Hanging On By A Thread

Three weeks into this compression fracture of my L2, I'm seeing some improvement with mobility, less pain overall, but a very short patience fuse. Three weeks of too much sitting, not enough sleep, and constant pain is a recipe for disaster. I'm trying to be mindful of what the dogs need, but there have been moments when all I can do is sit here and cry because I know I'm not giving them my best me. Not even close. But I don't know how to give them the best me when I can't move like I used to, when I am in pain all the time, and when I'm exhausted. I'm just trying to make it from one moment to the next.

When I was in the ER, I tried to convey just how much pain I was in, but I'm not convinced the nurse practitioner or the nurse believed me. The nurse practitioner offered morphine, which I probably should have taken, but me being me, I figured there was an alternative that wasn't so drastic. I was given Norco while there, but it didn't seem to do anything for the pain. In fact, for the first hour after being given the Norco, the pain intensified. All I could do was sit there and sob. For the first week after returning home from the ER I would sit in my recliner, sobbing all night because of the pain. 

The first four days after the ER, I relied on ibuprofen for the pain, which took the edge off, but even it wasn't doing anything to help me sleep or get any real relief. A prescription for Norco was sent to the pharmacy, but when I was able to go pick it up, I was told there was no prescription sent by the ER. I had the paperwork showing otherwise, but the pharmacist wouldn't fill it since it wasn't in their system. I called my regular doctor and asked about getting something for the pain, and it took two days for a response. When my doctor did respond, instead of prescribing Norco he prescribed Tramadol. After taking one of the Tramadol I didn't notice any kind of relief, so I decided to stick with the ibuprofen.

At this point, I'm totally disgusted by the medical system. The nurse practitioner initially diagnosed sciatica and only ordered the CT scan because I pushed back. When the scan showed the fracture, the change in attitude wasn't lost on me. He suddenly became more sympathetic. When I called my doctor and asked for some kind of pain reliever, I heard nothing for two days and only got a call back because I called again, asking that someone please respond. This Thursday I see a DO, and it took two calls to their office to get a response and an appointment scheduled. Seriously, our healthcare system leaves a lot to be desired.

For so long I've tried to do everything right to avoid this kind of situation. I get lots of exercise. I eat right. I don't drink alcohol or smoke. To end up with this injury, to be basically housebound and have to rely on others for things, is distressing. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's really, really difficult.

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