ALL BETTER (FOR NOW)

A few weeks back I was teased for possibly having pink eye. In fact, it wasn’t pinkeye, but rater a reaction from allergies when I was housesitting in San Clemente for the 3 or so weeks prior that I never took care of. So, About 3 weeks or so ago, I went to see the doctor to get rid of the redness of my eyes. After being prescribed drops and an antibotic, needless to say I was back to normal by the following week, or so I thought.

A week ago last Friday my right leg started to become sore. I thought that I needed to be off it for a day, so I called in sick, thinking that I’d be back to normal the following day. However, the pain had worsened. By Monday evening the pain was soe severe I felt like crying and I could not sleep. I’ve had gout before, but the pain of gout had nothing on this.

At 1:45am Tuesday morning, l decided to drive to Saddleback Memorial Center and checked myself in to the ER shortly after 2am. I was taken to the back area, where 5 x-rays were taken of my left foot checking for fracture or breaks. After that, I had an ultra-sound performed on my left leg.

By 4am, the results were in and they couldn’t find anything thing wrong. They put a soft boot type cast on my left leg to stabalize my leg to help reduce the pain I was checked out by 4:30am and given a prescription for 800mg of Motrin and 5mg of Hydrodocone, or Norco (aka Vicoden). I was told to make an appointment with my doctor in 2 days and to return to the ER if the pain worsens. After waking up around 1pm that afternoon, I went and had my prescription filled.

Going into Wednesday afternoon, my leg was becoming more painful. I began to use crutches to get around. My foot was becoming a little more red than usual, however, I didn’t notice any swelling. After our usual dinner at Islands a few of us went over to the Wal*Mart at the other side of the shopping center. As I hobbled into the store (which I hate until now) the Indian guy with bad B/O felt bad for me and gave me a electric cart to use while in the store (that’s a whole other story in itself).



After finally getting home arounf 10:45pm Wednesday evening, the pain felt worse than the day before and so I went back to Saddleback’s ER. After talking to the doctor, he took me out of the brace/soft cast and prescribed me 5mg of Valium to help sleep through the pain. After leaving the ER shortly after 1am on Thursday morning, I went home and fell asleep. Until this day, I’d never taken Valium, but it is simply AMAZING!

Thursday morning I had my scheduled doctors appointment. The redness to my foot was there, but with minimal swelling. After the brief visit, a blood draw (WHICH I HATE AND ALWAYS PASS OUT TO) I was prescribed 0.6mg of Colchicine (DON’T TAKE IT IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO-I’ll tell you why in a minute) and another ultra-sound at the Radiology Department at Saddleback Hospital at 1:30pm and scheduled for another visit the following day.



Up until this point they had no idea what was wrong. Fitst thought was either a fracture, possible blood clot, or torn tendon or ligament, but the x-rays and untra-sound rulled those out. After the second ultra-sound they were still unable to find a cause.

Back to the Colchicine, the doctor through that I may have had a more severe form of gout. Previously, I’ve only had it in my big toe which hurts like a mother, but never in the ankle joint. Thinking that this might be the case my doctor prescribed me the Colchicine which should have knocked out the pain. However, the only side effect being the possibility of diarrhea. I was tld to take two pills for the first dose and one pill every hour. By the 6th pill I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. I went to bed only to wake up 3 times during the night, at which time I continued to take a pill each time I woke up.

Friday morning I returned to the doctors office feeling sick to my stomach, having chills, wanting to vomit, and so forth, apparently additional reactions to the Cochicine that I didn’t know about. My doctor took me off the Cochicine and prescribed me 2 additional prescriptions, 50mg of Indomethacin (an anti-inflammatory) and 500mg of Levaquin, something to treat a possible bacterial infection.

After leaving the doctors office and getting my prescriptions filled, I went home and took a Valium and fell asleep for most of the day, before waking up shortly before 5pm and throwing up. After that, I was already starting to feel better.

Saturday morning I was already beginning to feel a whole lot better, but still had a little pain to my left foot. I stayed indoors all day to rest my foot. When I woke up Sunday morning I noticed an even bigger difference in regards to the decrease to pain. I left the house to get my car washed and go to church and out to dinner. Freedom is just around the corner.

I have a doctors appointment Monday morning to be cleared to go back to work for this Tuesday. I don’t think I’ve been this happy to ever get back to work. I just need to stay off of it for another day or so then I should be back to normal. YIPPIE!