Not the best 4 weeks of my life. I felt like a pin cushion. Everyone wants to jab me with needles which only increases my phobia. So I don't like needles and injections. Call me crazy. I am also not very keen on being stabbed or shot as well. In fact any attempt to murder me is generally not well received. (Nobody actually did try to terminate me in the 4 weeks)
Lets start at the beginning ... 4 weeks before. I had a Penang slightly sore throat. Unfortunately next day I had a flight through Beijing then on to Northern Carolina in the USA. Nothing like a long haul to morph a sore throat into a congested sniveling mess. I had a workshop in Northern Carolina and planned to arrived a few days early to get over the jet lag and be on top form. Unfortunately any idea of top form disappeared with my 'man flu'. I also ditched any thoughts of going to the gym and attempting to keep up my fitness
I sort of hobbled throught the workshop with strategic handkerchiefs and lots of medication. Unfortunately there was one part of the 'man flu' process I was unprepared for. Imagine a very quiet room with lots of people when you suddenly and expectantly develop an incredible tickle throat. Luckily I remembered they had supplied lunch for us and there was honey in a little plastic bear shaped squeeze bottle in the lunch room. I have no idea what this honey would be used for on fruit platter and snacks but was very grateful it was there. I clugged away on honey bear for all I was worth and it seemed to do the trick.
Finished the workshop and enjoyed my stay in America despite my cold . Everyone was so super friendly and would go out of there way to help me. It left a great impression. I would like to take Glynis and Seren there at some stage but unfortunately the shops are just to amazing so it cannot possibly ever happen.
Anyway, arrive back in Penang about two weeks later, jet lagged and less than optimal. As soon as I saw Serenity her eyes welled up with tears and she had that look like "Dad you are never going to leave me again". She is probably right.
So no gym again for a week while I attempt to recover some former self. The I decided to make a start on getting my fitness back. On my third cross fit class my shoulder got a very hot burning sensation. Left to my own device I would not have pushed to hard, to soon. I had a PT standing over me so did not want to lose face by backing off. Regrets, I've had a few.
The shoulder really freaked me out. I did not have the power to raise a straight arm. It was not sore, just nothing there. Whatever was involved in lifting my arm had stopped working. The deltoid had also taken on a mind of its own. Constantly twitching and cramping. I was waiting for the little alien to pop out of my shoulder. HELP.
In quick succession I saw a chiropractor, doctor,
qigong practitioner and a Cranio-Sacral therapist. I am sure you can see the problem here..two of them are quacks. The chiropractor was worse than useless and expensive while the Doctor seemed away with the fairies. The Doctor, drew first blood *2 (there is those needles I hate) and made appointments for a physio business which I think he owns. The Qigong practitioner is treating me for free and I am keeping an open mind about. The Cranio-Sacral was amazing and really made a difference.
I had a week where the right arms only function was to make me look symmetrical. Its lack of ability in other departments was worrying so decided to go to another physio who has a great reputation. He then sent me to an orthopedic surgeon who recommended me to have an MRI scan. If was looking like a torn rotor cuff injury. The problem from my point of view with an MRI is they have to inject a contrasting material into my shoulder joint. This is so they get a nice image on the scans.
I am lying on the table feeling very nervous as a doctor puts the first anaesthetic needle in. He promised the next needle with the contrasting material would be the same size. I think there was a problem. My fear induced and greatly heightened senses clearly hear someone ask for the spinal needle. They needed to go deeper, longer, faster or something like that. Through tightly clenched teeth I tried to go take my mind to a happier place.
The actual MRI is a easy. They give you a set of head phones with music to help drown out the sound as the machine does its thing. I waited around for the results and to talk to the surgeon. The first thing he said to me was "whoopee". I don't need surgery as the tendons are not torn only inflamed (tendinitis). What a relief but a bit concerned with possible cortisone injection.
I was still counting my blessings on the car ride home when the pain kicked in. My tooth was just so sore. All that teeth clenching from the injections. A few hours later it got so bad I had to crash the dentist. They took Xrays and it looked like not much tooth left to save so would have to perform an implant. The cost over 6000RM (2200 NZD). That seemed ridiculous. I had just had an Xray and filling for 120RM (43NZD) so it looked way out of proportion.. I decided to get some pain killers and go home and do some research.
Later that night I realised I had made a big mistake. The pain killers were only lasting 3 hours and I was limited to 3 a day. Some quick maths showed I would have 9 pain free hours in a 24 hour period. Also a quick internet search showed thay was a normal price for an implant and it would cost three times as much in NZ. The dentist was now closed. It was a horrible night.
And a horrible next day. Another Penang public holiday. It is great that Penang is all about celebrations and holidays but did all the dentists have to celebrate en mass. That day I went to the emergency room at a local hospital as everything else closed. Some stronger pain killers were in order. They were two a day and gave me about 6 hours of no pain.(They were meant to last 12 hours). I managed to chop a bit there and add some there and survive another 24 hours to be waiting first thing when the dentist opened.
I had no appointment with the dentist and all the receptionist could offer was an appointment at 6 pm that night. I was explaining that I was in to much pain when one of the dentists overheard. She had a quick look at my Xray and said she could do a quick root canal which would probably relieve the pain. She was angel. Once I got in her chair I couldn't wait until she started sticking needles in my gums. When she said she was going to stick a needle directly into my nerve I was really up for it. Bring it on, more the merrier is what I always say.
Then she told me to breath thought my nose as there was a lot of pus coming up from the tooth. I was thinking does she mean (Jed Clampett and out from the tooth comes a bubbling crude) or was she talking (Monty python piano player) type of fountain. It all helps to pass the time.
She really is an incredible dentist. The speed she worked and the empathy she showed. Anyways, got back home, went to bed and woke up a few hours later pain free. I felt great but hungry. Now when you have a serous hunger there is something you really want. I could not get it out of my mind. You can cook it in a fry pan until it is crispy and have it between bread or have it with eggs. Come on , you know where I am going with this. Just say it. Kevin Bacon.
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| Two days later..with my crew and happy again. Face still swollen. |
Further study outside the blog
Bubbling crude reference
Monty Python reference
Kevin_Bacon reference
info on bubbling crude http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwzaxUF0k18
info on Monty python Piano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfmM59S_5EE
info on Bacon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Degrees_of_Kevin_Bacon
