Friday, 1 February 2008
I am very happy today! Happy because the discomfort in my left hand and lower left arm are gone. Fell down twice when alighting from bicycle rides in October 2007.
Even though the bicycle belonged to a 11 yr old boy, it was a little too tall for me! Getting myself up on the saddle was no problem. I had an enjoyable time cycling in the park.
Coming down was not easy with only the left foot on the ground. The weight of the bicycle brought me down to the left side. The bruise didn't scare me because it was healed after a few days.
Two weeks later, Not asked me whether I wanted to use his bike again. He said that his dad has lowered the saddle because it was also a little too tall for him as well. The height was rectified for Not but it was still a little bit taller for me. I fell again on my left side when alighting. This time the area between by thumb and wrist hurt. I thought the discomfort would go but it was still there whenever I turned my wrist. I thought one of my nerve was injured!
Mike brought me to see the Bone & Joint Physician on the 14 Nov. Xrays showed that I have arthritis! Just to make sure my nerves were okay, the receptionist made appointment for me to see a Neurology Physician on the 12 Dec. I didn't like the nerves test, even though they were just small electric shocks! The Neurology Physician said my nerves were all intact!
There was a continuous flow of patients in the Bone & Joint Physician's clinic on the 30 Jan. The B&J Physician wanted to review the result of my nerve test that he sent me to. My appointment was at 11:30 am and I only got to see him at 1:10 pm! And it was like less than 10 mins meeting.
The Bone & Joint Physician recommended a Cortisone Injection. I agreed. While opening the cabinet, he said "get ready". I turned my body and eyes from him because he said it would be a painful injection. Painful or not painful I don't like needles! And it was indeed painful. I am thankful for Mike's presence. I clinged to Mike like a child, with my face buried on his body.
The Physician didn't tell me the side-effect. I didn't know about the 'cortisone flare' that I learnt later from the internet, being "a condition where the injected cortisone crystallizes and can cause a brief period of pain worse than before the shot. This usually lasts a day or two and is best treated by icing the injected area".
The muscles in the spot where the injection was ministered and the muscle (or bone, I don't know) leading to that spot felt stiff the night of the injection and the whole day after (yesterday) . I phoned the clinic and was told that the Physician was performing surgery and would only be back in office Monday!
I didn't feel the discomfort anymore when I woke up in the middle of yesterday's night. It was okay. Arthritis in my left hand due to too much dancing movements, too much typing, too much carrying heavy things, too much handling of cold stuff, cold weather?????? I probably had arthritis already and it only emerged after the bicycle falls? I really don't know! Definitely another sign of physically getting older and slowly wearing out.
