Update on Fall

[Lesley]

I couldn't walk. My right leg hurts like nothing I have ever felt. I tried to take Licorice out but couldn't go more than a few steps, even with a cane. Poor little thing. She knows when I am hurting, and gets scared. It's my right hip. I cannot stand on my right foot.

I went to urgent care this afternoon. The distance from the parking to the check in seemed so insurmountably far, and believe it or not, no one offered to help me! I got back in a wheel chair, and saw how close it actually is. One time, and my brain had tripled the distance. Funny how that happens.

Anyway, several hours and a lot of xrays later, of which 2 have still to be read, it seems that osteoporosis is very well developed in my spine, the vertebrae have "squashed" as she put it, I have lost a lot of the lordosis curve and my spine has flattened.
And one of my vertebrae looks like it has suffered a compression fracture, which might have been the reason I fell. Hitting my back that hard didn't help.

Since the hip xrays hadn't been read I don't know what has happened in my right hip, but something bad has. I can't put my right foot down on the ground.

Adam took Licorice for tonight. He will bring her back tomorrow. I miss her SO much already. I could have done with a rock star welcome home this evening.

How the heck am I going to walk her?

Trish - you don't have to say goodbye to ice cream. I make very nice ice cream There are lots of recipes.

[Trish RN]

Dear Leslie,
I am so sorry to hear about your hip and spinal pain/problems. Equally sorry that no one greeted you at the urgent care with a wheelchair so that you didn't have to walk the distance. Maybe next time you need to go there (hopefully not soon!) you could call ahead and have someone meet you at your car. That is what good nursing care is all about!

Thank you for the encouragement regarding the ice cream! I do have an ice cream maker and I will check out the web for dairy-free recipes.

Take care of yourself and it was nice to talk with you!
~Trish

[JFR]

Lesley,

I am sorry this has happened to you. I hope you get some answers and some solutions or at least some good advice on what you can do. It is so difficult to know what to do about walking the dog when you are unable to, especially if you live in an apartment. If you can afford it you can hire someone to do it. Is Licorice trained on puppy pads? Even if she isn't if you confine her to a small area she will probably learn eventually. I hope things improve for you quickly.

Thinking of you,
Jean

[JLH]

Yikes, Lesley, I'm really sorry about all you are going through now. I hope for better days soon

.

Can Adam or a friend stay with you for a while, it sounds like you could use help?

Once they read the x-rays, I hope they'll refer you to a specialist if you don't have one.

What about a walker for you? DH found one for $10 at our local fleamarket/antique store before his surgery.

(gentle)

[Lesley]

In order to get a w/c walker through Kaiser my doctor has to prescribe it and Kaiser confirm it. Adam brought her back this morning and she was ecstatic. Now he has had to take her down to pee.
We went to a medical equipment shop to rent a walker for the weekend till I can see my doc and get this fixed up.

Right now I want crusty white bread with tons of butter and cheese, followed by a mountain of super creamy vanilla ice cream.

[Joefnh]

Lesley....that's not good at all. Being quite familiar with back pain, the only word is ouch. I hope this is not something more serious, falls can result in some nasty injuries.

Your trip to urgent care does not sound good at all, I like the idea of calling ahead though.


I hope you feel better soon Lesley

[Lesley]

Trish and Joe - I am not quite sure how one would call ahead, but I will find out. I suspect that people who need to go are taken by someone. That's what it looked like in there. I was the only one without an accompanying person or 3. Some people had whole families!

Joe - the serious part is the the lack of bone. One vertebra seems fractured (that will have to be looked at more closely, several of them are squished together, and I am sure there is something in my hips/ and pelvis because the pain is too acute for there not to be.
Right now walking without a walker is impossible. The pain is ridiculous. I am known to have what has been termed "a dangerously high pain threshold" but I couldn't take this. Fortunately the acute shots of pain are not constant. They hit when I try to walk on my right leg, even with a cane. What is constant is a dull ache. It's tough and tiring but I can bear it.

I rented a walker today. I need one with a seat. If I could find a second hand one like that I would snap it up. Hopefully Kaiser will give me one, so I can return the rented one..

[JLH]

Can you sit on the walker and scoot yourself along?

You seem like you need help from Adam or someone so you can stay off your feet.

I wish you weren't so far away.

[nancyl]

Lesley,
I am so sorry to hear of your fall and visit to urgent care. Hopefully, when the doc reads your x-rays they will be able to treat it so that you are not in so much pain.

I hope you feel better soon.

Nancy

[Joefnh]

Lesley I wonder if you need to get into a hospital setting for not only appropriate pain managment, but a better setting for proper diagnostics. Often simple X-ray does not show the extent of damage in osteoporotic patients.

Can you call your PCP or rheumatologist to see if this is warranted. I am concerned at the measures you're having to take to be comfortable especially when a full diagnosis and treatment plan has not been established.

Sorry to sound overly concerned, but I am...

[Lesley]

Hey Joe,
I am the Jewish mother and grandmother. You can't take my role.

I have emailed my doctor and asked her to check the xrays. I will get a phone call and have an MRI scheduled. And I will see a physical medicine doctor, and the whole team. It;s going to take a couple of weeks, unless there is something that needs attention earlier, which, given the pain in my hip, there very well might be.

If I don't think they are getting there fast enough I will go to urgent care again, and push. They are usually pretty good.

I am just glad that I managed to get my pain doc changed to a new one. I haven't seen him yet, but at least he is an the center near me. I can be a squeaky wheel when I need to. And right now I do need to.

I need to be stricter with taking my supplements. I keep forgetting.

Nancy, thanks.

Joan, thanks for the call. I took Licorice down. She is reacting to my problem with a squishy stomach of her own.
I can't sit on the walker. except to rest. Walking with it on the street isn't easy. Adam wants me to buy a scooter. Who can afford it? And it doesn't go in my car. And I really hope I don't need it.

[lorimoose]

Lesley, I hope you get some relief soon. It does not sound like the urgent care center offered you any comfort. Maybe once they get all the test results, they will offer good pain management.

Wishing you much better days ahead.

Warmly,
Lori

[Lesley]

Thanks Lori. The support of the people on this board is so wonderful for me. I don't know what I would do without you.

[carolm]

HI Lesley,
I put in a previous post that I'm sorry for your fall and your pain. But what was seen on the xray REALLy has me worried. In order to manage your pain for the long term, again I recommend acupuncture. Clinically proven to manage pain and nausea. Without drug side effects. I hope you get a referral soon and start treatment for osteoporosis and your fracture.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

Carol

[Vandolyn]

Lesley, I am so sorry for you. Do you live close to the Dallas Fort Worth area? I bet I could find a walker for you.

The acupuncture works well for me also, Lesley. Maybe that is an option for you.

Take care of yourself and that sweet little dog.

Vandolyn