Sunday, June 18, 2006

Setback (or Oops I did it again)

How did you spend Father's Day?

I spent father's day in the hospital.

I was supposed to be at Kings Dominion. I was just getting dressed, and reached down to open my bottom drawer. As I pulled it open a bit, I had the worst pain I have felt in my life shoot through my left side.

Unlike before, I could barely flip around writhing while I flopped into my bed, which did NOTHING for the pain. I found a single position that wasn't too bad, and got my wife to get me my muscle relaxer and my Vicodin.

But it just got worse, I couldn't find a position that didn't hurt for more than 2 minutes at a time. And I could get a foot on the floor.

So, we called an ambulance, and I got a free almost-all-expenses paid trip to the Prince William Hospital.

So far as I can tell, they have no idea what's wrong with me. They shot me up with drugs (synthetic heroin, some N-said, a nausious medicine and muscle relaxant, and x-rayed everything.

When I woke up 4 hours later (around 1:30) they told me there was nothing they could find wrong, and I could leave. But putting me in a wheelchair drove my to scream again, so I got back in bed and got another shot of heroin (I think). The 2nd attempt at around 5pm worked better, so now I'm home sitting in my chair.

I'm on OxyContin now, along with my daily N-said and back to muscle relaxors. I'll have to see some doctor tomorrow, but I don't know what they will do about it. It is unsettling to be told there is nothing wrong, that I can't hurt it, when I just got dragged down my stairs by an emergency response team.

Anyway, I'm back online, watching "Because of Wynn Dixie", and a little afraid of what tomorrow holds.......


On the other hand, my weight tonight was 219 pounds.

10 comments:

Shaun Kenney said...

Sounds like you threw your back out, Charles.

Hope you're doing okay tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Charles, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you and I just wanted to wish you well and say I hope you feel better soon.

Anonymous said...

amen

Charles said...

thanks.

i'm pretty much offline now, until i can sit up.

Anonymous said...

Charles,

The blog world is not as fun, nor as challenging without you.

Hope you feel better.

Anonymous said...

We miss you, bro.

When you get a chance, can you forward your mailing address and home phone.

joe - at - novatownhall.com

Charles said...

I appreciate all the support. it's frustrating laying right next to a computer but not being able to type into it.....


I'm feeling a little bit better each day, although we still don't have a diagnosis (i'm waiting for approval for an MRI, maybe tomorrow).

I'm doing a little standing and a little walking and a little stretching and a little eating.

I'm down to 212.6 pounds (wasting away :-))

James Young said...

When I lost that much weight, it was due to diabetes (better than cancer, I suppose). Unfortunately, when I got it under control, I gained it all back. Damn it.

Anonymous said...

Your achievement on weight loss is absolutely admirable and heroic. Sorry about the back. Hope you feel better soon. I've been fortunate thus far, but have known a lot of folks with that kind of sudden debilitating attack (a lawyer who was a frequent opponent over a period of years had something like this happen when he leaned over to pull on overshoes). Usually it self regulates after a short period. The weight loss has got to help the long-run prognosis.

Charles said...

i've never felt so hopeless in my life that I can remember. It's been a humbling experience, I'm not one to lean on others or ask for help.

I'm still hopeful I can get back into some form of action for the summer so the kids don't have too many dissappointments.

I don't feel like the weight loss is much of a personal acheivement -- it's not hard to stop eating when you can't walk to the food :-)

I hope I remember this pain so that I continue to lose weight when I CAN walk to the food.

I thank you all for caring. I'm able to sit a bit now, so I might start blogging again.

After all, a lot has happened while I've been laying around watching the World Cup.

Actually, the World Cup is probably the only thing that's kept me from going crazy -- that and reruns of old star trek episodes.