Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I do not belive it!

Okay, I've been doing the right things for my back muscle, I just haven't continued long enough. Tranquilizers to stop the spasms and nsaids for the inflammation.

Today, Doc marvin at 11.30. Laughs at my blood stained book of BGL readings and tells me not to worry if readings are a bit higher in summer than in the colder months. He tells me what to do for the back but is worried about the Achilles tendon and wants an ultrasound.
In the meantime, he thinks a blood test is in order.
Ever had a needle bend in the middle halfway into a vein? Great fun.  Try other arm and no problems as my precious blood drains away.

Thinking on my feet/foot, I asked the receptionist to ring the X-Ray place since they usually can get an appointment faster than a civillian. Done, 4 p.m. this afternoon. The place is opposite Southland.
Thinking fast again, I stagger over to the pharmacy for tranqs and water, stagger across the road for the bus to Mentone. Method in the madness, have lunch with mother and catch taxi from the Home straight to southland.  Except that mother is out in Mentone having quiche and ice coffee for lunch and I've walked straight past the cafe. It didn't matter, I sat down in a comfy chair in the lavender room and ate my lunch in peace and quiet while my back eased down from scream to snivell.

Taxi to imaging place with signs everywhere, "Payment is expected on the day". Well, that's what credit cards are for but they bulk billed me, Yea!  Foot is very swollen by now and leg isn't much better but ultrasound machine beeps away. She goes to find a doctor, who inspects Achilles tendon.  Yes, it looks like a small tear but  Houston we have a problem. 

Scientists can photograph a martian picking his nose behind an outcrop of mountainess crud but try to discern a tear in an Achilles tendon in a fat leg, monumental fail.  They are now talking MRI but can't think how to do that with a fat leg.  I have the ultrasound images which I have to give to Doc Marvin but I'm not walking anywhere until somebody tells me what is going on.

Now I have a hate on two bus drivers, SE water and ultrasound experts.

8 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Aaaargh. I really, really hope that solutions are found and your pain diminished.
And aren't those technicians good are twisting your limb into the most painful spot and saying just hold it there as they saunter back to take the images. Humph.

River said...

You bent a needle with your vein??
Geez you're a tough old chook!

I hear you on the back issue, mine did its "tear a little lock-up tight" thing today. (My own stupid fault too, I shouldn't bend down to sweep a little dust into the pan, I should always get down on my knees to do that). Luckily I was at work, so continuing to work, ore slowly and carefully, was the best thing. So, obviously mine isn't the screamer that yours is, but I've been there. I hope the tranqs and anti inflammatories help really soon. That kind of pain is just miserable.

I hope you get the MRI for the Achilles, tiny tears are hard to see even with ultrasound. Just think you may get one of those "Roboboot" thingies for your foot while it heals. That'll be fun....(not)and you can decorate it.

Ann ODyne said...

I had acupuncture in my heel 3 times when my Achilles got the better of me.

'Scientists can photograph a martian picking his nose behind an outcrop of mountainous crud but try to discern a tear in an Achilles tendon in a fat leg, monumental fail'
- Coppy you are a star.
Good luck

Lord Sedgwick said...

Welcome to my world of MRI's ($280 all out of pocket - no medicare refund), torn ankle ligament and cortisone injections. Boy, do they hurt, but not as much as the near $400 for the 2-3 minutes consult and procedure.

Age will not weary them - just debilitation and impoverishment.

iODyne said...

"I do not beliiiive it!"
I loved Victor Meldrew.
He spoke for me.

Is it not hilarious though, to bend for something and not be able to straighten up?
I am always thinking 'how would I handle this manuevre (sp) if I worked in an office?'
Get well soon everybody, and always make sure to take medication with a good stiff drink.

JahTeh said...

EC, the best was the label on the envelope "Left ankle/Hind foot" which in my dopiness I read as "Hind hoof" and was much offended. I told her I didn't have much feeling in the foot because of the swelling but that didn't mean all the way up to the spine.

River, It was already in the vein, a dodgy batch evidently which she thought had been thrown out. I can't have an MRI because of the knee replacements or they'd be plastered to the top of the machine. And I would love to be able to kneel down to do things but that hurts so I bend from the waist and go right to the ground. I hope you didn't go home and clean there as well.

Annie O, thank you "mountainous" not mountainess. I really couldn't think what was wrong with that word last night. Needles in the foot, not good with needles anywhere near the foot. I'm still recovering from technicians shoving needles full of radioactive dye between my toes to see how good my drainage system was before the knee ops.

MiLord, I've been near cortisone injections and the injector kept telling me that if he didn't hit the exact spot it was useless but I still had to pay up. The torn ankle ligament wasn't from trying to kick AGL into next week was it? And don't you love Telstra workers having to train their Indian replacements?

Stacks, I have grabby sticks everywhere unfortunately never where I really need them at the precise moment I have to pick something up.
I did eye the gin last night but a dark cherry ripe bar won out in the soothing stakes. Only $1 a bar at the 'nearly out of date' shop.

River said...

JahTeh, I went home and immediately put voltaren gel on my back as far as I could reach, then laid down flat on the bed with pillows under my knees, just for a half hour I thought, but when I looked at the clock it wa 6:50pm, so I had dinner and took voltaren tablets plus a couple of codeines. My back was surprisingly good this morning. I'm still able to get down on my knees, so that's how I'll be handling the dustpan and brush from now on. I really don't know why I chanced bending over yesterday, you'd think I'd know better by now.

Middle Child said...

I could actually "see" your day - you write so bloody well