Monday, September 21, 2015

I'm not Super Woman After All

I almost died last night! 

Ok, so I didn’t almost die, but I could have. The day started out like any other day. I got up, took the dogs out to say hello to the day and to pee of course. Came back in and dressed and did my Leslie Sansone walking video. I texted my sister that it was time for coffee and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. 

Lisa got there and we had coffee with mom. We showed Lisa all the treasures we had found the day before at the Goodwill and gave her a few surprises we had bought for her. Toward the end of the coffee klatch I started feeling a little bit dizzy. The room would spin and when I looked at my mom or Lisa they would kind of float left to right or right to left. I thought it was odd but put it to the side because I had a lot of stuff on my “to do” list. 

Lisa left and I put in a load of laundry and went outside and got the little step ladder because one of my “to do’s” for the day was to scrub the walls in the bathrooms. You know how they get icky after shower upon shower and then when the new cooler was installed a few weeks ago a lot of lint and other yuck got stuck and it was looking horrendous and I just can’t handle that. 

So I got up on the ladder with a warm bucket of soapy water and a dizzy head and fell to scrubbing and scrubbing. I was concerned about the dizziness but as women are wont to do I soldiered on because I’m an idiot! 

I finally got one bathroom done and then realized it was ridiculous to continue using a ladder due to the dizziness, so I put it away and told my mom I was done because I felt a little dizzy. She had made some breakfast burritos so I had one thinking maybe I was just hungry. Just so you know, I un-wrapped it and just ate the stuffing; the tortilla is not worth the carbs! 

As I sat there eating my burrito my right arm started hurting, aching. I thought that was weird because I had mainly used my left arm to scrub the walls but took an Aleve and tossed in another load of laundry. My arm started hurting more and more. So badly that I could find no position to place my arm in that did not give me unbearable pain and I started to get nauseous and had to throw up. 

So I did what I do anytime something is difficult in my life, I took a nap. It was hard finding a good position, but eventually I realized if I laid on my right side with my arm straight out and my head on my arm I was comfortable enough to sleep, so I did, for about an hour. 


When I awoke I immediately tried to get up and couldn’t! We have a bug in Arizona that we called a “pinacate”, also called a Desert Stink bug. When you turn this little bug on its back it struggles with its legs and arms flailing to turn itself over….and that is exactly how I felt, flailing with no results. I had to text my son to come and help me up. 

Up to now I had not told anyone how bad the pain was so he was shocked that I was holding my right arm to my chest and in tears. Then my sister called and I told her about the dizziness and the shakiness and the nausea and the pain in my arm and she immediately said it sounded like a heart attack. My sister…she always turns to the worst case scenario. I told her no, because it was my right arm, if it was a heart attack my left arm would hurt. 

We hung up and she called back immediately as she had consulted with Dr. Google and Dr. Google said heart attacks in women have different symptoms than heart attacks in men and she read me the symptoms which sounded exactly what my symptoms were. I told her we better head to the ER room.

Since I had planned to spend the day cleaning and doing laundry I had not bothered with make up or doing my hair and though I tried to “pretty up” it was a struggle just to brush my teeth. Mom had to make a ponytail for me. My mom had not made me a pony tail since I was a child. Needless to say she was out of practice! I cried while I changed into a clean shirt and shorts and just put on a ball cap! 

We headed to the ER. The great thing about thinking you are having a heart attack is that you become a priority in the ER. You don’t have to sit there with other sick people for hours. The bad thing is they quickly did an EKG and said it was not a heart attack, my blood pressure was great, and so they sat me on a bed in the ER room until they had a chance to take some x-rays to find out why my arm and shoulder hurt so badly. 

Another bad thing is x-rays, especially when you are in excruciating pain and you have to maneuver your arm in different angles to get a good view, but I’m a soldier and did what I had to do…and then we waited and waited and waited. The x-rays were taken at 5:27 pm and we didn’t get to speak with the doctor until 9:24 pm! 

While the results were not as horrible as a heart attack, it was still not great news to hear that I have Bursitis. Bursitis in my right shoulder and Sciatica in my left leg! I think it’s time to put this old horse down, I’m just a mess! 

They gave me a shot of Tramadol for the pain and some Prednisone tablets for the inflammation, and a prescription for some more meds. If you know me you know that I HATE to take meds. I have to be dying before I even will take Aleve, now I have more meds I will have to take daily. 

It sucks! It makes me realize I am getting old. I can remember my mom and dad sitting at the kitchen table on Sunday night sorting out their pills for the week in a little plastic box like this one. 



It’s just sad to realize I am at that point. It’s also sad to realize that I can’t just scrub walls like I did in my 20’s and 30’s, I have to slow down and some of the chores that need to be done will have to wait or just not get done at all. I’ve always hated to depend on anyone and preferred to do it “my way” before and now I will have to rely on someone else to help and to be happy with the way they do it. 

I know, look on the bright side and be happy it wasn’t something more serious like a heart attack, be happy that you didn’t fall off the ladder which you insisted getting on like a moron when you were dizzy, but it’s hard to realize that you’re human and that you’re body is going to start rebelling. In my mind I feel like I’m 22 but my body sure doesn’t feel that way!

 

12 comments:

  1. Just so you know, sis... After our first conversation I sat on the couch thinking you were going to die of a heart attack and how devastated I would be if I lost you. I am sorry about the huge ER bill but I would rather have you around.

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    1. Don't worry about the bill, so happy it wasn't worse news but I know how you feel, I would be devastated to lose you too.

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  2. What a scary adventure!! So glad it turned out that it is solved with a lot less fan fair than a heart attack or worse! As for aging, there is a reason that the expression is: Aging isn't for sissies, and it sure beats the alternative!

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    1. That's right, the alternative is pretty scary. I guess we just continue on the journey and see what comes next!

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  3. I hope you're feeling better and no longer in pain!

    Why are we (women) like that?!? Years ago I was diagnosed with bursitis on my right wrist and it was excruciatingly painful. It took me forever to finally give in and see a doctor for the pain. I have learned my lesson...whenever I do too much, I start feeling a little pain, and I stop whatever I'm doing and ask for help! I used to think I was She-Woman!!!

    Take care of yourself!

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    1. I'm feeling much better finally. The meds they gave me are upsetting my tummy, I've never been good at taking meds, but at least the pain is bearable.

      I don't know why women are that way, it's crazy, but it's good to know that I'm not alone. Now I just need to learn to ask for help too. Thanks for commenting!

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  4. I also belong to that category of women who hate to rely on help, and that worries me; there comes a time when one needs some help.
    As for heart attacks, God Forbid, they don't always behave according to the book. Sometimes it comes with a back pain and not a chest pain, sometimes the right hand might be involved, and not only the left one.
    Anyway, since you felt dizziness you did the right thing seeking medical help. If it were only pain in the arm, I would have applied ice. Pain signals some kind of inflammation, and cold goes well with any inflammation.

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    1. So many women are like that, we give and give and give but we hate taking back! It's going to be tough as I get older. I see it in my mom, she's the exact same way, hates it if we try to baby her.

      I'm taking a medication for the inflammation and it is helping, I've hardly had to rely on pain meds at all, but can't wait to stop taking them as they upset my tummy. Healing slowly but surely.

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  5. Ahhhh, you are on the threshold to the golden years. Welcome to the rest of your life. The good news is of course that you did not have a heart attack. The not so good news is that you probably feel great compared to how you will feel in 5 years. Sorry to be so optimistic. Getting old sucks. No two ways about it.

    Please stay the hell off of ladders when you are not feeling well. Believe it or not you do have some admirers out here.

    One great thing about wall scrubbing or cutting grass, it will wait. No one will sneak in and steal the job from you.

    Glad to hear it was not more serious. Take care of yourself.

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    1. I have to agree with you, getting old sucks. While I love the additional wisdom I have (small though it may be) I hate that your body deteriorates! I wish I had taken better care of my body when I was younger, but hindsight is 20/20 right?

      I never thought about the fact that no one would sneak in and steal the jobs away from me! Now that's really depressing! Thanks for commenting, you take care as well!

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  6. Hello,

    You have hit the nail on the head when you said IT MAKES ME REALIZE I AM GROWING OLD.

    Most of us refuse to accept that we are human beings and we will grow old and will be unable to do things which we did with great ease when we were young.

    I watch and admire youngsters running,jumping, playing foot ball, hopping, skipping and doing vigorous exercises because I cannot do those thing now although I could do that with great ease and flexibility when I was young. Time rolled for me slowly and steadily and along with the times i have become slower and slower. As the saying goes THE MIND IS WILLING BUT THE BODY IS WEAK.

    Certainly you were lucky that you didn't fall off the ladder and you were inside the house. Yes, these are the blessings we have to count on as we grow older. We certainly would like to be independent and do things by ourselves instead of depending on others but nature and laws of life work against us. We have to accept with grace and wisdom the inevitable.

    Recently I had a severe pain in my left heel and I could hardly walk and when I walked the pain was excruciating. I suddenly felt my walking days are coming to an end and I will have to sit forever. Fortunately I consulted a doctor and took his prescriptions. Now I am better. But I know deep down in my heart I am becoming old and I have to put up with the infirmities of old age. Well, this is life. OLD ORDER GIVES WAY TO NEW..

    Take care. Very interesting post reminding me of my own sad predicament as I grow old.

    Best wishes

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    1. Hi Joseph,
      Thank you for commenting. It is a sad fact that we are getting older and with age come those aches and pains. Unfortunately chores around the house still need to be done. I will have to learn to do it in short increments and not all at once and definitely not climbing ladders when I'm dizzy.

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