Year Four, Day 41: The ER

This morning about 4 a.m. I woke up with severe stabbing pains in my jaw.  My whole head, face and neck felt like someone had it in a vice. And was turning the lever.

I had already taken a dose of Thera-Flu before bed. Since Wednesday morning is my time with Gracie, I wanted to make sure I was well rested.  I didn't want to be groggy on Gracie duty.

But with the pain I was experiencing, I was questioning how effective I would be at all. 

I was wide awake, holding my jaw as everything throbbed.  I made a decision to take another dose of Thera-Flu.  The package said I could take one dose every 4 hours.  

So I boiled some water and sat hunched over the kitchen table.  I poured the hot water over the powder. As I waited for it to cool, I put my face close to the cup. The hot steam gave my poor face a bit of relief. 

I was wondering if I had a sinus infection. My throat was sore and raw.  I was congested. Had a bit of a cough. The jaw pain was troubling. Last week when my allergies were bugging me, I was feeling restless.  I popped my jaw in and out of joint.  It's an old habit of mine. I have a history of TMJ syndrome. Temporal Mandibular Joint - it's the jaw joint.  Mine started clicking and catching and causing me pain in college. In addition to snoring, I grind my teeth at night as well.

What a case I am!  I have worked with it for many years. I sleep with a mouthguard to limit the grinding. And I try to relax my jaw during the day if I find myself clenching.

I gave up my habit of popping my jaw joint years ago, when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror mid pop.  I would open my mouth really wide, to open up my ear drums, and then wiggle my jaw back and forth until it popped. 

I was horrified at the sight in the mirror. I looked like a mad dog.

Good thing I stopped the popping habit. Because I was never satisfied with just one pop. It became a compulsive thing, like popping one's neck or knuckles.  But with the jaw joint, too much popping created a lot of pain. In the head.  Like I was having this morning.  

I'd been trying to not only avoid cheeseburgers and fries, but also limit myself to soft food for the last few days to allow my jaw to heal.

But this morning.  The pain was almost unbearable.  I drank my Thera-Flu and headed back to bed.  

I popped back up about 6:30.  Pain was worse.  I got up and put a hot, wet washcloth on my face. I brushed my teeth. Something felt odd. Then I realized that my whole right cheek was completely numb!  When I flossed, I could not even feel my gums.

 I'd decided I would sit with Gracie while her mom went to her morning meeting. Then I would try to get in to see my doctor. It seemed like a good plan.   I cleaned the kitchen and straightened up Gracie's toys. Then I made some hot tea. 

My daughter came into the kitchen just then, carrying a smiling Gracie.  She held her little hand out to me.  It almost made me cry. So sweet and precious. 

My daughter took one look at me and asked how I was feeling. I told her about the numbness, the shooting pain in my jaw and head. My sore neck and sore throat.  She walked out of the room and told her husband to watch the baby. Thankfully it is his day off today.

"I'm taking you to ER!" she exclaimed. 

Later she told me she was afraid I was having a stroke.

Luckily it was not a stroke. But the ER doctor was also concerned. She did some neurological tests. 

"I've ruled out stroke", she said, smiling.

She asked me about my pain. I told her that the only way I could accurately describe was how I told the intake lady and nurse up front.

"Like I am giving birth, only the labor pains are throughout my whole head".

The intake lady glanced up at the point and said, "I cannot begin to even imagine what that feels like".

The doctor raised her eyebrows at that.  "Are you coughing up anything?"

I told her I had asthma, but lately my sputum was bright yellow.

She stopped, pen poised in the air.  "Are you in the medical profession?" she asked.

"No, I'm a piano teacher." I replied.

"Oh! Well, none of my patients use words like 'sputum'. You're speaking my language now!"  She laughed.

"I read a lot", I explained. "And my mother is a retired RN. My brother is a pharmacist."

"I see", she said.

She told me I had a pretty nasty sinus infection.  She prescribed antibiotics.  She advised me to take probiotics at the same time.

I thanked her and hobbled out to the pharmacy.  I seriously don't think I have ever been in this much pain. Aside from childbirth.

Once I filled my prescription, I shuffled over to the coffee shop. I bought a yogurt parfait and asked for a glass of water.  I inhaled the yogurt and took my first pill. 

As I sat in the hospital waiting for my daughter, I had a thought. God certainly has a sense of humor! I'd been praying that he help me with my eating disorder.  He sure did! I have no desire to open my mouth wide enough for a quarter pounder with cheese, or eat anything remotely crunchy!

After we got home, I grabbed a glass of water and headed to bed. After my nap, I felt quite a bit better. I no longer feel like I am about to give birth out of my head.  I'm still a bit sore, but all of this sleep must be paying off. As well as the good eating. I've lost a few pounds. I do not feel so bloated, inflamed an sluggish.

I came out into the living room. My daughter was trying to get some work done on her computer. Gracie was crawling all over, trying to get past the barricade into the kitchen. She is very interested in the dog water dish. My daughter kept reaching out and pulling her back. 

I picked her up and we played a bit on the floor. I told my daughter I was eating soft foods, mostly fruits and veggies. I asked her if we had any potatoes.

"We have three small ones", she said.

I told her I wanted to make mashed potatoes for Gracie and I. My mom, the southern farm girl, was shocked to find out we had not given Gracie mashed potatoes yet!

"I'm doing this for Great Grandma", I said with a smile.

Gracie loved her potatoes.  She even learned out to eat them with a spoon! However that didn't last long. Soon she was grabbing globs of potato and shoving them in her mouth. Her little face was covered with mashed potatoes before she was done.

And mashed potatoes have never tasted so good to me!

After our potatoes, Gracie was a bit fussy.  It was getting close to naptime.  I turned on "Little House on the Prairie" and sat and rocked her on my lap. Honey Dawg came and sat at my feet.

I really can't remember the last time I felt this peaceful!

Tomorrow I plan on exercising again.  I am so looking forward to it!  And perhaps this was the wake up call I needed to get back to seriously taking care of me!

Talk to you tomorrow!

Love,

Zita