfer the call to a registered nurse and the wait could be 5 minutes. Not like I was going anywhere...lol! And good thing I didn't either, because 45 seconds later the nurse was on. In between describing symptoms she was collecting personal information. When she had my address, she informed me that an ambulance was being dispatched. What! Now the panic sets in, I'm way to young for a cardiac episode! There wasn't a lot of fight in my pain-ravaged body. Let 'em come.
The initial ECG did not show any abnormal cardiac activity but the pain was still beyond my manageable control and I couldn't breath right. So when they suggested a ride to the hospital to be checked for cause and relief I wasn't going to say no. The EMS personnel felt that it might be muscular strain but I couldn't think of anything I might have done to cause that - not recently anyways :) While I was waiting for the doctor and having more ECG's and blood taken the pain was still intense. But I did get relief after some serious vomitting - which in itself I thought was going to kill me! In the end the doctor concurred with the initial findings gave me some pain meds, something to sleep and sent me on my way.
Being as it was about 3:30 in the morning I chose not to wake anybody up and had a cab called to take me home. My biggest worry was that I would throw up in his cab - silly me. Each divot in the road was a new adventure in pain and I had my arms wrapped around my ribs as tightly as I could because I felt like I would just snap in half. Anyone who lives(d) in town will understand this next part. We came along Guelph Street to come home. It is a four lane road and the curb lanes have the manhole covers at fairly regular intervals and everyone one of them is a rather abrupt bump in the road. And that is the lane my cabbie drove in. I was ready to scream! Of course when I got home I was angry at myself for not saying anything to him. I could have asked him to change lanes, I'm sure he would have complied but I didn't. I said nothing and man I suffered for it!
I did sleep a lot on Sunday but far less than I expected. It was an easy day, pain had subsided. I even got a load of laundry done. Monday I had an afternoon appointment with the nutritionist who suggested mechanical eating. Set a timer and eat 3 meals with a clock. Then I saw my GP who said that the episode over the weekend was likely an inflammed chest wall. Cause not always determinable but it should subside (I was quite uncomfortable again) and Ibuprofen should help. Ironically, I had a battery of blood work and an ECG done about a week prior as part of a referral to the Food Disorder Clinic. I got home and set my timer and come suppertime, I ate. A salad. Okay, no protein but it was a start.
Monday night was a play by play slo-mo repeat of Saturday night. Including relief after vomiting. Tuesday was a afternoon appointment with the Food Disorder Clinic. I had abandoned my bed and favoured the rock hard living room sofa where I slept until my "wake up call". My son had offered to call to wake me for my appointment. In hindsight maybe I should have cancelled. The clinic was about a 40 minute drive away and I was very light-headed and feeling a bit dis-orientated and dehydrated, but I was taken in on a cancellation. Wait times are usually much longer. I had my consultation appointment and there was some concern about my capacity to comprehend and answer but I think I did okay. At the end, she didn't want me to drive home. I tried making a call for a ride, but it was in another city and no one was particularly close. So cautiously I made my way home. And then passed out on the sofa for the next two days. I was unable to stay awake for more than 30 minutes stretches.
Despite my food intake during this time was questionable at best, bowels were functioning fine. My choice of hydration was not the healthiest but all I had and better than nothing or alcohol :) Water and diet Pepsi. I would have thought that feeling as dehydrated as I was, that my body might keep some of the fluids I offered...but no. lol! By Friday I was finally being to feel some real relief from the tightness and pain in my chest and ribs. I had company who suggested going out to eat. Breakfast foods sit best with me because they are often healthier choice than lunch or supper fare. I had a few bites of an omelet and was feeling okay maybe even a return to normal.
It was about 11:00pm on Friday September 16, 2011. I was getting a sinking feeling of deja vu! Twinge to agony hit me fast. Within 2 minutes I was back to the pain intensity of last week. Thankfully it didn't last as long but the pain was the same. 1 1/2 hours later and I could sleep. But a thought began stirring in my mind...maybe I was truly rejecting food? That's just nuts...or is it? I don't know either way, what I do know is that the next morning I had about a 1/3 of a cup of yogurt (my staple so I figured it was safe). I can't say that increased volume would have meant increased pain...but in less intesity than previous occasion it was there.
So now you have it...it has been an interesting week. And in the end I can honestly say that I am afraid to eat!
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