I’m seventy but, in my mind, have always felt (if not looked!) much younger. I’m also a pretty optimistic person. (Thanks for those genes, Mama!) Well. Saturday morning I walked onto our deck as usual to feed the birds, as well as our regular gang of lively squirrels, who won the bird-feeder wars long ago. I didn’t realize the deck was slightly wet and went skidding down ker-plop, landing flat on my back. I think my coccyx hit first, followed by the tops of both hipbones. Although in pain, I was able to get up and walk, so I figured nothing was actually broken. Went to the ER, nevertheless, and was there for 6 hours, as is typical here for an ER trip. Eventually was given a CT scan with dye contrast, which showed no breaks or bleeding (I take Coumadin). Was told I was likely just bruised up inside and was sent home with no recommendation for pain meds other than Tylenol—plus the sage observation that I’d be sore for a while, which I’d pretty much already figured out.

Fast forward to today, two days later. The pain has gotten progressively sharper and much worse and, at times, is excruciating—a bit worse than childbirth, if memory serves. I imagine my insides are bruised and also swollen, causing more pain than on Saturday. I am well experienced in dealing with pain (thalamic nerve pain, and osteoarthritis severe enough to require three total joint replacements so far, plus a spinal operation). But the last three days have knocked me for a loop and left me, at times, yelping out in pain. Mr. Goose has been solicitous, which is greatly appreciated, but he has no magic to make the pain disappear. We picked up some Jersey Mike’s subs to eat and, at the pharmacy, some Lidocaine patches and Aspercream.

My first question is this: If nothing is broken, how long on average might it take for the unbearable sharp pain to lessen? The nice hospital nurse, when asked, said three days, maybe five. In other words, who knows? I can handle run-of-the-mill aches and pains, but these sharp, debilitating ones prevent my standing up straight, walking to the bathroom, fetching things, and doing other essential tasks. Sorry, Mr. Goose—no cooking (or much else) is happening right now. Thankfully, we have some good eating-places with curbside pickup nearby. What I’m wondering is how long, on average, y’all think it takes people to get to the “no excruciating pain” stage following a fall on your back. If you experienced a similar fall, how was it for you? It is true that every case is different; I’m just hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel and some shared comfort. It is also true that misery loves company.

Next question: After a shoulder replacement last month, I was given fifty 5-mg hydrocodone pills but, luckily, ended up needing only six. Should I take some of these codeine pills? I’ve read that people with back injuries are prime candidates to get hooked on painkillers and, of course, I want to avoid that. But I’m thinking they might tide me over until the swelling and pain decrease. I’d ask the hospital folks some of these questions, but once you’re released from a hospital, you’re not their patient. Which brings me to

Question 3: Should I see my GP or wait it out? He didn’t see me after I fell, and he hasn’t seen the CT scan, blood tests, and other information from the hospital. If I’m going to be doing better in a day or two, I’m thinking that it’d be pointless to ride 30 minutes each way to see my regular doctor, who would have no information other than what I told him. An argument for the opposing side is that the ER always routinely tells people to “follow up with your doctor.“

Number 4 is not a question but a word of thanks. What have I done all day, when I can barely move or rise from the bed? I couldn’t focus enough to follow the plot of a novel, and sitting upright or reclining in the den hurts too much to watch TV. So all afternoon, I read articles about Hokie sports and enjoyed people’s comments on the TSL message boards—mostly the Lounge, the football board, and the board for subscribers. To Will and Chris: thank you for your website and your articles. To message board members: thank you for providing a day of information, opinions, and humor on a wide variety of topics including football. You got me through—today, at least.

[Post edited by Mama Goose at 09/14/2020 11:10PM]