Friday, I told exbf just to be here by 11:30 or noon instead of 9:30 as usual. So, he gets here at 10:15. He always sits in the car waiting for me when he comes IF we are going somewhere. It is so hard for him to get to house and up steps. So, today he opted for sitting in the car for over an hour.
For his snack I packed cut up short jerky stick and string cheese stick, in one snack bag. and about 8 tiny slices of bread about 1.5 x1.5 inches square or smaller. They are crunchy, so it feels like substance. I cut an apple into slices. He ate half those at lunch when we stopped along with a chicken sandwich on an artisan hamburger bun and yellow mustard. I had chicken on same type bun with Miracle Whip and half my apple. I brought a bottle of water for each of us.
Since I had not put on my makeup, I had him stop for that and lunch which we ate in the car. we had time it perfectly and got to the doctor's office a few minutes before my appointment. He even had his snacks in pocket as day progressed. I put the snacks in snack bags so he can put them in one pocket and bottle of water in the other pocket.
I was afraid the wheelchair pushers would not want to push exbf since he was not a patient, but they were so nice to him. We got there at 2 pm and saw doctor at 4 pm. We finally left after 5 pm. Shockingly, we missed the horrendous traffic rush hour on the Parkway and drove home the back way--through the country.
When he pulled up here to drop me off, I came in and got a full gallon of milk for him and a stack of saltines I did not want and the Tupperware dinner bowl with his dinner. Oh, I remembered to give him his cornbread for dinner. His dinner was huge chunk of boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked in crockpot and frozen in two-breast packs. Last night I cooked field peas and snaps and some frozen butternut squash with a pat of butter and sprinkle of cinnamon.
When I asked him at 10 pm how he liked the butternut squash, he said he really loved the spice I put in it. He did not recognize it as cinnamon. He would have taken off the pat of butter if I had not mashed it into the cold squash. Of course, that contributed to the deliciousness. It was funny that he said the field peas and snaps were his favorite. I had packed the bowl full instead of just a helping into each compartment. He said there was enough for another meal. The guy sounded really happy about that fact. He makes me smile over his food comments.
Okay, the thumb now. The doctor was puzzled. He said he could find no evidence of a crack in the xrays. He mashed my thumb so that it was really hurting. He commented that there was a bit of arthritis, but nothing unusual, not much, and maybe it was arthritis pain. I totally disagreed that this excruciating pain could be caused by a little arthritis. I told him about my fall and how the right hand had hit, but I brushed the grass away and ignored it because of pain of left arm, head, nose, and teeth.
I mentioned the burn and all the strange movement of pain from tip to base of thumb. He had no idea and commented that the burn looked healed. When I told him the burn never looked any worse than it did now, he just looked puzzled. When I mentioned the nurse's comment about staph, he commented it did not look infected. So, staph can hide and show up later? He agreed. He assured me the meds for bronchitis would take care of any staph, but he would look for it anyway in the MRI results.
He said that there are ligaments in hand just like other parts of the body and it could be a torn ligament. So, MRI is ordered. Yes, I knew about ligaments being all over body.
He was very nice guy, more so than many doctors. He listened instead of wanting to "move on." Friday was a long, long day. I have to get up too early tomorrow, so a nap will be on the agenda on Saturday.
More about the news and huge brace tomorrow.
Your turn
Have you had arthritis pain that made you feel like screaming in pain? I know nothing about arthritis except people complaining. Does it come on like a knife stab? Do daylong doctor appts out of town drain you?
I can speak of nobody's arthritis but my own. I have osteoarthritis. Sometimes the pain is more an ache and stiffness when it is in my hands. That can hurt for a day or two and then disapear for a month or two before returning. The pain in my hips and lower back is constant. If I am sitting down it doesn't hurt very much, but standing or walking for more than 10 to 15 minutes brings on the screaming kind of pain. Sometimes there are flareups when I do too much, and those last a few days and are sometimes a sharp pain in joints and sometimes a dull ache.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is different. My knees are fine, but one of my daughters just had knee replacement surgery and the other daughter is scheduled for partial knee replacement. My mother was badly crippled from rheumatoid arthritis that caused her joints to become deformed. Each of us in my family has some form of the disease - some to a greater extent and some with a more mild form. It is frustrating for most of us because the source of the pain can not be seen by others, so some think we are just a bunch of complainers. But the pain is real even if there is no crippling that is obvious to others.
Hope this answers some of your questions.
Vicki,
ReplyDeleteMy only screaming pain so far has come from a little toe, my only broken bone. Dr said it would have arthritis so many years ago. However, it screams seldom, thankfully. At other times there is a mild ache and none really anything to complain about. Of course, back and knees and shoulder need repair from major injuries and surgery will probably ease those pains.
Yes, it does answer questions and confirms what I think. After I tore meniscus in my knee, one woman was telling others I had crippling and painful arthritis JUST after I explained why I was limping and wincing.
The reason I don't think this pain in my hand is arthritis is because it came on so quickly and was a #10 pain the second it started. Lol, I do expect arthritis pain to creep up slowly, not just knock me down the first day!
Thanks so much.
I have not had arthritis; it is a dreadful condition, yes.
ReplyDeleteUr-spo,
DeleteOne doctor said I was not afflicted with arthritis except where I had had major injuries to joints, and that was not a bad kind. When I was young I saw women's gnarled and twisted fingers and cringed, thinking I would have that kind of arthritis. So far, all my fingers are straight. And, there are no enlarged knuckles.whew