Over the past couple of weeks I've been having problems. I couldn't sit still for any length of time so ended up in bed to get some relief from the pain. I was totally 'out of it' and the furthest thing from my mind was my computer.

I had to wait for 5 weeks between visits to the Wounds Specialist because she went to the UK on holiday. Buying my own dressings has cost me a small fortune and trying different things to try to get it to heal has only caused me more pain.

I almost rattle when I move because I'm full of Panadol, Neurofen (painkillers), Keflex (antibiotics), and Endep, which is supposed to help with the pain but I discovered it's also a sleeping pill. Now, for a person who is not a pill taker I've outdone myself these past couple of weeks and taken more pain killers than I have in my lifetime up to now.  I haven't been able to sleep properly so I have bags under my eyes resting on my cheeks... not a pretty sight.

Anyhow.... I went to the Rheumatoid specialist last Friday. Fortunately there was a slight problem with the steering in Jason's car so I got him to ask for the loan of a car from work (my reasoning was that I didn't want his 'slight' problem end up a 'major' one... that worked... I convinced him...) so I had a comfortable ride. The specialist had a look at the wound on my leg and said it looked more like cellulitis now.... She also said she'd stop giving me any injections just incase whatever they contain might be interfering with the healing process. BUT she has a new drug that she wants me to try...ACTEMRA. There's just one hitch... I have to go back to Maroochydore for the first dose, which is given intravenously and takes an hour. After the first dose she has to make arrangements with the local hospital to give it to me once a month.  That'll be interesting.... since the "blood suckers' have trouble finding veins just to draw blood for blood tests.

I got to see the Wounds Specialist yesterday, she changed the type of dressing and all was fine until about 1 hour after I got home.. She'd put on a compression tube on top of the dressing. My leg started burning from my knee to my ankle.  I got Jason to take off the compression tube to see if that would help. Took some pain killers. As time passed the pain got worse. Just before 4pm I phoned the clinic to see if I could get hold of her.... wasn't answering her mobile (cell phone)..... The receptionist suggested I go to Accident & Emergency. By 4:15pm I was screaming with pain and Jason took me to the hospital.

There was only one lady with a young girl waiting ahead of me. I tried to muffle the pain I was going through but the Triage nurse was taking so long I couldn't hold back any longer... I was crying and yelling with pain and with the place being empty my voice echoed. Staff came running from all directions.

The Triage nurse took me ahead of the lady with the girl.... got me a wheelchair.... removed the dressing, asked a million inane questions which Jason answered because I couldn't. She changed the dressing..... Then she got me a doctor who asked the same inane questions....she removed the dressing the triage nurse had put on because the pain was coming back..... she left and got a more qualified  (??????) doctor.... same stupid questions... they said they'd send in a nurse.

 

I waited and waited and waited for a nurse. Several people opened the door and said "Oh... this room's taken..." and left. Meanwhile my leg, without any dressing is perched on a seat because 'keeping it elevated' was supposed to help..... right..... NOT!!! After 15 minutes the first doctor poked her head in the door and said... "hasn't the nurse been in to see you yet?" So she decided to dress the wound with a couple of pads and wound some bandage around it... it was still burning but she didn't listen. Then I was sent home.

I told Jason to get home quick but drive safely... ignore my moaning..... As soon as I got in the door I went straight to my room got the Algicite I've been using for weeks... Jason fixed up the dressing, I took a couple more pills and the pain subsided.

 

Today I got hold of the Wounds specialist and related the past events. She suspects I'm allergic to the 'silver' in the dressings. The 'silver' is to kill bacteria. So I have an appointment with her next Wednesday and in the meantime have to go back to what I was doing while she was away. Apparently a new dressing (without silver) was approved the week before she left on holiday so she's going to order some for me.

I still feel pain constantly using the Algicite but it's not as bad as the pain I had yesterday, so I'm going to put up with it for a few more days and pray that she gets the new dressings and pray that they work.

4 AUGUST 2010

I might be given the "Drama Queen" award any time now... either I have a really great day or a really miserable one. Friday was one of the latter.

Went to a different radiologist on Thursday (because they have even more super dooper equipment) for the 2 tests my GP wanted. Remember, my hospital blood test showed a possible clot in my lung.... which of course more often than not (I was told) could be a false positive. I lay on the bed, the radiologist explained what he was going to do.... pump some dye into my bloodstream through a vein .... I wished him luck finding a vein!!   He said he needed one in my arm that could take the dye being pumped FAST through the vein. He couldn't find any on either arm. I said how about my hand???? Told me ... not a good idea because they are thin and could burst and cause complications!!!  He was very gentle... aware of the pain caused by twisting my arm but had no luck. Had to call the 'head honcho".

He came in and started twisting my arms and hitting the area around the inner elbow to get the veins to surface. Every time he twisted my arms my back arched off the bed.... it really hurt! He tried for about 10 minutes.. no luck.... so he decided to go for one in my HAND!!!!!!  I was remembering what the other radiologist said and I was panicking silently.  He got this "horse needle"... it was long!!! He inserted it in a vein, and pushed... my back arched with the pain... he told me to stop moving and had a grip on my hand that was painful. He pushed more, and more and more.... the tears were streaming and finally I ended up screaming. He stopped! Pulled the needle out and gave me a couple of minutes to relax. Then he started hitting on my arms again!

I asked him if he was going to have another try? Said "Not if you don't want me to".   I told him I wanted him to stop and by this time I was crying and had the start of a massive headache.  Since there was every chance the blood test had shown a false positive I didn't think the pain was worth it... I'd take my chances.

The other radiologist helped me off the bed and apologised for what I'd gone through and took me to wait for the ultrasound. One of the staff saw me crying and holding my head and asked if she could help. Got me some headache pills and some water. Then the ultrasound radiologist turned up.... waited until I'd stopped shaking before taking me into the ultrasound room.

 

At least this wasn't painful and certainly not intrusive. After half an hour she told me that I don't have gall stones... everything was fine. She was sympathetic to what I had gone through beforehand.

Jason was there in a flash to pick me up and could tell there was something wrong before I even spoke. We were half way home before I could talk about it. I got myself something to eat and drink and went to bed totally wiped out.

I have to go to my GP today at noon which means I might get in to see her by 1:30 if I'm lucky.... She'll have the results. I'm going to tell her that if she ever needs any tests that involve "horse sized" cannulas inserted in my arms... forget it!!!

At least now I can call the nurse back and make arrangements for her to come next week and give me the RA needle.  I still believe I only had pulled muscles last week and all  they needed was some medication to make them relax.  I've not had even the slightest sign of any recurrence since.   So my GP can cancel the gastroscopy as well!!!

Some good news about Jared (grandson)....  he worked 6 hours on Wednesday, 2 shifts on Thursday, a total of 13 hours and was off to work at 6am this morning for a 9 hour shift and not a peep of a complaint out of him!!!! I can't believe it!!!! He was told on Wednesday afternoon that he was on 2 weeks trial and if he pulled through then he'll have the apprenticeship!!  This is the lazy so and so who would make any excuse not to do things at home.... I guess money talks!!! LOL!!! I'm praying that nothing goes wrong.....

Hopefully I'll be able to get back to normal now. My creativity flew out the window these past couple of weeks ... maybe it will return now that all the dramas are over..... hopefully, never to return