Things were starting to look up...
Then it all went down hill, starting last Thursday. Well, Monday really. I started with this pain in my back that felt mysteriously like my kidneys feel when they are acting up. But it had been years since I had an infection & previously I would go months before having them treated with no problems. I also had just started my period & thought maybe it was just bad cramps.
Come Wednesday they weren't any better, but not a ton worse either. Advil was still taking it away but I couldn't get up & walk around too much or my whole pelvic area would ache. I went to bed that night & woke up around 1am with convulsive shivers that wouldn't stop. I actually woke Jon up I was shaking the bed so badly. The first time they happened I was shaking for a good 45 minutes straight.
I had Jon get me the themometer & I had a temperture of 103 at some points. I laid in bed & tried to sleep, but it just wasn't working & my pain was getting worse. I finally ended up going out to the couch & I was able to sleep maybe 2 more hours or so on & off, I had a couple more shivering episodes & my fever was still 101 or more.
Come morning I decided that I couldn't wait for an appointment with my doctor & I needed to go to the ER. We got Isis up & dressed, all the while my pain was getting worse. By the time we got out the door to take Isis to my MIL's, I was bawling & every little tiny bump on the road was agony. Jon decided to drop me off at the ER & then take Isis to his Mom's.
I bawled my way into triage & had pretty well decided by that point I had a kidney stone, not just an infection. They saw me really quickly & actually I had already seen the doctor by the time Jon got back. Between putting an IV in & trying to draw blood, they had to stick me *9* times before they found good enough veins.
But, once they finally got the IV in, they gave me Morphine, Tramadol & some anti-nausea meds & I started to feel much better. They did a blood & urine culture on me as well. The ER doctor came in originally & told me I had very "dirty" (read: infected) urine, so they put me in for a CT Scan. He said if the CT Scan showed that I didn't have any stones they would send me home on some Antibiotics & pain meds.
Well, the CT Scan showed that I had a small (2-3mm) stone that was blocking my ureter. Fluid was unable to pass through the kidney, so as a result of that the kidney was very large & swollen. There was also an obvious infection backed up behind the stone.
The ER doctor came back & told me they would need to admit me at least over night & do surgery to insert a stent (tube) into my kidney that would open the ureter & let the stone pass & also let the infection drain.
Needless to say I was pretty scared. They took me "upstairs" & admitted me to a room. The anesthesiologist came to see me shortly after I got there & said they were going to take me right in. In the middle of talking to me, he got a call for an emergency C-section so he ran away (literally) & came back another hour or so later. (Oh & just a note here, apparently the C-section never happened. The woman said she needed to push & she delivered vaginally on the OR table. How lucky is that?).
They took me to the OR, gave me some vercit (the anesthesiologist said "this will be like a 6 pack of beer with no hangover, all the men will look good). He was right, good stuff. They moved me to the OR table & gave me some oxygen & that's the last thing I remember before I woke up in the recovery room.
That was the first time I've ever been fully put under (I've been sedated before) & I was scared I would be sick. The anesthesiologist assured me he would do everything he could to prevent it & I kid you not I could have ate a 7 course meal in the recovery room. I felt great.
I spent the next day or so in a hospital room, bored out of my mind while they pumped me full of IV antibiotics & asked me a gazillion times if I had any pain (I had very little). Come to find out the stone must have passed after they gave me the Morphine when I relaxed, but the stent was still put in because my infection was so bad the ureter was swollen shut.
They sent me home & gave me a prescription for oral antibiotics. That's when I got sick. I went through 2 different ones before I finally told them to give me a different CLASS of them.
I'm on a new one now & finally today am feeling about 95% better. I never, ever want to go through this again. I have a CT Scan today to make sure the infection is going away & the stone is gone. Then on 4/2 I will have the stent removed in the doctors office.
I told Jon if I ever have cancer, he should take me out back & shoot me. I never want to deal with so many doctors ever again.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Mock DWI, NH, etc
Michele from our county STOP DWI program got ahold of me again a couple weeks ago. She asked if I would be interested in presenting at any of their Mock DWI crashes this year. I emailed her back & told her it would be dependent on the dates & times. I wanted to atleast send her an email to let her know I wasn't completely 'un-interested'.
A couple days ago, she got back to me & said the first one was on May 1st & said she wouldn't be able to be there, but she gave my name to the SADD director at the school (who I believe to be a student, per her grammar/spelling & the fact she addressed me as 'Ms.Towne'). The SADD director emailed me & said they plan on having a presentor for before & a presentor for after the crash.
I hmm'd over it & decided I should just take the leap & do it. I emailed her back & said I would, but I wanted to present before the crash because the last one I watched was so emotional for me there was no way I could have presented after.
Now I need to figure out what the heck I'm going to say. The last one I did was on October 20th, 2005. Which would have been my Mother's birthday & I figured that was sign enough I needed to do it. But now I have a lot more information about the accident & I'm a lot more removed from it. I'm afraid I won't get my point across as well. I sobbed through half of my story the last time.
The part I'm having the hardest time with is how I address the fact, that the woman that hit them...was charged with 2 counts of Intoxicated Manslaughter & walked away with a felony DWI...no jail time & not even a suspended license. In some ways it brings to light the failure in the judicial system, but in others it says "See if you drink & drive & kill someone, well its not THAT bad".
The other woman that presented with me last time (& I assume she will again, she does just about every one of them), lost her son when he was 16 I think? His friend was driving drunk. His friend walked away & her son died. She spends about 5 total minutes on her really heartbreaking story & the other 15 minutes of her presentation talking about kids having morals & responsibility & logic.
Both Jon & I agreed that she might be getting blank stares from some of these 16 & 17 year olds. I decided last time to focus instead on the sheer shock value of losing two parents at once, at a young age. Going as far as to give some of my sisters perspective, since she was 14 at the time. There were tons of kids sobbing at the end of my part & I really think *that's* the way you reach a highschooler. Not with a "You should be more responsible then that" speech.
Maybe I'm wrong?
On a lighter note, I booked our vacation yesterday. I'm so flippin' excited about that. We are going to Lincoln, NH. I know how did we come about staying in NH? Well, we planned on going back to the place we spent our honeymoon. However, the timeshare we use (MIL's & FIL's) didn't have dates available into May yet.
I kept waiting & they just never were coming up. I was afraid that either A) I couldn't give enough notice or B) they were going to jack the price when they fianally gave them. We paid $1100 for the week when we stayed for our honeymoon. Soo! We decided to look in NH & go for something "new".
My Step Dad grew up in Littleton, NH & Lincoln is apparently only 25 minutes from there. Its also 2 hours from Boston & 2 hours from Portsmouth, which is a coast town that has some good shopping I guess?
Yay for vacations!
Michele from our county STOP DWI program got ahold of me again a couple weeks ago. She asked if I would be interested in presenting at any of their Mock DWI crashes this year. I emailed her back & told her it would be dependent on the dates & times. I wanted to atleast send her an email to let her know I wasn't completely 'un-interested'.
A couple days ago, she got back to me & said the first one was on May 1st & said she wouldn't be able to be there, but she gave my name to the SADD director at the school (who I believe to be a student, per her grammar/spelling & the fact she addressed me as 'Ms.Towne'). The SADD director emailed me & said they plan on having a presentor for before & a presentor for after the crash.
I hmm'd over it & decided I should just take the leap & do it. I emailed her back & said I would, but I wanted to present before the crash because the last one I watched was so emotional for me there was no way I could have presented after.
Now I need to figure out what the heck I'm going to say. The last one I did was on October 20th, 2005. Which would have been my Mother's birthday & I figured that was sign enough I needed to do it. But now I have a lot more information about the accident & I'm a lot more removed from it. I'm afraid I won't get my point across as well. I sobbed through half of my story the last time.
The part I'm having the hardest time with is how I address the fact, that the woman that hit them...was charged with 2 counts of Intoxicated Manslaughter & walked away with a felony DWI...no jail time & not even a suspended license. In some ways it brings to light the failure in the judicial system, but in others it says "See if you drink & drive & kill someone, well its not THAT bad".
The other woman that presented with me last time (& I assume she will again, she does just about every one of them), lost her son when he was 16 I think? His friend was driving drunk. His friend walked away & her son died. She spends about 5 total minutes on her really heartbreaking story & the other 15 minutes of her presentation talking about kids having morals & responsibility & logic.
Both Jon & I agreed that she might be getting blank stares from some of these 16 & 17 year olds. I decided last time to focus instead on the sheer shock value of losing two parents at once, at a young age. Going as far as to give some of my sisters perspective, since she was 14 at the time. There were tons of kids sobbing at the end of my part & I really think *that's* the way you reach a highschooler. Not with a "You should be more responsible then that" speech.
Maybe I'm wrong?
On a lighter note, I booked our vacation yesterday. I'm so flippin' excited about that. We are going to Lincoln, NH. I know how did we come about staying in NH? Well, we planned on going back to the place we spent our honeymoon. However, the timeshare we use (MIL's & FIL's) didn't have dates available into May yet.
I kept waiting & they just never were coming up. I was afraid that either A) I couldn't give enough notice or B) they were going to jack the price when they fianally gave them. We paid $1100 for the week when we stayed for our honeymoon. Soo! We decided to look in NH & go for something "new".
My Step Dad grew up in Littleton, NH & Lincoln is apparently only 25 minutes from there. Its also 2 hours from Boston & 2 hours from Portsmouth, which is a coast town that has some good shopping I guess?
Yay for vacations!
Monday, March 03, 2008
My Grown Up Weekend
My MIL & FIL took Isis for the whole weekend! They hadn't seen her in three weeks because they were in FL for vacation, so they were more then willing to.
Jon worked a midnight shift on Friday morning (12am-10am), so he was still asleep when I got home from work. MIL & FIL came to get Isis around 6pm & then I went in to wake him up. We both laid in bed for awhile & watched TV, which was wonderful in itself.
Then we decided we wanted to have dinner, so we went to Lobster House at like 8:30pm & it was so nice & quiet in there & we talked the whole time, it had been along time since we had uninteruptted conversation where we didn't feel rushed. We had gone out for Valentine's Day but since Isis was with a sitter we were paying for, it was harder not to worry about the time & when we got home.
After that we came home & went to bed with the intention of sleeping in the next morning. However, Jon was up before 6am & I was up before 7am. I guess that's what we get for working so often & getting used to not sleeping in!
We hung around the house until about noon, read our books & just generally relaxed. Then we went & had lunch at Eben's (yes, we were taking advantage of getting to eat out since we haven't done it much since Feb 1st). After lunch we went to the Sugar Island trail that is near our house.
We had never been on the trail before & we were hoping to snow shoe. Turns out its not a great snow shoeing trail, because either end of it is paved & plowed before it starts the actual trail. We ended up just walking the paved/gravel portion of it (about a mile & a half). We poked around both the dam & the power house (which was very cool, we need to go back & get pictures).
Then we came home, got our snow shoes on & walked the 1/2 mile loop that Jon cut on our property. I sure did get enough exercise that day!
That night, we decided to go out & see Sandi & Derek. We hung out & eventually watched Jeff Dunham on DVD with them (so funny, I love him :). We stayed until about 9pm & then came home. Neither of us had dinner, but both of us were so whooped that we didn't even want to think about cooking something (I didn't even have the energy to eat), so we went to bed.
Yesterday morning we relaxed until Noon or so, when MIL got back from church with Isis & then we went over to her house to get Isis.
I feel refreshed & for the first time in awhile I wasn't dreading coming to work this morning.
I suggest for anyone that CAN to take a weekend to yourself with your hubby, it sure does make you remember why you married them :)
My MIL & FIL took Isis for the whole weekend! They hadn't seen her in three weeks because they were in FL for vacation, so they were more then willing to.
Jon worked a midnight shift on Friday morning (12am-10am), so he was still asleep when I got home from work. MIL & FIL came to get Isis around 6pm & then I went in to wake him up. We both laid in bed for awhile & watched TV, which was wonderful in itself.
Then we decided we wanted to have dinner, so we went to Lobster House at like 8:30pm & it was so nice & quiet in there & we talked the whole time, it had been along time since we had uninteruptted conversation where we didn't feel rushed. We had gone out for Valentine's Day but since Isis was with a sitter we were paying for, it was harder not to worry about the time & when we got home.
After that we came home & went to bed with the intention of sleeping in the next morning. However, Jon was up before 6am & I was up before 7am. I guess that's what we get for working so often & getting used to not sleeping in!
We hung around the house until about noon, read our books & just generally relaxed. Then we went & had lunch at Eben's (yes, we were taking advantage of getting to eat out since we haven't done it much since Feb 1st). After lunch we went to the Sugar Island trail that is near our house.
We had never been on the trail before & we were hoping to snow shoe. Turns out its not a great snow shoeing trail, because either end of it is paved & plowed before it starts the actual trail. We ended up just walking the paved/gravel portion of it (about a mile & a half). We poked around both the dam & the power house (which was very cool, we need to go back & get pictures).
Then we came home, got our snow shoes on & walked the 1/2 mile loop that Jon cut on our property. I sure did get enough exercise that day!
That night, we decided to go out & see Sandi & Derek. We hung out & eventually watched Jeff Dunham on DVD with them (so funny, I love him :). We stayed until about 9pm & then came home. Neither of us had dinner, but both of us were so whooped that we didn't even want to think about cooking something (I didn't even have the energy to eat), so we went to bed.
Yesterday morning we relaxed until Noon or so, when MIL got back from church with Isis & then we went over to her house to get Isis.
I feel refreshed & for the first time in awhile I wasn't dreading coming to work this morning.
I suggest for anyone that CAN to take a weekend to yourself with your hubby, it sure does make you remember why you married them :)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Just Let her be Well!
Isis has now been officially sick since Thursday evening. Thursday night was the last night she has slept that she didn't wake up atleast twice. Mommy is exhausted, Daddy is exhausted. Jon stayed home with her on Friday & I stayed home with her yesterday.
She actually seemed to be better yesterday, she slept well for her nap, was chipper, ate well & was fever free. Albeit, she was slobbery. She did sleep better last night then any other night. She went down at 8, was up at 11 & then back down until 5am. Jon got up with her at 5am for good.
She was looking pretty ill again this morning though. I was so disapointed to see that. Miriam is with her today, because she was so happy yesterday I figured it was safe to have her come back. I have to wonder if her yucky-ness it caused by her being up at 5am & by the time I left at 7:30-ish she was ready for her nap already (she's normally up at 7am & back down for a nap by 10am).
Miriam put her down for a nap & if she's not better/more awake when she gets her up, then I'm going to go home again. I'm likely going to make her an appointment as well, if she doesn't seem to be better. Everytime I do that, she seems much better by the time we can get her to the doctor (of course, isn't that always the way).
I feel like someone has been sick constantly since Christmas. Jon & I had a stomach thing right after Christmas & then Isis had a chest cold. It was mid January before we were all well again. Now in Mid-Feburary we have all been sick again!
Its such an emotional drain when things are like this. I can't really explain why, but I get so depressed from dealing with Jon being sick & Isis being sick. I think mostly because I'm a worry wart (to the upteenth degree) & I spend my time worrying that I'm not doing something right for them or they are going to end up too sick.
Isis has now been officially sick since Thursday evening. Thursday night was the last night she has slept that she didn't wake up atleast twice. Mommy is exhausted, Daddy is exhausted. Jon stayed home with her on Friday & I stayed home with her yesterday.
She actually seemed to be better yesterday, she slept well for her nap, was chipper, ate well & was fever free. Albeit, she was slobbery. She did sleep better last night then any other night. She went down at 8, was up at 11 & then back down until 5am. Jon got up with her at 5am for good.
She was looking pretty ill again this morning though. I was so disapointed to see that. Miriam is with her today, because she was so happy yesterday I figured it was safe to have her come back. I have to wonder if her yucky-ness it caused by her being up at 5am & by the time I left at 7:30-ish she was ready for her nap already (she's normally up at 7am & back down for a nap by 10am).
Miriam put her down for a nap & if she's not better/more awake when she gets her up, then I'm going to go home again. I'm likely going to make her an appointment as well, if she doesn't seem to be better. Everytime I do that, she seems much better by the time we can get her to the doctor (of course, isn't that always the way).
I feel like someone has been sick constantly since Christmas. Jon & I had a stomach thing right after Christmas & then Isis had a chest cold. It was mid January before we were all well again. Now in Mid-Feburary we have all been sick again!
Its such an emotional drain when things are like this. I can't really explain why, but I get so depressed from dealing with Jon being sick & Isis being sick. I think mostly because I'm a worry wart (to the upteenth degree) & I spend my time worrying that I'm not doing something right for them or they are going to end up too sick.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
What happened the year you were born?
In 1983 (the year you were born) |
 Ronald Reagan is president of the US Sally Ride becomes the first American woman to travel in space Marines are killed when a TNT laden suicide terrorists blows up Marine headquarters at Beirut International Airport US Marines and Rangers invade the island of Grenada and evacuate hundreds of US citizens The Soviets shoot down Korean Airlines flight 007 The Internet Domain Name System was invented by Paul Mockapetris Ronald Wilson Reagan signs a bill creating Martin Luther King Day Baltimore Orioles win the World Series Washington Redskins win Superbowl XVII New York Islanders win the Stanley Cup Return of the Jedi is the top grossing film "Every Breath You Take" by The Police spends the most time at the top of US charts The A-Team and Webster premiere |
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Double Standards in the Parenting World
I for the most part consider Jon & myself to have a 50/50 parenting relasionship. Atleast compared to a lot of other parents that I have close exposure to. From day one, diapers, bottles, dressing, bed etc have been something that Jon knows how to do & does well. In fact when Isis was really little he was better with handling the stress of a newborn then I was in most cases.
All of that however, does not stop me from feeling like there is such a double standard that Mom's have to endure.
Last weekend my sister came to stay with us, as my father was out of town. I had to work at Century 21 on Saturday, I wanted to have a lunch with my sister & I had a massage appointment in the afternoon. Since Jon & I had spent several weekends in a row going places & doing things together, I told him that Saturday I wasn't going to be around much & asked if he would watch Isis. He said he would & I told him turn that Saturday night/Sunday were his to do whatever he pleased as well.
On Saturday I left for Century 21 at 10am & Isis went down for her nap at 11am. I was home from Century 21 at 12:30pm (much earlier then I thought, I didn't stay long as it was so slow). Isis was still sleeping at that point. I decided to get a quick nap before she woke up. I heard her wake up & I heard Jon go down to get her, then he told her to come wake me up.
I got up & made her lunch, played with her for most of the afternoon & then I went to my massage appointment. I was gone for 2 hours. I got home & it was 30 minutes past when Isis was due for dinner, Jon was playing Nintendo & said "I figured I'd find out what you wanted her to have for dinner".
So I made her dinner, got her in PJ's & got her into bed. Jon watched her while awake for a total of 3 hours of that day, of the 9 hours she was awake. BUT, everytime I came home he immediately turned her care over to me.
I let it drop because I just wasn't in the mood to argue with him & Caitlin was there.
Sunday/Monday I was sick, I had some sort of cold/flu combination. Dry cough, sore thoart, weak, tired, achey & I had a fever. I went to work like always & I took care of Isis like always. The only thing more that Jon did was to give her a bath, which he wasn't horribly happy about (it was only bath #3 he had ever given her).
Yesterday morning Jon woke up with a headache & many of the other things I had. Last night, he started with the fever. I got him some Tylenol & a blanket. He got grumpy & short with me when I asked him to come sit at the table with Isis while I used the bathroom.
Then as soon as I got back, he went back in the livingroom & started playing Nintendo. I think that's what brought this all to a head.
Why do I cater to him when he's sick? Why I do make sure he gets his meds, has a blanket, gets a back rub & gets enough rest? Because he certainly doesn't do the same thing for me. The last time I started with the stomach bug he was out in the garage all night with my brother while I was barfing inside & he didn't come to check on me ONCE.
He doesn't offer to help with Isis so I can rest & he doesn't offer to help around the house so that I can rest.
In general even when I'm not sick, Isis is my problem & under my "direction" unless I ask him to do something for her. Normally, he doesn't have a lot of problem if I ask him to do things but he *never* just gets up & gives her a meal (he knows what time she eats). He *never* just takes the initiative to change her from PJ's to day time clothes or to change her first morning diaper. He *never* realizes that maybe she could use a bath. He *never* puts her down for bed or nap unless I specify its time for bed or nap & he *knows* what time she goes down.
I want just *one* night where I can sit & do what he does after work & not have a care in the world about if Isis is going to eat/get changed/get to bed. He does it when I'm not home, so can't he do it just *sometimes* when I am?!
It seems this double standard exists in almost every parenting situation I know of & I am just so frustrated that I'm not sure theres a way to break it.
I for the most part consider Jon & myself to have a 50/50 parenting relasionship. Atleast compared to a lot of other parents that I have close exposure to. From day one, diapers, bottles, dressing, bed etc have been something that Jon knows how to do & does well. In fact when Isis was really little he was better with handling the stress of a newborn then I was in most cases.
All of that however, does not stop me from feeling like there is such a double standard that Mom's have to endure.
Last weekend my sister came to stay with us, as my father was out of town. I had to work at Century 21 on Saturday, I wanted to have a lunch with my sister & I had a massage appointment in the afternoon. Since Jon & I had spent several weekends in a row going places & doing things together, I told him that Saturday I wasn't going to be around much & asked if he would watch Isis. He said he would & I told him turn that Saturday night/Sunday were his to do whatever he pleased as well.
On Saturday I left for Century 21 at 10am & Isis went down for her nap at 11am. I was home from Century 21 at 12:30pm (much earlier then I thought, I didn't stay long as it was so slow). Isis was still sleeping at that point. I decided to get a quick nap before she woke up. I heard her wake up & I heard Jon go down to get her, then he told her to come wake me up.
I got up & made her lunch, played with her for most of the afternoon & then I went to my massage appointment. I was gone for 2 hours. I got home & it was 30 minutes past when Isis was due for dinner, Jon was playing Nintendo & said "I figured I'd find out what you wanted her to have for dinner".
So I made her dinner, got her in PJ's & got her into bed. Jon watched her while awake for a total of 3 hours of that day, of the 9 hours she was awake. BUT, everytime I came home he immediately turned her care over to me.
I let it drop because I just wasn't in the mood to argue with him & Caitlin was there.
Sunday/Monday I was sick, I had some sort of cold/flu combination. Dry cough, sore thoart, weak, tired, achey & I had a fever. I went to work like always & I took care of Isis like always. The only thing more that Jon did was to give her a bath, which he wasn't horribly happy about (it was only bath #3 he had ever given her).
Yesterday morning Jon woke up with a headache & many of the other things I had. Last night, he started with the fever. I got him some Tylenol & a blanket. He got grumpy & short with me when I asked him to come sit at the table with Isis while I used the bathroom.
Then as soon as I got back, he went back in the livingroom & started playing Nintendo. I think that's what brought this all to a head.
Why do I cater to him when he's sick? Why I do make sure he gets his meds, has a blanket, gets a back rub & gets enough rest? Because he certainly doesn't do the same thing for me. The last time I started with the stomach bug he was out in the garage all night with my brother while I was barfing inside & he didn't come to check on me ONCE.
He doesn't offer to help with Isis so I can rest & he doesn't offer to help around the house so that I can rest.
In general even when I'm not sick, Isis is my problem & under my "direction" unless I ask him to do something for her. Normally, he doesn't have a lot of problem if I ask him to do things but he *never* just gets up & gives her a meal (he knows what time she eats). He *never* just takes the initiative to change her from PJ's to day time clothes or to change her first morning diaper. He *never* realizes that maybe she could use a bath. He *never* puts her down for bed or nap unless I specify its time for bed or nap & he *knows* what time she goes down.
I want just *one* night where I can sit & do what he does after work & not have a care in the world about if Isis is going to eat/get changed/get to bed. He does it when I'm not home, so can't he do it just *sometimes* when I am?!
It seems this double standard exists in almost every parenting situation I know of & I am just so frustrated that I'm not sure theres a way to break it.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Nerve Conduction Test & Needle Study
Back Story: Around the first of the year I started with weakness in my right hand. It was a feeling like when you gripped something hard for a long time or when you used it a lot & it was very tired. It was also accompanied by a twitch/muscle spasm in my thumb & fore finger.
I went to see my Endo on January 29th & she suggested that I go to see an Orthopedic doctor that could look at the nerves in my hand/elbow. They called me & scheduled a Nerve conduction test for yesterday.
So off I went to have the test, after doing some research & being pretty nervous about it. I'll give you a step by step account of how everything went.
1. I was told to strip from the waist up & put on a stylish hospital gown.
2. I was given a very, very warm hot pack & I was told to put my hands on it to warm them.
3. The doctor came in & he had me grip his hands, push back on him etc so he could get an idea of what my right hand was doing, vs what my left was doing.
4. I Laid down on the hospital bed & had these sticky little probes connected to me. They are like the little metal disks they put on for an EKG. I had them all over my hand & fingers on the right side.
5. They hooked up leads to the little metal disks, they were black, red & green. I kind of felt like a car when you are jumping it :)
6. They took this thing that looked like a taser (no kidding), put ultrasound jelly on it & set it in several places on my arm & shocked me with electricity. The strength of the electricity ranged anywhere from what it feels like to be zapped after you have scuffed around the carpet, to what it feels like to touch an electric fence (they had a dial & they turned up the voltage when need be).
Honestly, this didn't really hurt so much as feel very strange. I did start to feel some pain when he would have to zap me several times in a row in a certain spot.
7. After the Nerve conduction test was done (about 20 minutes or so) they did what's called a needle study. They pulled out this very long thin needle that was connected to a lead wire as well. Apparently, they were looking for the natural electric current the body gives off.
8. They stuck the needle into the muscle of my arm/hand in about 7 or 8 different places & moved it around.
9. While the needle was positioned in my muscle the doctor would have me flex the muscle to listen to changes in the sounds coming from the machine he was working on.
All in all, this part was not cool. I honestly, was going to tell him to stop & turns out he was on the last one anyway. I was starting to get woozey from all the needle sticking.
Apparently, the nerve conduction test came back within normal range. He said the needle study didn't come back "Stone Cold normal" but it wasn't definitive enough to diagnose a problem either. He feels that either I have very mild carpel tunnel AND ulnar Nueropathy or I'm going to have it at some point anyway.
He sent me to be fitted for a wrist brace & also wants me to buy an elbow pad from a sports store. Both will be worn only at night to keep my wrist/elbow in a relaxed position.
He did take some x-rays of my neck/jaw as well & I haven't heard anything back about those so I'm not sure if that means they are normal or what.
I go back in a month to see if everything he gave me for ideas has improved my situation. If not then we'll need do an MRI on my elbow to get a more definitve answer.
Back Story: Around the first of the year I started with weakness in my right hand. It was a feeling like when you gripped something hard for a long time or when you used it a lot & it was very tired. It was also accompanied by a twitch/muscle spasm in my thumb & fore finger.
I went to see my Endo on January 29th & she suggested that I go to see an Orthopedic doctor that could look at the nerves in my hand/elbow. They called me & scheduled a Nerve conduction test for yesterday.
So off I went to have the test, after doing some research & being pretty nervous about it. I'll give you a step by step account of how everything went.
1. I was told to strip from the waist up & put on a stylish hospital gown.
2. I was given a very, very warm hot pack & I was told to put my hands on it to warm them.
3. The doctor came in & he had me grip his hands, push back on him etc so he could get an idea of what my right hand was doing, vs what my left was doing.
4. I Laid down on the hospital bed & had these sticky little probes connected to me. They are like the little metal disks they put on for an EKG. I had them all over my hand & fingers on the right side.
5. They hooked up leads to the little metal disks, they were black, red & green. I kind of felt like a car when you are jumping it :)
6. They took this thing that looked like a taser (no kidding), put ultrasound jelly on it & set it in several places on my arm & shocked me with electricity. The strength of the electricity ranged anywhere from what it feels like to be zapped after you have scuffed around the carpet, to what it feels like to touch an electric fence (they had a dial & they turned up the voltage when need be).
Honestly, this didn't really hurt so much as feel very strange. I did start to feel some pain when he would have to zap me several times in a row in a certain spot.
7. After the Nerve conduction test was done (about 20 minutes or so) they did what's called a needle study. They pulled out this very long thin needle that was connected to a lead wire as well. Apparently, they were looking for the natural electric current the body gives off.
8. They stuck the needle into the muscle of my arm/hand in about 7 or 8 different places & moved it around.
9. While the needle was positioned in my muscle the doctor would have me flex the muscle to listen to changes in the sounds coming from the machine he was working on.
All in all, this part was not cool. I honestly, was going to tell him to stop & turns out he was on the last one anyway. I was starting to get woozey from all the needle sticking.
Apparently, the nerve conduction test came back within normal range. He said the needle study didn't come back "Stone Cold normal" but it wasn't definitive enough to diagnose a problem either. He feels that either I have very mild carpel tunnel AND ulnar Nueropathy or I'm going to have it at some point anyway.
He sent me to be fitted for a wrist brace & also wants me to buy an elbow pad from a sports store. Both will be worn only at night to keep my wrist/elbow in a relaxed position.
He did take some x-rays of my neck/jaw as well & I haven't heard anything back about those so I'm not sure if that means they are normal or what.
I go back in a month to see if everything he gave me for ideas has improved my situation. If not then we'll need do an MRI on my elbow to get a more definitve answer.
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