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Jan. 20th, 2002 01:20 pmi don't remember my first trip to the ER. i was about two. we were fishing. my parents turned their backs for, oh... five seconds. in those five seconds, i managed to get into the tackle box and become entangle in a tri-hook artificial lure. when i tried to stand up, the hooks insinuated themselves in the back of my knee (yeah, holding it closed rather effectively) and in my shirt.
this pissed me off. i couldn't stand up and, being two, mobility was highly important. upon my outraged cries, my parents turned and realized the error of their ways.
off to the ER we went. i have no clue where we ended up. marion? wabash? fort wayne? i didn't like the cold metal table, i remember that. and the lights. that's all i really remember. mom said they injected something (air?) right under my skin that made it puff up and they slid the hook right out, barb and all.
last night's trip was very different. i remember it, for one thing. although i was mostly swaying back and forth and trying to breathe.
i don't ask for help with pain until it becomes excruciating and at 10+ on the 1-10 pain scale. if it interferes with breathing, eating, swallowing, sleeping, living--i ask for help. stubborn genes, i have. well, last night i debated for several hours before heading out on icy roads at 10pm.
i couldn't move without crying. and crying hurt really badly. and my gag reflex was constantly being triggered. the stress of trying not to cry or gag/vomit was causing me to clench... so my jaw joint, which hasn't been much of a problem for years, was starting to remind me of my once daily migraines... it was time for help.
by 10:45, i'd been through triage, registered, and already seen the doctor. the nurse was taking blood and putting in an IV valve.
i tested negative for strep and mono. my throat x-rays were normal on preliminary examination. my CBC was mostly normal. and the doc decided not to give me IV antibiotics, but she did give me a 'script for Darvocet and told me to pick up some Cepacol lozenges or spray. and she told me that i'm doing the right thing by drinking lots of water and fluids... (oh, only 250 oz of mostly water yesterday...)
so i went to the 24 hour pharmacy for my drugs... was shorted one pill, i discovered this morning. i didn't have to go last night, but the doctor gave me two samples and i knew i'd need both to sleep. i wanted to have one available when i awoke. i was right. i needed it this morning (i waited til after i ate my cream of wheat--i have experience with darv).
got home around 12:30... i ate a little, took my meds, tom watched iron chef. bed at 2am.
anyhow... the darv doesn't work on my jaw pain. i took it briefly when i was younger for TMJD pain. it's one of those drugs that didn't touch the pain (duh, i needed a better anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxant). i do, however, recall the darvocet being a very influential factor when i called my then bf at two am on a weeknight to break up, claiming i'd cheated on him with his best friend, but didn't tell him WHICH friend.
oy. that wasn't a good time. and i had a migraine, to boot. loopiness. migraines. teenage soul-searching depression... gah.
last night, i merely claimed i was fat albert, said "hey hey hey" and started laughing, then clutched my chest b/c it hurt. and i still think that was before the second pill took effect, so it was mostly me. yes. boy was laughing at me. he said i was silly.
darv softened the pain in my throat and chest so i could relax a little more, which allowed me to concentrate on soothing the TMJD pain... sleep finally came. and i awoke from the pain when it was still dark, but tossed and turned and slept in fits until i finally had to pee at 10:30.
i always hate asking for help with pain. and fibromites are often thought to be drug-seekers at the ER. last night, i realized the doctor was surprised that i'm only on neurontin and that's for nerve pain. she asked if i took anything for the fibro and i said no, i cope with that. i think she realized i wouldn't have come in unless i was getting too close to losing my grip on reality. she was a very kind and matter-of-fact doctor. i heard her handling other patients with aplomb. she was probably just happy that i wasn't screaming, yelling, ripping out IV lines, and smashing lamps. that guy was in the other wing, thankfully.
of course, she might've also noticed me hugging my chest and rocking back and forth while drinking water constantly... and my husband alternated between reading and rubbing my neck or head. the rocking seemed to soothe me. i'm doing it now, even. i don't know why. maybe it occupies the muscles that would otherwise be clenching and worsening the pain in my trachea...
ah, well. i'm glad i have some relief. even if it does make me a little loopy. i don't have anywhere to go. gonna go watch a movie with boy. maybe have some more borscht or chocolate sorbet.
this pissed me off. i couldn't stand up and, being two, mobility was highly important. upon my outraged cries, my parents turned and realized the error of their ways.
off to the ER we went. i have no clue where we ended up. marion? wabash? fort wayne? i didn't like the cold metal table, i remember that. and the lights. that's all i really remember. mom said they injected something (air?) right under my skin that made it puff up and they slid the hook right out, barb and all.
last night's trip was very different. i remember it, for one thing. although i was mostly swaying back and forth and trying to breathe.
i don't ask for help with pain until it becomes excruciating and at 10+ on the 1-10 pain scale. if it interferes with breathing, eating, swallowing, sleeping, living--i ask for help. stubborn genes, i have. well, last night i debated for several hours before heading out on icy roads at 10pm.
i couldn't move without crying. and crying hurt really badly. and my gag reflex was constantly being triggered. the stress of trying not to cry or gag/vomit was causing me to clench... so my jaw joint, which hasn't been much of a problem for years, was starting to remind me of my once daily migraines... it was time for help.
by 10:45, i'd been through triage, registered, and already seen the doctor. the nurse was taking blood and putting in an IV valve.
i tested negative for strep and mono. my throat x-rays were normal on preliminary examination. my CBC was mostly normal. and the doc decided not to give me IV antibiotics, but she did give me a 'script for Darvocet and told me to pick up some Cepacol lozenges or spray. and she told me that i'm doing the right thing by drinking lots of water and fluids... (oh, only 250 oz of mostly water yesterday...)
so i went to the 24 hour pharmacy for my drugs... was shorted one pill, i discovered this morning. i didn't have to go last night, but the doctor gave me two samples and i knew i'd need both to sleep. i wanted to have one available when i awoke. i was right. i needed it this morning (i waited til after i ate my cream of wheat--i have experience with darv).
got home around 12:30... i ate a little, took my meds, tom watched iron chef. bed at 2am.
anyhow... the darv doesn't work on my jaw pain. i took it briefly when i was younger for TMJD pain. it's one of those drugs that didn't touch the pain (duh, i needed a better anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxant). i do, however, recall the darvocet being a very influential factor when i called my then bf at two am on a weeknight to break up, claiming i'd cheated on him with his best friend, but didn't tell him WHICH friend.
oy. that wasn't a good time. and i had a migraine, to boot. loopiness. migraines. teenage soul-searching depression... gah.
last night, i merely claimed i was fat albert, said "hey hey hey" and started laughing, then clutched my chest b/c it hurt. and i still think that was before the second pill took effect, so it was mostly me. yes. boy was laughing at me. he said i was silly.
darv softened the pain in my throat and chest so i could relax a little more, which allowed me to concentrate on soothing the TMJD pain... sleep finally came. and i awoke from the pain when it was still dark, but tossed and turned and slept in fits until i finally had to pee at 10:30.
i always hate asking for help with pain. and fibromites are often thought to be drug-seekers at the ER. last night, i realized the doctor was surprised that i'm only on neurontin and that's for nerve pain. she asked if i took anything for the fibro and i said no, i cope with that. i think she realized i wouldn't have come in unless i was getting too close to losing my grip on reality. she was a very kind and matter-of-fact doctor. i heard her handling other patients with aplomb. she was probably just happy that i wasn't screaming, yelling, ripping out IV lines, and smashing lamps. that guy was in the other wing, thankfully.
of course, she might've also noticed me hugging my chest and rocking back and forth while drinking water constantly... and my husband alternated between reading and rubbing my neck or head. the rocking seemed to soothe me. i'm doing it now, even. i don't know why. maybe it occupies the muscles that would otherwise be clenching and worsening the pain in my trachea...
ah, well. i'm glad i have some relief. even if it does make me a little loopy. i don't have anywhere to go. gonna go watch a movie with boy. maybe have some more borscht or chocolate sorbet.
