ER? Yuck!

So, this morning I had my first visit to the ER since I was oh 5 or so. I do not recommend it. Last night around 8 or so I started feeling pain in my left rib cage that extended to my shoulder and then to my neck every time I breathed deep. I thought, "this sucks if I still feel like this tomorrow I will go to the Dr." Most of the night I tossed and turned cause it would hurt every time I would lay on either of my sides or my back. Around 5 in the morning it started to hurt so bad I struggled to breath and started crying. Dave got up and started to give me a blessing, but then he got freaked out and stopped cause I started to hyperventilate.

Have you ever had a little stitch in your side that you just have to breath out? Some know what I am talking about others may not, but those who do know, know that it can be painful. Well this felt like two times that, but from the bottom of my rib cage all the way up to my neck every time I breathed in and it even started to do it on the exhale as well.

I was in so much pain, crying, and struggling to breath that I woke our baby up. I felt awful about that. Dave told me he was taking me to the ER. I of coursed argued for a second until the pain got worse. I had to call my mom to have her meet us at the hospital to get Kimball. They got me right in, though I had to wait in pain for the Dr. They offered pain pills and I declined cause I hate the way they make me feel. they took X-Rays and ran blood tests all while I waited. Luckily the pain decreased for a minute, but every time I would lay down it started up again.

Finally the Dr. came in and said I am happy to say that you have no blood clots, you don't have pneumonia, or anything else critical. I thought..."huh, then what the heck is going on, cause this definitely isn't and doesn't feel normal." He continues to tell me that I have Pleuritis. "K what does that mean?" he said that is is inflammation on the surface of the lung tissue. It can be caused by a virus or scar tissue. It is very painful but not serious. He described it as rubbing sand paper on an open wound. "Great so now what?" He continues to tell me that the pain is made worse by deep breathing or sudden movement of the upper body. When I move or breath the inflammation rubs against my ribs. "Lovely, I can't breath or move." He told me he will treat it with an anti-inflammatory called Medrol. It is a cousin to Cortisone. It wont do anything for the pain so he also gave me Lortab. "Yuck I hate pain killers, but this pain is not worth it. I guess I will take being groggy." I am also supposed to rest a few days so that the inflammation has a chance to go down. So Dave had to stay home today and take care of Kimball.

I am grateful that it was not serious, but part of me thinks the least it could have been was somewhat serious for all the trouble everyone has to go to for me. I know I sound dumb and another part of me feels embarrassed. Oh, well. As for now I am feeling a little better. the Lortab doesn't take all the pain away. If I sit still then it doesn't hurt much at all, but if I move around, even with the Lortab it hurts. The good news is that the Dr. said once I get started on the Medrol it should work pretty quickly to bring that inflammation back down. Can't hardly wait for that!

I must say how blessed I am to have so many family members close by and willing to help. My mom came right away. My sister Sheri bought us some dinner, My sister Janean offered to take Kimball. My mother-in-law offered to take Kimball for the entire weekend! I appreciate every one's love and care. You have made me feel truly blessed. I know that if any other members of my family knew they would try and help in any way they could. I am a little stubborn about calling for help...something I am working on. I must say I hope I get so healthy that nothing like this will ever happen again. Has anyone else had an experience like this. I know my brother had his esophagus torn and I can't imagine how much more painful that would be.