Yesterday, my mother, Athena, and I took the long trip from North Jersey to Philadelphia. I think this entry goes into kind of extreme details in some places. I am blaming this on sleep deprivation, drugs, and physical and psychological pain.
It was difficult for my family to find a way for me to transition from the wheelchair to the basement steps. We tried a speaker, but it was too big and hard to manipulate under the wheelchair. Then we tried my 2 year old niece's step stool, but it was way too small. My butt has shrunk, but it still wouldn't have fit. Then, we tried a milk crate and it was perfect. I scooted from the wheelchair to the milk crate and down the steps. Athena supported my foot along the way. These steps were easier than my apartment steps, which are longer and steeper. It was even a fairly easy transition from the steps back into the wheelchair.
From there, it was an easy move into the car. I sat across the backseat with my left leg supported by pillows and occasionally held in my hands. The 2 hours or so in the car were painful, as every bump, acceleration, de-acceleration, turn, etc put pressure on my leg. I was exhausted when we pulled into the parking lot by Dr. Rubin's office.
Dr. Rubin took one look at my leg and expressed concern at the swelling. She suggested that we have scans on my chest and on my leg to figure out what was happening. She mentioned the possibility of amputation as a means for controlling pain and swelling. When she left the room, I cried and mom comforted me. I don't think it is that bad. I want to keep my leg.
After sleeping on it, I realize that the last 2 times she has seen my knee were after going down stairs to get in. Before that, she saw my leg when I was in the hospital for days, without walking on it. It is particularly swollen following my trip from my parents' house. It is more swollen than it was a few days ago. My parents' house is so much bigger than my apartment that when I used the walker, I might have over extended myself. I really want to keep my leg. I might be rationalizing it's current swelling.
After Dr. Rubin's scary discussion, we headed across the street to the hospital to get admitted. We had to wait to complete the admission interview because some one else got there right before us. Once I was in there, I anticipated questions (i.e. I don't have glasses, a hearing aid, or dentures and I don't have diabetes, heart disease, or COPD). The nurse laughed saying she could give me the paperwork to fill out instead of having me wait. I thought that was reasonable. Afterwards, we waited half an hour or so for a bed. Instead of waiting even longer, Mom "wheeled" me up to the 15th floor. I got a bed by the window; for the first time ever, I actually have a view of the city (instead of a wall).
From when I had last been on the couch at my parents' house at 11:30am, I had been uncomfortable. When I had been in in the wheelchair for about an hour (from 2pm to 3pm, at Dr. Rubin's), my leg and hip became tired. At 6 something, when I finally got to lie down in a bed, I felt so good. Athena commented that I looked instantly in less pain. Ken joined us and it was so good to see him. Marcy came and brought a ridiculously delicious turkey sandwich. Mom met Marcy before heading out with Athena. I had been half awake, half asleep for hours.
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