WELL HELLO ON JUNE 27, 2017.
I can't believe how sturdy we humans are. Here I am, nursing a sore back with some degenerative disk disease and apparently a possibly pinched sciatica.
On June 12, I took a cab to the ER and had to be given anesthesia just to have an MRI of my back since I couldn't stand up or lie down. I was bent over at the waist from pain running dwn my left leg into my foot. It actually felt as though my whole skeleton, my core, was collapsing. It had come on slowly over a few days and then KABOOM. I hadn't done anything that I was aware of but this was bad.
After getting the above diagnosis from the ER doctor, I was sent home with pain pills and Prednisone. O.K. Found out diabetics can NOT take Prednisone. At least I can't!
My blood sugar after a half pill, of 25mg went to 600! Yes, Six hundred! I called my physician after 10 extra units of insulin did nothing and he said to get off Prednisone right away. It took approximately 3 days to get my blood sugar back into some sort of control. My fear (and his was) that if I corrected this dangerously high blood sugar with appropriate amounts of insulin, (from less than 20 units a day to 60 or more units a day), I could suddenly react to this insulin lingering in my system and that would be it!
At this moment, a week later, I'm back to about 16 units a day. However, I do not have the relief of inflammation that is causing the pain. Prednisone, for a few days would have helped that.
Of course all of this happened on the weekend so after the ER sent me home, I was lost. Didn't know what to do next. Both my cardiac guy and my diabetologist were gone and I didn't want to get involved with 'covers'.
While a bit drugged, went on the internet and got some orthopaedic names and also asked one of my neighbors who came in to check on me, if she knew of any. She liked a particlar ortho guy her family used. I was able to get an appointment on Monday.
I am going to physicial therapy twice a week. It's helping and there is hope for me to recover . I must say, I learned to use mywiles to take care of myself. I did call a gal who helps people "In Your Home' to come in and help shop, change the bed linens 1x a week and help with the wash. One of the biggest challanges is to get the garbage out. I have never been so helpless.
Some people tell me when they've had something like this, they just go to sleep with their pills for a few days until it lets up. Well, try that with needing to take blood sugars, inject insulin and then be sure you eat for the insulin on boardI always know I can never relax and just be cared for. I always have to be in charge. It is SO tiring! .
The taxi I took to the hospital and back was quite expensive. I have a friend that I could pay a little less than the cab, and she even stays with me until I'm ready to go home. It's a nice exchange for her as well and she's worth every dollar.
I'll tell you next time about some of the tricky things I could manage that one might not think of unless you're really this helpless.
Amazing, and indeed some great lesson.
Keep stretching!
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