Update ~or~ Chronic Pain part 4

~ King Ben's Grandma

I always wonder how to start one of my updates. It seems like there is so much to say, but I’ve told a few people some of it, and it’s such an ongoing saga…

I guess I’ll start with why I’ve made this part 4 of a Chronic Pain series I wrote a few years back. I added it as part 4 because I’m being reminded of those times. Triggered is too strong a word, it’s not quite that bad. But yes, I’m remembering… (part 1 is here, part 2 is here, part 3 is here)

Back to present day Casa Cuckoo, I’m still fighting the Cellulitis. I will complete the ten day course of clindamycin today, Saturday, and there has been zero improvement. In fact, the discoloration is moving up my leg. Not good. I saw my Primary Care doctor on Wednesday. He had all the results from the tests run at Emergency the previous Wednesday, which all came back clear or negative or whatever.

He agreed with the Cellulitis diagnosis and told me to continue the clindamycin. He also wrote a prescription for doxycycline to try after completing the clindamycin. The other option is to go back to Emergency and have them admit me for I.V. antibiotics.

Daughter says that if they admit me, I’ll be there 7-10 days. That is just a really, really bad idea. I want to avoid that if possible. Daughter would have to call out of work cuz there’d be no one to stay with Ben. The idea of the two of them butting heads for a week scares me. And Daughter doesn’t drive, so she’d have to order everything in. She has her BFF she can call for help, but her BFF is also a nurse who works 12 hour shifts, and like Daughter, loves her sleep.

Younger would help too, but she’s working full time, plus driving for delivery services just to make her bills and occasionally do something fun. Plus, the girls do NOT get along. I understand their reasons for disliking each other, even agree with some of them, but until/unless they both change some of their actions regarding the other, distance is best.

So, while I have gobs of emotional support from friends and Blog Buddies, THANK YOU!, I have almost zero practical, nearby support. A 7-10 day hospital stay is something I’d rather avoid.

I have been resting as much as possible, and taking the ginormous horsepill antibiotics. The resting part has been a bit difficult with Daughter’s work schedule. She worked Wednesday and Thursday nights, had Friday night off, and works tonight (Saturday), Sunday and Monday nights.

That means Ben and I driving her to work, then I get Ben bathed and off to bed. Then in the morning, I get me up and functioning, then get Ben up and ready for school, wait for the GLYSB and Daughter’s phone call to tell him she loves him, have a good day, etc. Once he’s on the bus I uncover Mr Sven and feed him, and drop kibble in Dogzilla’s bowl. I have about 15-20 minutes between GLYSB departure and time for me to go pick Daughter up from work.

The days start early at the Casa. The GLYSB arrives around 6:45am, so I’m usually up by 5:30am cuz it takes me a little while to become functional. With Ben’s sleep issues and my own, he could be up and have dressed himself at 3am, or he could be still sleeping and uncooperative at 6am. I could’ve gone to sleep as early as 10pm, or I could’ve been awake past midnight. I always wake up several times. It’s part of the Fibromyalgia, and even the prescription sleeping meds don’t entirely eliminate it.

So, I’m resting as much as I am able. There are still errands and chores and Service to HRH to handle as well. Plus, Mr Murphy is still having fun with me. I had to go pick Ben up at his school on Wednesday. The substitute bus driver said Ben was “being an unsafe rider” and went back and dropped him at school. WTF?! When I got there he ran at me with tears in his eyes, and wrapped his arms around me. Ben doesn’t cry. Ben doesn’t do big displays of emotion.

I didn’t stay around to talk to the office staff since he was so upset, so I still didn’t have the full story. I asked him about it on the drive home, and I think he was Scripting “angry words” in a loud voice and that is what got him dumped back at school. You’d think a driver with extra adult aides on a bus with a few, not Full, autistic kids would have some understanding, but I guess not. It was the same substitute on Thursday morning and he looked like he was a miserable person. Ben made it home on the bus that day, but I wondered if he was afraid to do anything on the ride home. Luckily there was a different sub on Friday.

But I am staying off my feet as much as possible. The biggest problem I’m having is the general feeling of fatigue and weakness. The pain and stiffness from the inflammation sucks, but pain in something I’m used to dealing with. What I’m NOT used to is feeling exhausted and like I’m gonna fall over multiple times a day.

I understand why I’m weak and fatigued. Obviously my body is busy fighting whatever this infection is, on top of the autoimmune disorder of Plaque Psoriasis and the Fibro/Chronic Pain. Just because I understand it, doesn’t mean I have to Like it. Especially since it brings back memories of when I spent three months bedridden, staring at the walls.

My mental health is still good at this point, but it is taking a battering. These memories are from one of the darkest times of my life. Not THE worst, but not good either. I guess it’s kinda lucky that Life is keeping me too busy to do much contemplating, or I might be worse off.

And I still have all the Fender Bender/insurance stuff to deal with. Never a dull moment at Casa Cuckoo!

And just to let you awesome dudes know, I have decided that if the discoloration continues, even after I start the doxycycline, and encompasses my entire calf, I will be going to Emergency and putting myself in their hands. It’s possible that since I live with a nurse, they could insert a PICC line and let me give myself the bags of antibiotics, but I’m not gonna count on that. I won’t ignore it. I won’t let it get WAY worse. I’m not septic yet, according to blood tests, so I have a little time to hope the doxycycline works.

So, that’s the latest. I may or may not do the regular SLS post. Brain Fog is heavy, and Life just doesn’t let up. I’m behind on emails and WP stuff… I’m still around here and there, but interruptions are a MAJOR thing at the Casa and my train of thought was wobbling on rusty, warped tracks before this latest development.

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HUGS!!!

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34 thoughts on “Update ~or~ Chronic Pain part 4”

    1. It won’t be 3 months😂 Two more weeks, maybe a couple days beyond 2 weeks. I start the doxycycline tomorrow night and it’s a 15 day course. I will take the full course unless the discoloration gets my entire calf before then.

      This whole thing has been moving slow, and all the tests they did have ruled out more serious things.

      Maybe clindamycin wasn’t a good choice of antibiotics🤷🏼‍♀️ I’d say “maybe my body is just weird”, but I already know it IS.

      It’s concerning, and more than a little annoying, but it isn’t SERIOUS… yet. Ask your sister😉 No blood clots, no fractures or deep infection near the bones.

      I will keep you informed about the lovely red & purple of my elephant foot😉
      💌💌

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  3. Pingback: Chronic Pain part 3 ~or~ How Stephen King Saved Me – King Ben's Grandma

  4. Oh my Gosh, you’re having a very tough time dear friend. I hope the other antibiotics help and clear the infection completely. You do have a lot on your plate. I’m sorry that I didn’t get in touch with you because there’s a lot going on here too with moving house last week. Sending you healing thoughts and lots of love and hugs. Take care and keep us posted.

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  5. What a fucking nightmare Gramma. No polite way of voicing anything sweet and poetic 😦 Hopefully, the AntiB’s will help. Reminds me of my time with the supposed gout creeping its way up my leg at Xmas. If it continues there is a good chance they’ll keep you in and then somehow the Casa will have to find a way to cope. Are there no distanced friends or family you can call in?

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    1. Not really anyone except Daughter’s Best Friend, possibly another friend she hasn’t spoken to in a while… just busy, and Younger. Younger would do whatever she could, but they’d be arguing the entire time.
      My mother is close, but early dementia and the fact that I keep her at arms length make her not very useful.
      I have a younger brother but he’s a couple hours north and busy with his kids and job.🤷🏼‍♀️

      We’ll just hope that the new antibiotics knock it out. I start them tonight (Sunday) twice a day for 15 days.

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      1. Let’s hope for your sake that the stronger meds do, however considering that the AB’s haven’t worked so far and the bacteria causing the issues has continued to grow despite medication and now you are experiencing and showing signs of streaking [colouration spreading] ….

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        1. I know… the other hope is the PICC line. That way I could do it at home. It seems a waste for me to be in hospital JUST to receive I.V. antibiotics.

          I wish I knew why my body always has to be weird🤦🏼‍♀️

          I bet you feel the same way, right?!🙄🤦🏼‍♀️

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          1. Oh yes very much so. A PICC would be much easier, but it’ll depend l guess on the doc at the time.

            My issue is l see these things and have seen these things get worse and many a time they can get worse before people realise how worse they have become and ignore them, we all do it, l have learned the hard way not to ignore, Suze has – we all have – life sucks for sure, but life is at times too short to get something wrong hahaha 🙂

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            1. I’ve started the new antibiotic. I’ve also set a Friday deadline for some improvement. I do my monthly Pump Fill on Thursday morning, but beyond that, I’m strictly resting.

              If there’s no improvement Friday, I go back to Emergency (which I hate the thought of) and hope they’ll do a PICC line, but am prepared to be admitted.

              I’m okay if I’m laying down, or just walking to the baño, but I’m not much good beyond that. Thankfully this morning (Tuesday) was the last morning I had to get up with Ben & pick Daughter up from work.

              🤞🤞🤞the doxycycline and rest do the trick. I am SOOO done feeling like crap!
              💌💌

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              1. Well here’s hoping Friday is a good day 🙂

                I too have been feeling rough for the last few days. I was up this morning for my usual walk but felt uncomfortable on that walk and cut it short. Will be an easy day recovering today l feel.

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      1. We’ll. In the hospital now. I had some sort of allergic reaction and my eyes, lips and uvula swelled up huge. I seem to be on the mend, but I’m admitted. I hope you can avoid a stay in the hospital for the night at least.

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        1. Sheesh! I’m sorry Jeff! I hope they figured out what the reaction was to so you can avoid it in the future.
          Do you get to carry around an epi-pen now?
          Health issues seem to be plaguing my little WP group.
          That 2 years of lockdown reset all of our immune systems to infancy. We can fight the Kootie, but nothing else it seems🤦🏼‍♀️

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          1. They think it was running through deep flowering grass (which is a pretty common event for me). In the past I just got hives. I’d say yes for mountain biking, trail running and hiking I’ll be carrying an epi-pen now. Blah.

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    1. Thanks! One day at a time, trying to rest and hoping these new antibiotics do the trick. I don’t wanna be in hospital. Daughter says they’d probably keep me a week🤦🏼‍♀️
      💌💌💌

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  8. Hi Angie, I’m finally ready to comment. Since a few days have passed. I hope you have a clear direction on which way to go with this—healing or hospital. Although taking the hospital route after much hand wringing, I find myself bored. BUT it’s clear to me that the hospital was the right course. I’m mostly better now but that’s after the doctors threw An arsenal of of drugs at it. By delaying , I was in danger. I look forward to a time when your lice isn’t this complex. You deserve a break.

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  9. Sorry to hear you are still having the problem in your leg. I hope it is much better by now.

    I’m enjoying my free time these days. Had a trip to Santa Cruz and Napa last weekend. Nice to get away if only for a day trip,
    Saw Andrew a few minutes ago. He likes to drop off his laundry, especially before his girlfriend comes over for the weekend. He is interviewing for a training job at GoodWill in SF and South SF and Oakland. He wants to help society and get a pay raise. I guess his current job isn’t giving him benefits and it’s only $18.00 an hour. He wants $21 and hopes, by interviewing somewhere else, he might be taken more seriously. Ugh. Just hope he doesn’t end up in a bad area working with drug addicts.

    Curtis still hates his job, but is happy to get a pay check. They sent a bunch of employees to Boston last week and didn’t ask him to go. He felt bad, but was happy not to have to hang out with the coworkers.

    Summer is here. I think the schools had their last day today. Hoping you get some respite this summer.

    Take care
    Teri

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    1. Hey Teri🥰

      Always something with these “adult” kids of ours, isn’t there?!😂😂 I don’t know if we were too easy on them, or growing up with internet and cellphones and early social media did it, but we Gen X-ers with Millennial kids seem to have the same situations with our kids.
      Ah well…

      The health is Vastly Improving. Unfortunately it got worse before better. There’s a post written 6/7 Tuesday that explains it all.

      I’m glad you’re taking day trips and just doing stuff!! You need to enjoy yourself, do things that make TERI happy!! You do so much for everyone else around you.

      🤗🥰💌💌💌💌

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