Haven't slept in a horizontal position since the fall...some 9 days now!
I sleep in the living room in one of my 5 La-Z-Boy recliners (2 on one couch, 2 on a love-seat, and one real recliner), just to mix it up a little, with either my Guinness or Coors lounge pants on, an old sweat-shirt, and a pair of wool hiking socks to keep me warm.
Baylee has assumed the run of the house, alternating between the laundry, computer room, and the foyer rug. She seems to change positions only when I grunt and struggle to my feet in the dark, trying to make it to the bathroom. Since she is solid black, all I hear is the “tick-tack” her claws make on the floor as she passes. I put both eyes on the cable box and finally focus in on the time, and calculate how long between snatches of sleep, and how much longer I have to catch up on what I’ve missed.
Monday evening I registered at the hospital and got several x-rays made of my chest. I was then told to come back Tuesday morning for an MIR on my head. Seems I forgot about hitting my head until Judy and I discussed the details. So, the doctor figured it wouldn’t hurt to check it out too.
Turns out, it did hurt (or at least would) to check it out and it would have hurt so much that I “passed” on the experience. First, the guy at the x-ray office pissed me off by telling me I needed to re-register, and I flat refused and turned and walked away, telling Judy I would be at the car! She stayed and discussed the procedure with him and the guy said I would be required to lie on my back, perfectly still, for 30 to 45 minutes! Since we knew that wasn’t possible, she joined me at the car and we had a good breakfast at the Cracker Barrel.
Later, at home, I woke from my nap to hear that the doctor had called to say I had 4 broken ribs! “Oh, it’s quite evident they’re broken alright,” nurse Judith told Judy. "They're not displaced, but clearly broken!"
Prognosis…6 to 8 weeks of pain!
17 comments:
Well, I'm glad you did get this checked out but sorry to hear that you broke four of those ribs. But even more, I'm really relieved that the diagnosis wasn't worse than it is. You are so lucky to only have broken four ribs!!! I know, you're probably saying "easy for you to say" but sheesh, so many other things you could have broken and really, REALLY have been laid up for a long time -or even worse, might not be here, able to write this much about it.
Just try to rest, relax as much as is possible with the pain and all that, and heal up quickly then. Keep the reports coming though so we know how you're doing. Okay?
This sucks mushey, I just bruised a rib and it hurt, I feel for yo.
Yeah, 30 to 45 minutes for an MRI would be a record time for the books! Bank more on 1, to 1 1/2 hours. That 30 to 45 is about the time it takes for 'em to calibrate the damned thing!
Ask your doctor if a vertical MRI machine is available as an option. Or at the very least, if sedation would be possible on the standard flat-table version?
I can't do the flat version, either. My hips and legs are already so banged-up that it's not 10-minutes before I'm in agony. I can only imagine the effect with my ribs broken!
Bad part is Mushy, at our age, it take longer to heal...my calf is coming around, but I still am gonna need the 4 weeks until baseball season starts to get it up to speed.
Okay, this is going to hurt...no, really...I only had 2 broken ribs when I fell out of the pecan tree, and it hurt to breathe for over a month...hoping you'll get some rest, keep trying those recliners till you find the one that fits broken ribs! Prayers for your pain and suffering!
Sandi
My thanks to all the well wishers. Actually, as long as I'm in a recliner, and not coughing, sneezing, or burping, I'm doing quite well.
Dang Mushy!!
.... you mean you get to sit in the Lazy Boy and kick back with a Guinness and a cigar all day?
What a deal.
.... seriously, hope you get to feelin' better soon.
Time to catch up on some TV series that you've missed out on. Maybe you can watch all the Sopranos. With pain meds, it could be awesome.
Try not to move...or breathe much. Take care, brother!
Update: Having to give up pain meds...if they don't constipate me that leave me short of breath!
Suffering through it with gritted teeth. What don't kill you, makes you stronger!
Oh NOooooooooo Mushy! I'm so sorry to hear this! I will send healing and pain free wishes your way.
I read your other post on the fall itself, and I'm surprised you weren't more injured! Sorry to hear about the broken ribs -- I've heard they're pretty painful and you can't really do anything but wait, but I'm glad you'll be able get better.
Doing well folks...thanks.
I did try sleeping in my bed last night but only lasted about an hour and a half. I'll be in the recliner for at least a month.
Pain pills suck!
Ow! Ow ow ow! Stupid clutz. Well, drink beer; that seems to be what the rest of America does, whether celebrating or sorrowing.
Glad to hear that's ALL that was broken; could have been much more serious!! If you can't take pain meds then the next best thing is a few beers. Take care and here's to a speedy recovery!
No pain meds? Well, maybe your brother-in-law can pass you some relaxation. It can't hurt. Might even make you feel better. Hope he's doin' well. And I hope it all goes away soon. Take care man.
Haven't broken any ribs yet, but plenty of other bones; still I think, broken is probaly better than displacing anything, since I really wouln't fancy them getting it back into place! I broke a piece of a bone in one of my legs once and the doctore really pushed it back and foreward, justy to be sure, it really was broken...!
It's because of these kind of things taht I don't even bother seeing a doctor these days, unless the bone is sticking through the skin or something like that!
Re the pain: perhaps your wife opr kids could give you some massage to help you relax?
I also don't use painkillers etc.
For one thing, I don't like doping off, still prefere to be in present time and confront it and the other things is, because of taht attitude, they don't work very well on me; one time I had been giving so much morphine that they thought they would kill me and still it didn't have much of an effect against the pain... so I personally feel that dealing with the pain mentally is a much better thing to do. Try, if at all possible, see it as a friend rather than an enemie and try and feel how the body is doing it's job, is actually on its way to heal the broken bones.
If you really wanna try something new, you could check out "natural hygiene" on the net.
I imagine, this might be the very last thing you are interested in, but if you have a diet without salt, sugar or anything unhealthy, it becomes a whole lot more easy to handle the pain.
greetings from Denmark, Sarah sofia
This is too much "mind over matter" for me. I like to be as conscious as the next fellow, but I want dope for my pain, the more the merrier! Ow, it hurts to say that! I think I need some...you know what.
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