It has been a crazy week.
Last Thursday, I woke up with my back hurting mildly. I shrugged it off, figuring I slept wrong. Long story short, it got really, really bad, really, really fast. I went to a massage therapist over the weekend, and when that didn't help, to a doctor on Monday. After agonizing and even crippling pain the past few days, I went back today - and when she saw me at my worst, she sent me to the ER...
It took a bit of fighting at the ER for them to not shrug me off and send me home with a referral to see someone else later. Instead, they gave me an x-ray, and when they were confused at it coming back fine, they gave me a referral for an MRI. Stubborn with the support of Emily (my driver and SUCH a trooper for waiting with me!), I insisted upon getting it there and then, as I'd already seen a doctor and they sent me here. That - and I'm supposed to leave on a mission trip in 5 days!
So I got it - and finally we got answers! I have a bulging disc in my spinal column. The bad news is that its still uber-painful and there isn't much we can do to fix it before we go. The good news is that they gave me strong pain meds (Vicodin), a muscle relaxer, and they affirm me going on the trip to Costa Rica!
The bad news is that I need physical therapy and have to see a spinal specialist in Glenview for it. The good news is that it isn't further along, and if we get it treated now, I shouldn't need surgery. This means more good news of a better chance of NOT having chronic back pain the rest of my life as a result of this...
This has been an ongoing drama in my life for the past week, but it has felt like a month. So many things have changed as a result of this... including work I was not able to get done. As I have been unable to sit and write for more than a few minutes at a time (I have already gotten up twice in writing this entry), I could not sit to do the necessary work toward completing my commissioning paper work. Everything is due tomorrow. After making the decision on Monday not to further stress my back by trying to keep writing, I finally sent an email today to the powers that be to formally withdraw myself from the commissioning process.
I will continue as a certified candidate, and can try another year. It was a big decision and a huge change made in only a little bit of time, but after having gotten up 3 times now for this short entry, I am confident it was the right decision. God must have something else in store for me... and I am confident something else will work out. I'll come back to this another day...
Peace, friends. I am off to get rest. Prayers for continued healing are certainly welcome.
Showing posts with label injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label injuries. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Battle Wounds for the Non-biker on the trip
Greetings from Anson, Texas!
It has been a good couple of days, including a visit with the Rotary Club in Post, Texas yesterday.
Today we took part in a very southern worship service (complete with a fiddle!), and were warmly and gernously welcomed. After the service, as we were carrying things in, I was wheeling bikes in to the church to rest there for the night. As it got dark, I decided to carry them because I could not see what I was wheeling them over in the grass (and road bikes are pretty light).
Unfortunately, I didn't realize there was a pump under the frame, and when it slipped and fell, I did my best to catch it. I caught the chain ring on my leg, picked up the bike and walked inside. I felt terrible about the bike, but I was certain it was fine. I walked inside and David (it was his bike) put the pump back on, and then noticed my leg. "Is your leg bleeding?" he asked, with blood running down it. Hmmm. I didn't think it hurt THAT much! SO I went into the bathroom to clean it up - and it was REALLY bleeding! Running down my leg, it took a while of sitting there with pressure on it for it to stop enough to even walk without worrying about getting it on the carpet (it was coming out quick!)
I made my way to the house we're staying in and on my way in asked Criselda to grab the first aid kit. Skipping details, I soon had quite a crowd checking it out and making sure I was ok - and I had to warn them not to look of they were easily queasy! Thanks to Criselda's assistance and Mike's expertise (he's a nurse!), we realized I even had a shard of metal stuck in the deep wound. Fortunately (maybe?) it was hurting enough that it was still kind of numb, so I used that opportunity to scrub it out and clean it before I could feel it more. I also sanitized my tweezers and did a little mini-surgery to get the metal shard out of my leg. It was a quick, easy success!!
Scrubbing all of the grease out wasn't as easy, but I think we got most of it. Its got a good bandage on it, but its bleeding through, so I need to change it before I go to bed.
A bit of pain, but I'm fine. It could have been worse! ha, I actually think its funny, and feel SO bad about it! After all, the one thing I have failed to mention is that my biggest concern throughout (Criselda kept getting after me to stop worrying about it) was David's bike. He said its ok, just needs the bearings adjusted. I dunno. I hope its actually ok. Whatever it is, I'll pay to fix it up. But seriously... my leg will heal fine (and hopefully I'll have a great battle scar, haha). I just hope the bike is ok too.
As I re-wrap it for bed, I can see that it is already healing really well. I couldn't get a very clear, detailed picture that shows how deep it is, etc now that the bleeding has slowed and begun to dry up, but you can see the perfect marks of the chain ring! ha. Anyway, if you're squeamish, you should have stopped reading by now...
It has been a good couple of days, including a visit with the Rotary Club in Post, Texas yesterday.
Today we took part in a very southern worship service (complete with a fiddle!), and were warmly and gernously welcomed. After the service, as we were carrying things in, I was wheeling bikes in to the church to rest there for the night. As it got dark, I decided to carry them because I could not see what I was wheeling them over in the grass (and road bikes are pretty light).
Unfortunately, I didn't realize there was a pump under the frame, and when it slipped and fell, I did my best to catch it. I caught the chain ring on my leg, picked up the bike and walked inside. I felt terrible about the bike, but I was certain it was fine. I walked inside and David (it was his bike) put the pump back on, and then noticed my leg. "Is your leg bleeding?" he asked, with blood running down it. Hmmm. I didn't think it hurt THAT much! SO I went into the bathroom to clean it up - and it was REALLY bleeding! Running down my leg, it took a while of sitting there with pressure on it for it to stop enough to even walk without worrying about getting it on the carpet (it was coming out quick!)
I made my way to the house we're staying in and on my way in asked Criselda to grab the first aid kit. Skipping details, I soon had quite a crowd checking it out and making sure I was ok - and I had to warn them not to look of they were easily queasy! Thanks to Criselda's assistance and Mike's expertise (he's a nurse!), we realized I even had a shard of metal stuck in the deep wound. Fortunately (maybe?) it was hurting enough that it was still kind of numb, so I used that opportunity to scrub it out and clean it before I could feel it more. I also sanitized my tweezers and did a little mini-surgery to get the metal shard out of my leg. It was a quick, easy success!!
Scrubbing all of the grease out wasn't as easy, but I think we got most of it. Its got a good bandage on it, but its bleeding through, so I need to change it before I go to bed.
A bit of pain, but I'm fine. It could have been worse! ha, I actually think its funny, and feel SO bad about it! After all, the one thing I have failed to mention is that my biggest concern throughout (Criselda kept getting after me to stop worrying about it) was David's bike. He said its ok, just needs the bearings adjusted. I dunno. I hope its actually ok. Whatever it is, I'll pay to fix it up. But seriously... my leg will heal fine (and hopefully I'll have a great battle scar, haha). I just hope the bike is ok too.
As I re-wrap it for bed, I can see that it is already healing really well. I couldn't get a very clear, detailed picture that shows how deep it is, etc now that the bleeding has slowed and begun to dry up, but you can see the perfect marks of the chain ring! ha. Anyway, if you're squeamish, you should have stopped reading by now...
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