Saturday 29 December 2007

The discs - they are a spinning...

Or atleast that's what it feels like. Anybody know any good jokes? interesting facts or good stories?

I'm writing from my bed, from the laptop my lovely hubby bought some time ago. The laptop I said I couldn't get to grips with. Bored out of my brains I seem to be getting to grips with it quite well now. . I've been in bed for 3 days now. At least I think it is 3 days, I seem to have lost all track of time. This Christmas was obviously meant to teach me some lessons. I'm quite good at life lessons but I'm still working out what this was meant to teach me.

In February I tore a disc in my spine. An MRI scan showed it was cute, actually acute but cute sounds more friendly. As you can imagine it hurt quite a bit. The consultant told me that as it had torn so much it wouldn't knit back together completely, that within 5 years I would have to have the disc removed. Sooner if I didn't look after it. I scoffed at this. At 36 years old I thought it was ridiculous to think I'd be a candidate for spinal surgery. Unfortunately though at the tail end of the flu last week, I coughed just once too much. I felt my back twinge. When I went to stand up I couldn't move. I spent the night on the lounge floor after taking numerous drugs that didn't make any difference. With the only other option an ambulance to hospital. I'm sorry but I'd rather take my chances at home! Since then I've taken a copious amount of drugs - Diazepam, Diclofenac, Tramadol, Co-codamol and Dihydrocodeine. Even with a cocktail of some of these drugs it's only just taking the edge off the pain.

On the bright side, at least my back held out until after Christmas. Part of me would rather still have the flu, in place of this of course not on top of this. It's my favourite time of year and so far I've had a week of not being able to taste food and now that I can taste food I can't cook. My husband is rarely at home for this length of time and I'm not able to do stuff with him and the boys. He is taking really good care of me though but weirdly I feel lonely and removed from the famliy. The in-laws arrived yesterday so I know Little and Small will be having fun. Their faces light up when they come into the bedroom and see me. Though Little had a few tears and said he wanted me to be better. Another bonus, Hubby is a fantastic cook and he has just asked if I'd like something special for dinner.

I'm waiting to speak to the pharmacist (he's a lovely man and a good friend of Great Nanny), he's going to talk me through all the drugs that I have and suggest the best way to take them for maximum effect. That way I will hopefully be able to get out of bed and at least feel like part of my family. Who'd have thought I'd be a junkie before the year was out! Hubs did start talking about celebrities who have become addicted to prescription drugs last night. I think he's a little concerned... He needn't be - I can't stand taking them. If I was in to taking tablets I'd have taken those slimming ones years ago and lost a few pounds!

Where's my lunch? He offered a smoked salmon sandwhich - at least half an hour ago!

15 comments:

Cottage Smallholder said...

Oh poor Amanda,

I've just taken the morning off to catch up with answering comments and then peruse a few of my favourite blogs.

You have been having an awful time. I don't know how you manage to be so amusing about it.

I do hope that you are feeling better soon.

All best wishes for a fabulous 2008

Fiona x

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Oh, ouch -- this sounds awful. Now that you've managed through the holidays (and the part about being in bed with a laptop doesn't sound bad, except for the disc and the pain and the pills), I hope you'll find a solution that frees you of the pain. When I had to be in bed for a few weeks after surgery, my hubby found an antique bell in our cellar, and I kept that near the bed so I wouldn't have to scream for him whenever I needed something. Now, I guess, we'd just use our cell phones! Hope you feel better soon.

Joanna said...

What a HORRIBLE end to the year, Amanda. I know what you mean about feeling cut off from the family ... you half hear life going on downstairs, and wonder what they're laughing at ...

It's a shame that convalescence is one of the things that our hurried life has made unfashionable, because time is often the very best of healers - and of course it's the one thing we're often not prepared to give (not least because people think we might be malingering).

My strong advice is to keep your pyjamas on until you really really feel completely better. And then add a couple of days to be sure. Otherwise it'll be back to square one, which will be worse for everyone. But I know very well that it's easy to give advice, much harder to follow it.

Good luck - and happy new year

Joanna

Deborah said...

Oh, Amanda - I am so sorry!! My husband just found out that he needs a total knee replacement and is having a hard time dealing with it because he is only 29 years old. This is a surgery that is usually done on people more than twice his age. So I have an inkling of what you are going through. I hope that you are up and feeling better soon!!

Jenny said...

Oh dear! I hope something works for you soon!

Marie Rayner said...

Oh Amanda, I am so sorry to hear this news. I hope that you get some relief soon and that 2008 brings you tons of joy and more smoked samon sandwiches and lots of hugs and kisses from small and little. I have enjoyed my journey this year with the little foodies and look forward to many more adventures in the next year, but in the meantime, get well soon! (((hugs)))
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/

Pat said...

Amanda, you do sound like you have had a rough time this Christmas. I hope the back feels better soon.
Best wishes for the New Year to you and your family.

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Fiona, it's the diazapam I'm sure of it! teehee!

Hi Lydia, I spent yesterday reading every single post you've written. Now I'm starting to think being bed bound is actually a good thing.

Hi Joanna, you're so right but it's so boring being in bed. Finally they've changed the medication today so I'm hoping that by tomorrow I'll be up and walking around. The new thinking is that you shouldn't lie in bed with a back injury. I didn't spend even half a day in bed with it last time. This time it feels like I've been hit with a sledge hammer right at the base of my spine. Delightful!

Hi Deborah, your poor husband. He has my sympathy.

Hi Quellia, so do I. Boredom doesn't sit easily on my shoulders. I always think I'm very good at being a sloth until I'm totally incapacitated and then realise that I do actually do quite a lot!

Hi Marie, we've enjoyed our journey with you too.

Hi Pat, it's been different!

Thank you so much for all your good wishes. It's New Years Eve, I'm still in bed (lazy cow!) Haven't planned dinner or even had a say in what we're eating! Can you imagine??!!

I wish you all a wonderful New Year followed by a super 2008 with all good things.
Amanda xx

Trig said...

Ouch! We've all had 'flu this Christmas - I think I brought Spanish 'flu back to the family - but nothing as bad as your disc. Get well soon and a Happy New Year to you all.

Katie Zeller said...

Oh, how absolutley wretched!
Thank god you have a laptop but I would guess that only helps so much...
Do you have Skype? You could call everyone in the world and chat...
I hope you can manage the pain enough to be up and around soon...
Surgery in the near future?

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Trig, thank you. It wasn't the best end to a year or start to a new one but things are looking up. Wishing you all the best for BCN.

Hi Katie, I will avoid surgery for as long as I can. Lots of people have said that it's amazing, I'll feel like a new woman, blah, blah but if I can continue with just the odd flair up then I'd rather do that. We don't have SKYPE think we must get it. I'm up and about now so everything is much better.

Thanks for your comments.
Amanda x

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

I am just catching up on posts and read this...I am so sorry! I hope you are feeling better :)

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi CC, thanks for your kind words. It is getting better. Don't know how people live with chronic pain every single day of their lives though. It must be horrific. Take care. x

Pig in the Kitchen said...

arrrgh, how terrible! I'm about to read your most recent posts, and i hope they bring good news.
Good luck!
Pigx

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Thanks Pig! x

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