Ambulance and Hospital and Morphine, Oh My!

To say we've had an exciting weekend would be an understatement.

I've been trying to recover from an injury I sustained 2 weeks ago. I had been doing so well. In fact, the doctor was even allowing me to lift a limited amount of weight. It kinda felt like I was getting back to normal.

On Friday night, our family was hanging out on my bed. Kasey was telling jokes, and we were all laughing, having a great time. That is, until Kimberly stood up, lost her balance and planted her little baby elbows right in the middle of my back. I cried out in pain. Kasey quickly ushered the girls out of the bedroom and got some ice and Ibuprofen for me. Unfortunately, the ice and medicine did little to help the pain.

I asked Kasey to put the girls to bed. Before they crawled in their beds, Makayla came over and put a blanket on me. Ellie grabbed my "pretty purple stripey socks" and put them on my feet. And Kimberly gave me a big sloppy kiss. Such sweet, caring girls I have!

This next part gets a little hazy for me. I remember being really cold and just shaking uncontrollably. Kasey decided to take me to the hospital. He called a friend to help get me to the car because at that point, I was in so much pain that I couldn't even roll over on my side. Walking to the car was completely out of the question.

He ran upstairs and asked our neighbor if she could come sit with the girls for a while. She took one look at me and said, "She's in shock! She needs an ambulance!" So Kasey called 911.

When the EMT's got here they discovered that the hallway to my apartment wasn't wide enough to wheel in the gurney. When they told me I would have to walk, I started sobbing all over again. Every step I took caused the muscles in my back to spasm. I was still shaking, and I couldn't stop crying. The pain was excruciating! Worse than anything I have EVER felt in my life!

After I had made it about 5 feet, they told me they could fit a wheel chair into my apartment, and I would just have to make it to my bedroom door--an additional 4 feet. Four feet has never felt so far away.

I eventually made it outside where they helped me lay down on the gurney and put me in the back of the ambulance. After trying in both arms, the EMT got my IV to work. They picked up a paramedic before heading to the next town where the hospital is located. He gave me some morphine to help with the pain.

Now, I have never had morphine before, and it was a very different experience. I felt like tiny little men were inside my chest, jumping on my heart, trying to make it fall into my stomach. I felt like someone was whisking my insides into scrambled eggs. But I think the worst sensation was feeling like my eyes were sliding down my face. Besides all these crazy side effects, the medicine dulled the pain in my back for which I was extremely grateful.

Once in the hospital I did what every other person does when he goes to the hospital. Wait.

And wait. . .

And wait. . . . . .

Finally some x-rays were ordered. When the doctor looked at them I was surprised that he said he couldn't see a broken rib anywhere. Strange considering my x-rays from 10 days prior DID show a broken rib. I'm definitely taking the new films to Dr. D to compare them.

Anyway, the ER doctor said he thinks I have costochondritis. I did some research when I got home, and just between you and me, I think what I have more resembles Tietze Syndrome. Either way, there is no cure. I basically have to just wait out the pain until it resolves itself. In the meantime, I am doped up on drugs 24 hours a day. I can't function otherwise.

Kasey took yesterday and today off. He took all three girls to church so I could stay home and rest. So I guess I should go and do that.