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Lost My Lunch


Jeepers

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Remember the other day I said if one of those physical therapy bands snap that I would be on the other end of it? It didn’t happen. Woo-Hoo!

 

But oh boy. I had another fine mess. I went to physical therapy Monday. I wasn’t really feeling well because I had a bad headache but I still wanted to do the therapy. He said to skip the exercises and he’d do the massage and TENS treatment. Sounded great to me. I love the neck massages. My shoulder muscles were so tight and sore he couldn’t rub them without me tensing up more.

 

He asked me if I was afraid of needles. I said I don’t like them but I can tolerate them. He asked if I’d like to try acupuncture. I said sure. What do I have to lose. I quickly found out what.  I was on one of those chairs that you straddle like a saddle and put your face down in a kind of hole. It might be called a massage chair. I don’t know. He put the needles in my left shoulder and rubbed a little and it was amazing. The muscles loosened right up and stopped hurting instantly. The needles are so tiny and thin that you hardly feel them.  I was so amazed.

 

Then he started doing my right shoulder. Oh crap. It didn’t hurt at all but I started feeling dizzy right away. I could hear him asking me questions but I was too weak (conscious) to answer. The next thing I knew I was sitting on the floor with people around me trying to revive me. The PT guy had me sitting up leaning against him with an ice towel on my back. I was burning up. I’m pretty sure he was scared. Killing patients doesn’t look good on your resume’. Unbeknownst to me some of those guys assisting me were the paramedics.  Yeah, they called them.

 

The main event was in my black out phase. I had thrown up.  I was so embarrassed. I didn’t even know I had done it. They were there with a trash can and paper towels. It was all over my shirt. I don’t know where else it was. Oh yeah, I was a real beauty.  At least I didn’t pee myself.

 

A few minutes later I was in an ambulance (complete with siren and flashing lights) heading to the ER. I was still so nauseous I was afraid I was going to spew again. They started an IV and did a blood sugar test. And gave me an anti-nauseous shot that didn’t work. They were nice pretending like I wasn’t sitting there with vomit all over me stinking. I didn’t really want to go but I was kind of afraid not to.

 

Long story short (I know, too late) I was in the ER from 2:30pm until 11:00pm. Mostly just sitting there in bed with a TV. I really felt like I was wasting valuable resources. Then they found out I was on Medicare. So the testing began. I’m sort of assuming it was because I was insured. Maybe not. They did blood work, MRI, CAT scan, urine test , metabolic panel, two bags of IV drip two EKG’s and a chest x-ray. The x-ray was because I had aspirated some vomit when I was passed out. Lovely. There was another test and it is listed on my sheet like this verbatim,  “Complete Blood Count w/diff $$ stat.”  Notice those dollar signs in there.  Crimony, not too obvious.

 

At 11:00 they wanted to admit me. They were afraid I had had a blood clot that dislodged and made me faint. Or maybe a light stroke/heart attack. Since it was already close to midnight and my neck was on fire I decided to stay. Well, actually, it was more their decision.

 

I had the Dr. order two Advil and an Ambien (before I went to my room) and slept off and on through the night. I was so hungry. I hadn’t had anything since about 11:00am and we know what happened to that lunch. I had breakfast and got the heck out of there.

 

Well, almost. My Jeep was still at the PT building thanks to the ambulance ride. I had to hire an Uber driver to get me to the Jeep.  It wasn’t very far and was a little over $6.00 not counting the tip. I don’t know if you’re supposed to tip them or not. He was a super nice guy and waited until I got in the Jeep and out of the parking lot before he left. He said he was a single dad raising two teenagers and Uber was his second job. I like to help people who try so I didn't mind tipping. I need to find out more about tipping though.

 

Now I have to decide about going back to PT. I’m really embarrassed but on the other hand I don’t want the guy to think I blame him. Stuff happens and he did take good care of me.  I think I just need to get over myself and go back. If I don’t go back I’ll feel like a quitter and carry the unresolved shame.

 

Oh, and they let me sit in that stinking shirt in the ER until one of the radiology girls took pity on me hours later. I had turned the shirt around backwards so it was out of sight. She gave me a scrub shirt and told me not to tell anyone. I gratefully kept my mouth shut and threw my old tee shirt away.

 

You know how your mom told you to always wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident? She was right. That goes for bras too. And for goodness sakes shave those legs. Why? Because if they do an EKG (and they probably will) the electrodes go on your chest, your side and your ankles. Just sayin.

 

I was glad I went ahead and had the scans since I have migraines it’s good to know it isn’t something worse. Also good to know the blood vessels in my head and neck are okay and not annured. Probably isn’t a word.

 

The brain scans came out within the normal range. In other words, they didn’t find anything in there.

 

P.S.

Since writing this the P.T. guy called to check up on me and was hopeful I'd return Thursday. I will. I also looked up acupuncture and fainting/vomiting. It is rare but can happen. And if it can happen I know it will be me. Sigh.

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Whoa.....that was unpleasant.  :( Yeah, accupuncture can cause strong 'reactions'.  Reactions are quite varied and most of the time, a normal phase.  However, ya just gotta find out if it IS  a normal reaction or an indication of something else.  It can be potent therapy tho.  

 

Glad you're okay

MtRider 

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I've had acupuncture 2 or 3 times for shoulder pain and it worked great on me!  I love it!  Sorry about your experience, Jeepers!  

 

Hope you get well soon, Mt. Rider!  I've been feeling a little iffy myself.

 

Made a couple of cakes for the Fall Fest tonight, the cake walk I think.  Spent more time making the decorations than the cakes!

Fall cakes.jpg

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Oh MY Jeepers!  You just talked me out of trying acupuncture - I'm one of those 'lucky' types who never outgrew klutziness.  If things can go wrong, they will for me.  Sooooo glad all the tests came back OK, but wow!  what an experience!

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Thank you again ladies!!!!  :hug3:

 

Don't let my experience talk you out of trying it. I'm one of those people that if there is a possibility of something happening then I will be the one in a million it will happen to. And usually in a public way. Sigh. It didn't hurt and it was doing wonders for my tight shoulder muscles. I THINK one needle put in a sensitive spot and I was Jell-O. Honestly, I would do it again (with a trash can handy) but I'm pretty sure he won't try it on me again.

 

They said I should do a Dr. follow-up but I haven't yet. The ER doctor said all of my tests were okay so I'm not sure what else my Dr. could do $$$. I will let them know about it the next time I go in though.

 

My therapist was off today but he was on the phone twice asking about me while I was there. He's a good guy. I'll see him personally Monday. I had a very good workout with no problems and even afterwards my high blood pressure was lower than normal.

 

Oh, and that very young ER doctor called me elderly.  :mad:

I thought I was a senior citizen.  :pout:

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ELDERLY?????  And they wonder how come our blood pressure goes through the roof?????GRRRRRRRRR.

 

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Both shoulders feel fine except for tightness in the muscles. The tendonitis in my shoulder is getting better. It still hurts but not nearly as bad. I'm sure the exercising is helping.

 

I probably need muscle relaxers but I'm not quite ready for that route yet. I'd like something that works on sore muscles and not knock me out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were at a neighborhood watch meeting, and I asked if we should post a sign saying security cameras were in place. She replied that it was an excellent idea for the elderly to have security cameras and to post a sign.  DH and I looked at each other and said to each other, "I guess we are considered elderly." We may feel older, but definitely don't feel elderly. Lol

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My mom and I joked about them not being "elderly" ....yet.  She was in her 70's.  So we decided 80 was probably 'elderly'.  But when she arrived at 80, we had to push it back to 85.  Nope, still not elderly.  ......but before she reached 81, she recanted.  She'd felt a 'shift' and kinda thot 80+ might just be truly "elderly".  Which is a funny story....and also a sad story.  Now they are 87 and 88 and they both agree to the titled "elderly".  But since they're in their own home....stairs to 3 levels....get their own groceries and everthing else.... "elderly" ain't too bad!

 

MtRider  .....got my own version of "elderly" going on here some days..... :imoksmiley: 

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