Costochondritis

May 29, 2008

I guess I owe my readers an explanation as to why you have not heard from me in some time. I have had a heart pain scare. A couple of doctor checkups that due to some xrays and stuff, the followups were just a little on the painful side, to say the least.

Dealing with pain at various levels for 24/7 can be wearing and cause some abbreviations in just about everything from SS and Church, work, work in the yard, work on my house, my job, caring for just about everything gets put on a back burner waiting for some relief.

Two or so weeks ago, I had two dcotor checkups in the same week, and other than my sodium being low, nothing life threatening but still pain just under my limit sign. One thursday afternoon, nothing worked and no prescription I had for pain touched the pain I began having in my chest and left arm, yet doctors telling me it is not my heart.

I call Karen and after going through Brookwood Hospital's ER, I had an overnight stay, a stress test, and echocardiogram of my heart giving the doctors a 3D look at my heart. It was not until that afternoon a Dr. Burton pressed a 'trigger spot' on my left chest on the left pectoial muscle and I was almost out of the hospital bed. "Costochondritis" or an inflammation of the rib cage bones where they connect in the center of your sternum.

Anti-Inflamatory drugs, steroid shot, and different Rx drugs for pain. The shot made me feel better right away but that benefit has now worn off. The inflammation just take time and healing to get better and when it is irritated or I miss my Rx for pain, I pay big time.

Today, coping with this, then a migraine on top of that, I was out for the count. I took my Rx's, and luckily was able to sleep. Those few hours gave me some needed rest and escapefrom what all was going on right now.

News at 11:00 / Jeff the Knutt in the Ham