I have been in the hospital for the last 5 days. I just came home this morning. On Saturday morning, I was up early as usual. I was walking in the breakfast room and when I put my left foot down, I got the most excruciating pain starting at my hip that shot down my leg into my foot. I could not stand nor put any weight on it. I grabbed a chair and sat down. I yelled for Hubby who was sleeping. He got me some clothes and I got dressed with help. He went and found the walker that I kept from my knee replacements. His idea was for me to get to the car with that and he would take me to the ER. However even with the walker, I could not put any weight on it to walk. The pain was excruciating. He called the ambulance which took me to the ER which was very uncrowded. The doctor saw me very quickly and ordered X -rays. Fortunately, there was nothing broken. So they sent me for a CT scan. They didn’t see anything. They decided to put me under observation on the surgical floor. They doped me up on a lot of narcotic drugs for the pain. I had to stay in bed and could not get up. The PA saw me on Monday and gathered all the information and made sure I had the drug regimen. She actually added some drugs. They sent PT in to see me and that got me up on a walker. My leg and hip still hurt but I was able to walk about 60 ft. and back that day. The PA looked at the scans and came in on Tuesday and told me she knew what the problem was. I have L1through L5 in my back with bulges between the discs and they are all impinging on my nerves. She put me on a nerve drug. By the second dose, I had no pain. This morning I was walking without the walker. They referred me to a neurosurgeon and released me about noontime today. I am home but have to be careful of how much I do. The tiniest thing could set it all off again. I am very tired so I am going to bed after dinner. Hubby is making taco salads.
A big shout out to the nurses and PCA’s that took care of me. They spoiled me rotten. They were always there when you needed them and pills were always on time. They truly treated me like they cared not ignored because I was old. They treated everyone like that. One of them made me coffee a couple of evenings and then this morning when she came into take vitals at 4am, she made me a cup and then at 6am another one appeared. You know who you are.
So many people complain but very few people write to compliment people.I am sending a letter to the CEO to compliment them along with some grocery store gift cards for him to disperse to them from me and Hubby. It is just a small gesture compared to the amount of time they spent caring for me. I hope to get that done next week. It is on the top of my list!
We have a huge snowstorm coming on Christmas weekend: freezing rain on Friday turning into 17 inches of snow on Saturday and Sunday. I just hope my snowplow guy comes. But we are not going to go to Rochester for Christmas dinner with my son and his wife and West. Too dangerous and I really don’t know if I will be up to it. So meanwhile I have all their gifts here and vice versa. My son does not think he will get out here until Saturday to trade them. I do not want him driving here in a dangerous snowstorm so we told him no. So Christmas Day will suck! However, my other son and Alexa will be coming out from the Adirondacks on Monday for a couple of days. I don’t think they will be affected by our storms because they are Lake Effect unless they have their own snowstorms. We are so looking forward to seeing them. Hubby will cook our ham that day for a belated Christmas dinner. I hope to get many meals out of that.
I will be back soon after my children go back next week and tell you about how we have had to change our grocery budget again and why. Plus telling you more about what we plan to do around here to make it easier on me. Plus many money saving ideas for 2023. Oh and my electric and gas bill came while I was in the hospital so I will break that down soon too. It wasn’t pretty!
I will be resting the next few days and not on here. So I wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! I hope we all have a much better 2023!
7 replies on “It’s Been A Very Rough Year!”
I’m so, so sorry & hope you feel better. Sending you lots of good thoughts & positive wishes.
Hi Precious. I am so sorry that you went through that. I was wondering if something was wrong. It sounds like surgery might be in your future if you have to see a neurosurgeon. š but am glad they were able to find out what was wrong and that you can be on some meds that are helping with the pain. I am glad that you had good care in the hospital. Those folks have been through so much with the pandemic. I will pray that your long term treatment plan will offer relief.
We are supposed to get the same storm you are. As of now, we are still planning to visit our parents on the 26-29, weather permitting. Our kids are in town close by, and we celebrate Christmas evening. So hopefully that will go as planned. I am thinking we are not supposed to get as much snow as you do, but if there is a lot of ice, that is dangerous.
Much love to you and hubby for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Hi Chris,
Thanks. I am going to the neurosurgeon in January. Fortunately he is good and one who uses every possible thing that he can before even discussing surgery. That is a good thing because it would be my last resort. Many friends and relatives who have had that have either died or had to continue to get back surgeries. Every doctor I have seen has told me not get back surgery. So I think they know much more than I do. I am on a low dose nerve pill that I take every 8 hours. It helps lower the pain but it is still there. When Hubby gets up I will go take 2 Advil which really does help. Thanks for your prayers. They always seem to work.
Yes, we are going to get the freezing rain first, then all the snow. I don’t like ice. If you can make it to your destinations, please drive safely. I will pray you get there and can see everyone.
Sean called last night and has come up with a plan for Christmas delayed. Since we can’t get together because of this storm, they are going to come out to us in about two weeks and we will celebrate a delayed Christmas and exchange gifts. Plus they know how much we love the fondue Christmas dinner. It is our favorite. They are Keto so the food will be good for us. They are going to bring all of the fondue pots and all of the food and get ready for us to have a nice dinner over a few hours while we do all the dipping in the cheese fondue, then in the oil for the meat and shrimp, and lastly the chocolate fondue for dessert. I love the bacon dipped in chocolate with strawberries and bananas too. Plus it should be near West’s birthday so I can give him that gift too. I am so happy that we will be able to celebrate with them even if it is delayed. I was so depressed when I realized we would have Christmas here alone. I am so happy though that my other son and granddaughter will be here on the 26th.
There must be an epidemic going around affecting us elders. I am so sorry to hear about your nerve health issue but am glad that at least it can be treated with medication. My nose gave out probably due to both our pellet stove (dry air) and my high blood pressure. I’ve been suffering with non-stop nosebleeds which could cause me to bleed out. Isn’t life wonderful? There is so much stress in my life just to stay alive. Ugh!!
Anyway, I got to see a specialist (after 4 days of waiting and bleeding) who helped me out a lot. I have to see him regularly now which is fine with me.
We had to switch back to our regular propane heating (the pellet will stay off for at least a few weeks till I can get regulated). Have any idea what propane costs now? Our supplier said we could have last years prices BUT we had to pay cash within 10 days. $788. Ouch. And that’s only for 225 gallons. We burn 1000 to 1200 a season!!!!
What can we do, Precious? As I said to my husband,”just pay it!!” We have the money (now), just friggin pay it!!
I cancelled all our holiday plans. The group we were celebrating Xmas Eve wanted everyone to chip in for lobsters and fish. We gave them $100. When I asked for a refund because obviously we can’t come, guess what? No refunds. Remind me to change my friends.
Just awful.
I want to go into my bed and hide under the covers. LOL.
Here’s hoping next year will be better.
XOXOXOXO
Oh, I am so sorry Cindi. I sure hope that it gets better. Getting old is a B****! I am so aggravated that I can’t do what I could do before last Friday.
Yes, my son uses propane for his heat. I know how very expensive it is.
There is nothing we can do but pay it unless we want to freeze to death.
That is terrible about your friends. That should be refunded to you.
Let’s drink to a better 2023! But I think everything is just going to get worse.
2023 can’t come soon enough……
I agree! I pray that it is better than 2022.