I'll try to give you an update on why I missed work on Thursday and spent most of the day in the ER without going into all the gory details. (Medical professional's alert: I'm not going to use the correct medical language here and the names have been changed to protect the innocent.)
I wasn't able to sleep well on Thursday night and finally dozed off early in the morning. I woke up around 4:30 to a rather acute pain that got progressively worse for the next couple of hours. Blaine was up about that same time to make a 5:30 departure for a missions trip and I went back to bed after he left. Exhausted, I fell asleep for about an hour after he left, but the pain was much worse when I woke around 6:00. I was scheduled for a 9:00 a.m. radiation and doctor's consultation, but decided I couldn't take the pain that long.
Sometime ago, medical professionals stopped asking, "How bad is it?" which is rather subjective and started asking, "On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the worst pain you've ever experienced, how would you rate this pain?" I learned that when you can't walk normally and answer that question with "eight!" the ER receptionist will have you looked at pretty quickly.I made a new best friend in the ER that day, "Morphine." I'm sure they're still repairing the claw marks I left in the exam room wall.
A nice ER doc (with a British accent, no less!) attempted a physical exam, but even with my buddy Morphine holding my hand, the pain was too excruciating (and I now know why the Latin word for "cross" is the root word in "excruciating"). "Okay Mr. Price, I'm going to go get a consultant (Mayo-speak for his boss) and let him take a look at this," he said as he left the room. Charlene was sitting in the room during the exam, so I have proof that I finally reached that high F# I've always wanted to sing. Once the good doctor left the room, I had a special request.
"Sweetheart?"
"Yes?"
"Could you do something for me?"
"Well of course, what is it?"
"When that doctor comes back in, could you please pick up your chair and hit him with it?"
---
The diagnosis was a herniated blood clot (the medical pros are saying to themselves, "What?, but I'm not going to give you the actual name). We're talkin' P A I N. The first course of action was to tilt the table head down with me lying on my stomach for 45 minutes in an attempt to relieve the pressure. When that time was up, I got another comforting hug from Mr. Morphine and the consultant attempted to resolve the issue. Nope...ain't gonna happen...too much pain!!
At that point, the docs concluded that seeing a colorectal surgeon was the best course of action. Since I had about two hours before that appointment at 1pm, I went home, got a shower, let Charlene eat lunch and headed back downtown. Charlene is a VERY good driver, but I'm going to petition the city council to repave parts of Broadway near Hyw 14...OUCH!
Two doses of morphine had taken the edge off by now, so the doctor was able to confirm the diagnosis and suggest a treatment. My first option was out-patient surgery, but they didn't want to do that since the area was under daily radiation therapy, making post-op healing difficult.
They finally settled on the four-fold "GABI" therapy.
Grin
And
Bear
It
For being such a great contestant, I received several nice parting gifts: a pink Sitz bath and a prescription for Oxycodon. The bath is helpful, the Oxy I'm trying to stay away from.
No 20-mile bike ride this Saturday!
Bill,
ReplyDeleteWhen asked "on a scale of one to ten with ten being the worse, what would you rate your pain as today"...after months of this I got so sick of it I came into the examine room with a very large and immature chip on my shoulder and shouted out to the nurse "OK,its an 8 today (or whatever I felt it to be), there now let's get moving with the process". I got some satisfaction in beating them to the punch, but how out of character one reacts when irretable and in accute pain during the long drawn out medical care process.
My pain was different than you discribed...with mine offering little relief for weeks on end, not as you discribed, however I'm confident I had the better gig!
I'm praying for you like I've never prayed before, as you're such an important and vibrant part of ARC, the community and I feel the world as a whole my friend.
Keep you chin up!
Tom R
PS.......I want you to know how much Guan, Don, Jan and I appreciated the warm and thoughtful prayer you offered to God in Guan's behalf last evening. I'm so glad you've gotten to know her as I have. She's an amazing woman who love's her God and fellow man. She has such a capacity to give without needing or wanting anything in return. All she does want however, is to be an American Citizen. The meeting today didn't go well and left a dim picture for hope in her staying with us in this country. Continue praying for a better result from her new personal imigration attorney next wednesday please!
Scary and an unwelcome bump in what seems to be an otherwise graciously smooth road. Thank you for your transparency in this beautiful blog and in your journey, Bill.
ReplyDeleteI came here to see if you had posted an update about this, and realized that my post from Friday isn't here.....
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear this. I can't imagine the pain you were in, and hopefully it has receded. I am sure it is much worse than the pain I used to experience with my Crohn's Disease flare-ups, so I can understand you asking your wife to hit him with the chair. I remember when they were trying to diagnose me, I had one of those "exams" they attempted on you. Acutally, mine was an attempt also, because I literally came up off the table, and I believe I hit a very high note myself! But you were much better about it than me...you waited til he left the room to respond. I looked at my Dr. and said, "If you try that again, you will get a foot to the face!" So, I applaud your restraint!!
I also undertand the strong bond of friendship you've developed while in the ER, lol. My very best friend there was Demerol!! He was the best! When I was really bad, he even came home with me...that was awesome...LOL! One time I had an acute flare while at church, and they had to call for an ambulance. Since our church was 50 mins from my house, they would not transport me to my Dr.s hospital, but took me to one close by. Of course, not knowing my history (wouldn't take my word for it that I had Crohn's Disease) they wanted to "run tests to determine what's wrong". Even though I was in excruciating pain that I was completely blinded for almost 2 hrs. they would not give me any pain meds. My wonderful husband finally tracked down my Dr's home phone number, and forced the ER Dr. to talk to him so that they would stop all their tests and give me my "friend"!
Again, I hope you are feeling better. Those Sitz baths are ok, but they only helped me for short periods of time. When you can't sit, walk, or lay down because of pain in that area, it's miserable. I understand about your concern with the Oxy, but consider maybe taking a low dose when it becomes unbearable. Can the pills be cut in half? Maybe ask for a very low dosage to help take the edge off when you need to rest and can't. Or maybe ask for something that is not as addictive, like my friend, Demerol. Along with him comes Phenergan, because Demerol can make you nauseous, but the Phenergan makes you drowsy, at least it did for me. I am praying for this specific need every morning since I read this on Friday, because I know a fraction of an extrememly very small percentage of the pain you must have been in, and it makes me shutter at the memory. So, you are being lifted up in prayer for this every day.
Oh Bill,
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the pain you have had to experience and endure. You are in our prayers daily and now, many times a day! Thank you for your blog with your updates, your pain, trials and victories. We all appreciate your transparency, we all need to be this way!
You are never far from our thoughts and prayers...
Claire Farm
Pastor Bill,
ReplyDeleteI was so sorry to hear about your setback. You and your family continue to be in my prayers. May you continue to have courage in this ordeal and sustaining strength in your faith. Positive thoughts and prayerful thoughts are sent your way.
Bill, isn't it amazing how pain can break life down to the very base of nature? I mooned the entire hospital when the cyst on my ovary twisted it. My only relief was to be up on all fours rocking up and down. They wouldn't give me any more pain meds because they said it would stop my heart. So I mooned the entire hospital as they moved me around and I didn't care. Relief was the only thing that interested me. I give you permission to slug the doctor that has left you in the worst pain. I know I threatened mine.
ReplyDeleteCarla