New and Exciting Fronteirs

[offbalance]

I'm no stranger to pain. I've been through stuff.

Some of you may rememberHumpty Dumpty's great fall down the Rockefeller Center stairs and the biopsy from hell that followed. My battle with migraines are well documented. And hell, just for the sake of thorughness and TMI, before I went on the pill, I had menstrual cramps that could drop a weightlifter.

All of this to say that I discovered a level of pain that kicks all of these down to the "oops I bumped my elbow" level. (This is a handy chart for reference.)

As most of you know, back during the blizzard I sprained my ankle. It hurt a lot, so I went to an orthopedist who pronounced it sprained and sent me for some PT. The PT wasn't going as well or as quickly as anyone thought it should, so I was back at the doctor a week or so ago. That trip resulted in an MRI.

(which was a whole other kettle of fish. I thought I'd be fine, as most of my claustrophobia is triggered by a feeling of being trapped, and not confined spaces, and I figured since I was going in feet first, I'd be fine. Not so much. But I endured.)

Turns out, I have a torn ligament, and have a chipped ankle. Which is really a bit of torn cartilage flapping back and forth and banging against nerves. Painful. Annoying. And often inconsistent.

So, the doctor said our next course of action would be a cortizone shot. Fine then, athletes get them all the time! No big deal! It'll help! Jeter or A-Rod gets one and they're back hitting home runs in no time!

See, I might be able to describe this as a similar sensation to having a rusty steel spike being driven into my angle at a jaunty angle, but I'm not sure that really expresses it quite vividly enough. Walking hurts, sitting hurts, ice does nothing. And thanks to my stupid body's inability to tolerate naproxen or ibuprofen, I am at tylenol's mercy. Not a good place to be.

So yeah. I'm in rotten shape, LJ. Sorry to come over just to whine, but this is a level of pain for the record books. *whimper*

Comments

[antheia.livejournal.com]

Omigod, ouch. I have never heard a positive word about the getting of a cortisone shot. But I have heard excellent things about the days after.

Good luck. *hugs gently*

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

That's the only thing keeping me sane at the moment.

Owie! Kapowie!

[reppep.livejournal.com]

Is there anything to do about the torn cartilage? So the ligament just heals over time, and you ignore the chip?

Sufferin' succotash! Sorry, Sharon

Re: Owie! Kapowie!

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

No idea. I think the hope is that both parts will heal.

But thanks! I will be there on Saturday!!

[zekejojo.livejournal.com]

Holy crap. Sorry.

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

When I was shadowing an orthopedist in high school for a week, I saw him administer more shots of cortisone than I ever thought I would. And believe me, it is not something that anyone ever enjoyed. That said, I hope it will at least start to help soon.

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I hope so too. So far all it's done is render me unable to put any weight on my left leg. *sigh*

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity have you tried forcing weight onto it and working through the worst of the pain? That might not be possible, but then again it might also help the cortisone work into the joint.

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah. It's the only way I've been able to stand at all in order to get to the bathroom, to get food, or more to drink. I force weight on it, but the leg buckles and I tip over. My parents had to bring me a cane, which I've been using to hobble around my apartment.

[redesigner.livejournal.com]

Hrm. That's a pickle. :(

[lauramhepp.livejournal.com]

oh man :( Hope it eases up fast

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Me too, but so far, nada.

[angelicillusion.livejournal.com]

Heh ... they use those face charts on kids all the time for pain reference ... they just never, ever describe what 10 will feel like. All they'll say is "Oh you'll know it when it gets there." I'm sorry you're feeling like crap - when they inject something between your joints the pain level is gonna be different depending on WHERE they inject ... so the knee would be different as opposed to the ankle. Did they at least give you some numbing cream for the skin before the procedure? As soon as you're feeling up to it I'll bring over some of my homemade S'mores cupcakes ... you'll be flying on such a sugar high the pain will dim on comparison :) Feel better sweetie!

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Last night was closer to 15, even. Worst pain I've ever felt. And yes, they sprayed a freezing spray on the area to numb it, and the shot did have some lydocaine in it which helped yesterday, but not today. Today I'm hobbling around, barely able to stand. This shit better work, that's all I'm saying. *sigh*

Mmm..cupcakes!

[angelicillusion.livejournal.com]

The lidocaine + steroids into your ankle for the torn ligament is a good thing. It's meant to decrease inflammation in the area allowing things to heal up faster (hopefully). The steroids should start kicking in within 24-48 hours. Did they give you a brace or anything to keep the ankle immobile? The best thing you can do is keep off the ankle and let your body heal. Seriously FEEL BETTER PLEASE! *hugs*

[firynze.livejournal.com]

...dear god. That's just delightful. Poor thing! It's awful when the fix is almost, if not more, painful than the injury, at least for a bit.

*snuggle*

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is the worst. Especially because no one ironed that part out for me. Had I known, I would have pushed this off for a few weeks. Possibly even a month.

[atquillsmercy.livejournal.com]

Oh dear gods... 0.0 *HUGGZ*

[offbalance.livejournal.com]

Thanks.