I'm recovering nicely from Friday, but one-handed typing is too slow/no kind of fun, so no more posting till I can comfortably use both hands...
Enjoy the weather!
Tuesday 9 July 2013
Wednesday 3 July 2013
Health (generally)
I've realised I've not had a great few months..
The problem with my wrist [pain, can't take any weight through it, can't dorsi-flex it fully] which is probably from the ganglion, which may have been caused by trying to prevent my face hitting the very sharp/hard insulation when one of those stupid-energy-saving-bulbs went out (as they so often do) before properly lighting up, and may be caused by that fall and there could be a touch of RSI? And the twisting yank I gave it when we hired the shredder... And the time I used my hand on the tank of the Gixxer to stop me slamming into David when he did an emergency stop...
And, and, and...
I'm sure you get the picture: wrist hurts and is non-flexible/non-weight-bearing.
Anyway, the problem with my wrist has (I think) exacerbated the problems with both of my shoulders trying to stay in plank (and downward dog, etc) and not putting any weight through my right wrist made my (already weak from an old injury) left shoulder hurt and then trying to protect that shoulder strained the other one [old frozen shoulder left that with slightly limited mobility and, and, and]...
And because I've been trying to get my fitness levels better, I've been "working through it", which I (now) suspect was the wrong thing to do.
What finally caused me to stop, though, was the ear infection.
I was a victim of the "you can't see your doctor for three weeks" thing that seems so popular now with GP surgeries, so after trying (and failing) for three days to get an emergency appointment I went to the hospital.
Yes, I felt very stupid being there. Yes, I felt like a time waster. Yes, I didn't want to be clogging up the nurse/doctor's time. But, the doctor confirmed I had a middle ear infection and gave me antibiotics.
I was apologising to the nurse for being there when I shouldn't have been, and she said it was very common to see people who couldn't get a GP appointment, and they only had two other people in the waiting room, so not to worry about it!
Didn't stop me feeling like a bad person, but did ease up on the guilt somewhat.
I couldn't swim and had dizziness, so cut out the yoga/body balance/pilates as well.
Then I realised just quite how bad my shoulders had got! The constant discomfort had really disrupted my sleep, which I think contributed to my getting the worst chest infection I've had in ages [which turned into a stinking cold that lasted over six weeks, and has further disrupted my sleep]. The previous time we were in France I couldn't do any more than lie on the sofa; and even that was beyond me for a couple of days.
The enforced rest started to help my shoulders feel better, and I've been seeing an acupuncturist, which has also helped. I'm just doing light weights, and a lot of walking, so I am getting some exercise, just not as much as I want/like.
The antibiotics cleared up the ear infection, and the deafness has improved to the level that I can hear about half the volume in that ear, but the tinnitus is constant; I could do without that, but hope it will go, given time.
And, apart from the cold that started yesterday, I'm feeling much better!
I'm hopeful that the surgery will enable me to use my wrist properly, which will then ease my shoulders?
Only time will tell, but I'm going to be so careful with getting back into my classes, and my lovely assistant is going to be doing the bulk of the heavy work until Mr K. is happy with my wrist.
Sorry, David!
The problem with my wrist [pain, can't take any weight through it, can't dorsi-flex it fully] which is probably from the ganglion, which may have been caused by trying to prevent my face hitting the very sharp/hard insulation when one of those stupid-energy-saving-bulbs went out (as they so often do) before properly lighting up, and may be caused by that fall and there could be a touch of RSI? And the twisting yank I gave it when we hired the shredder... And the time I used my hand on the tank of the Gixxer to stop me slamming into David when he did an emergency stop...
And, and, and...
I'm sure you get the picture: wrist hurts and is non-flexible/non-weight-bearing.
Anyway, the problem with my wrist has (I think) exacerbated the problems with both of my shoulders trying to stay in plank (and downward dog, etc) and not putting any weight through my right wrist made my (already weak from an old injury) left shoulder hurt and then trying to protect that shoulder strained the other one [old frozen shoulder left that with slightly limited mobility and, and, and]...
And because I've been trying to get my fitness levels better, I've been "working through it", which I (now) suspect was the wrong thing to do.
What finally caused me to stop, though, was the ear infection.
I was a victim of the "you can't see your doctor for three weeks" thing that seems so popular now with GP surgeries, so after trying (and failing) for three days to get an emergency appointment I went to the hospital.
Yes, I felt very stupid being there. Yes, I felt like a time waster. Yes, I didn't want to be clogging up the nurse/doctor's time. But, the doctor confirmed I had a middle ear infection and gave me antibiotics.
I was apologising to the nurse for being there when I shouldn't have been, and she said it was very common to see people who couldn't get a GP appointment, and they only had two other people in the waiting room, so not to worry about it!
Didn't stop me feeling like a bad person, but did ease up on the guilt somewhat.
I couldn't swim and had dizziness, so cut out the yoga/body balance/pilates as well.
Then I realised just quite how bad my shoulders had got! The constant discomfort had really disrupted my sleep, which I think contributed to my getting the worst chest infection I've had in ages [which turned into a stinking cold that lasted over six weeks, and has further disrupted my sleep]. The previous time we were in France I couldn't do any more than lie on the sofa; and even that was beyond me for a couple of days.
The enforced rest started to help my shoulders feel better, and I've been seeing an acupuncturist, which has also helped. I'm just doing light weights, and a lot of walking, so I am getting some exercise, just not as much as I want/like.
The antibiotics cleared up the ear infection, and the deafness has improved to the level that I can hear about half the volume in that ear, but the tinnitus is constant; I could do without that, but hope it will go, given time.
And, apart from the cold that started yesterday, I'm feeling much better!
I'm hopeful that the surgery will enable me to use my wrist properly, which will then ease my shoulders?
Only time will tell, but I'm going to be so careful with getting back into my classes, and my lovely assistant is going to be doing the bulk of the heavy work until Mr K. is happy with my wrist.
Sorry, David!
MRI scan #2
I had to go for another MRI scan last Wednesday.
Well, I actually had to go for the scan I was supposed to have in the first place!
I think I'm the piggy-in-the-middle in a power struggle between consultant and radiologist, but I'm keeping my head down on that.
Anyway, I was supposed to have an arthrogram followed by a scan, but the first time around the receptionist of the MRI unit called to say I only needed the MRI scan, no arthrogram. My surgery was scheduled for last Friday, so I was a bit thrown to get a call on Monday scheduling me in for the Wednesday appointment.
That was my fault - we'd got back from France on the Sunday evening, but I didn't get around to listening to the answerphone until Monday evening; the surgery has been put back to this Friday and the Radiology Department had been trying to get hold of me.
The long and the short of it was Mr K. did want me to have the arthrogram, so I was back again last week.
This time I went to the X-ray department first to have gadolinium injected into my wrist. I was fine with the needle in the wrist, fine with the x-ray dye in the wrist, and then not-so-fine when the Gadoteridol went in.
:-(
I felt like a wuss, and was back to normal within a minute, but because I'd come over all "wobbly" [felt as though I was going to black out, and had sweaty palms/tunnel vision], the poor nurse had to push me up the hill to the MRI building.
Wobbliness < 1 min; embarrassment > 5 min.
Having my should extended for nearly an hour [the machine was malfunctioning at first, so the radiographer restarted the scan, and then it was on a go-slow as it had had a busy day!] has upset the problem I've been having with that shoulder. It's much better now, but I could do without that!
The scan was successful, so hopefully on Friday I'll be able to see the difference in the image [whether I'll know if it was worth having two scans, I'm more doubtful].
I look like I've been "Tango-ed", but it came off pretty easily [if the wrist hadn't been tender, I could have scrubbed harder and it wouldn't have been any kind of challenge!].
I've still got a hard, tender lump just "north" of the ganglion, so I'm hoping that will have gone away by the time I have the operation; the bruising has gone - just in time for a new bruise from yesterday where the nurse took blood.
I was thinking "great, end of sharp things being stuck into me", but I'm pretty sure Mr K. is going to use sharp things on Friday. I have to admit I'm not looking forward to it, but if I can have the nerve block (rather than a general anaesthetic) that would make it easier...
[I was very depressed after the last time I had a general, so am particularly keen to avoid that if at all possible. I'd much rather be awake while someone is slicing into me! I won't know until Friday morning which method they are going to use, so I get to fast/only sips of water from midnight just in case. I'm fine with the fasting, but will miss my bucket of herbal Twinings!]
Now I just have to concentrate on not being nervous about the ganglion excision...
Well, I actually had to go for the scan I was supposed to have in the first place!
I think I'm the piggy-in-the-middle in a power struggle between consultant and radiologist, but I'm keeping my head down on that.
Anyway, I was supposed to have an arthrogram followed by a scan, but the first time around the receptionist of the MRI unit called to say I only needed the MRI scan, no arthrogram. My surgery was scheduled for last Friday, so I was a bit thrown to get a call on Monday scheduling me in for the Wednesday appointment.
That was my fault - we'd got back from France on the Sunday evening, but I didn't get around to listening to the answerphone until Monday evening; the surgery has been put back to this Friday and the Radiology Department had been trying to get hold of me.
The long and the short of it was Mr K. did want me to have the arthrogram, so I was back again last week.
This time I went to the X-ray department first to have gadolinium injected into my wrist. I was fine with the needle in the wrist, fine with the x-ray dye in the wrist, and then not-so-fine when the Gadoteridol went in.
:-(
I felt like a wuss, and was back to normal within a minute, but because I'd come over all "wobbly" [felt as though I was going to black out, and had sweaty palms/tunnel vision], the poor nurse had to push me up the hill to the MRI building.
Wobbliness < 1 min; embarrassment > 5 min.
Having my should extended for nearly an hour [the machine was malfunctioning at first, so the radiographer restarted the scan, and then it was on a go-slow as it had had a busy day!] has upset the problem I've been having with that shoulder. It's much better now, but I could do without that!
The scan was successful, so hopefully on Friday I'll be able to see the difference in the image [whether I'll know if it was worth having two scans, I'm more doubtful].
I was thinking "great, end of sharp things being stuck into me", but I'm pretty sure Mr K. is going to use sharp things on Friday. I have to admit I'm not looking forward to it, but if I can have the nerve block (rather than a general anaesthetic) that would make it easier...
[I was very depressed after the last time I had a general, so am particularly keen to avoid that if at all possible. I'd much rather be awake while someone is slicing into me! I won't know until Friday morning which method they are going to use, so I get to fast/only sips of water from midnight just in case. I'm fine with the fasting, but will miss my bucket of herbal Twinings!]
Now I just have to concentrate on not being nervous about the ganglion excision...
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