Friday 17 August. Frozen Stiff
For a couple of months now I haven’t been raise my left arm, say, to spray my armpit with deodorant, or reach behind my back, say, to undo my bra without seeing stars. What to do? Other allowing my BO and nunga-nungas fly free. I’ve worked out that I’ve got a frozen shoulder and that there’s not much to be done about it but, after a bad night, the pain is so severe that I am forced to take myself to the doctor’s.
Within an hour I have seen my GP twice and been for an x-ray – there’s efficient for you. Have also, to my surprise, cried twice during this process, once when my GP asked when the pain was worst and once when the very gentle radiographer offered, without being asked, to undo my bra for me! The good news is that there is no sign of osteo-arthritis but, given the lamentable state of my Mum’s back, I’m being referred for a bone density scan too. In the meantime I am despatched with a truckload of extra-strong painkillers.
I feel slightly shocked to be in this state, after all I take reasonable care of myself and exercise regularly but, hey ho, it’s happened so I’ve just got to get on with it. Back home I down my pills and, free of pain at last, madly rush round the house doing everything I haven’t been able to do.
Saturday 18 August: Frozen Out
Wake exhausted after crazy drug-fuelled dreams. Look, it’s not exactly Trainspotting I know but I don’t feel quite like myself. Slump on sofa to watch the Welsh rugby team do their very best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sense of complete helplessness not eased when a very unhappy Rose rings and is clearly having a tough time fitting in to a different regime at her dad’s. Seems there are lots of unwritten rules that Rose keeps transgressing. I’m trying to be charitable here; I hope that it is just a change of regime and nothing more sinister. Poor kid – she has been there less than two days!
Tuesday 21 August: In the Doldrums
O me miserum!, as we used to say in Latin. Mind you we also used to say things like ‘The happy farmer loves the sailor’, and ‘Whilst I was swimming the dog stole my clothes’ and look where that got us. Ho hum! Have had a severe attack of the miseries today, so was most grateful to offload my troubles to Elizabethd, who was hosting coffee, and Westerwitch and Fennie who were also there. Thanks to all of you for your kind words of sympathy and advice.
And finally:
Acute observers of the re-write word meter will notice that the word count has gone down. This is because there are slaughtered ‘darlings’ all over the place (actually they’ve been consigned to a file named ‘limbo’ for possible recycling). I do hope there’ll be something left at the end of the cull or I’m in big trouble.
Hwyl fawr!
The painting is Tom Tomos’s interpretation of Pentre Ifan – for Fennie!
For a couple of months now I haven’t been raise my left arm, say, to spray my armpit with deodorant, or reach behind my back, say, to undo my bra without seeing stars. What to do? Other allowing my BO and nunga-nungas fly free. I’ve worked out that I’ve got a frozen shoulder and that there’s not much to be done about it but, after a bad night, the pain is so severe that I am forced to take myself to the doctor’s.
Within an hour I have seen my GP twice and been for an x-ray – there’s efficient for you. Have also, to my surprise, cried twice during this process, once when my GP asked when the pain was worst and once when the very gentle radiographer offered, without being asked, to undo my bra for me! The good news is that there is no sign of osteo-arthritis but, given the lamentable state of my Mum’s back, I’m being referred for a bone density scan too. In the meantime I am despatched with a truckload of extra-strong painkillers.
I feel slightly shocked to be in this state, after all I take reasonable care of myself and exercise regularly but, hey ho, it’s happened so I’ve just got to get on with it. Back home I down my pills and, free of pain at last, madly rush round the house doing everything I haven’t been able to do.
Saturday 18 August: Frozen Out
Wake exhausted after crazy drug-fuelled dreams. Look, it’s not exactly Trainspotting I know but I don’t feel quite like myself. Slump on sofa to watch the Welsh rugby team do their very best to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sense of complete helplessness not eased when a very unhappy Rose rings and is clearly having a tough time fitting in to a different regime at her dad’s. Seems there are lots of unwritten rules that Rose keeps transgressing. I’m trying to be charitable here; I hope that it is just a change of regime and nothing more sinister. Poor kid – she has been there less than two days!
Tuesday 21 August: In the Doldrums
O me miserum!, as we used to say in Latin. Mind you we also used to say things like ‘The happy farmer loves the sailor’, and ‘Whilst I was swimming the dog stole my clothes’ and look where that got us. Ho hum! Have had a severe attack of the miseries today, so was most grateful to offload my troubles to Elizabethd, who was hosting coffee, and Westerwitch and Fennie who were also there. Thanks to all of you for your kind words of sympathy and advice.
And finally:
Acute observers of the re-write word meter will notice that the word count has gone down. This is because there are slaughtered ‘darlings’ all over the place (actually they’ve been consigned to a file named ‘limbo’ for possible recycling). I do hope there’ll be something left at the end of the cull or I’m in big trouble.
Hwyl fawr!
The painting is Tom Tomos’s interpretation of Pentre Ifan – for Fennie!
Comments
Thanks for the painting of Pentre Ifan - now I shall have to come and explore it but first I shall need to do some research to know what I should be looking for. Most likely it is 'anchored' to that precise spot by bisecting a couple of lines of fixed (rather than random) length at a precise ratio, with the lines being themselves 'anchored' at at least one end to a prominent geographical feature.
I put a comment on the previous blog about the word meter. Good luck with the slashing!
Odddles of sympathy. What pain killers were you given . . . anti-inflammatories - watch you're stomach . . . always take with food. If you have anything with codeine in it watch out for the addiction - best to take really at night if you can't sleep - will get around to finishing the migraine blog which goes into codeine addiction.
Meanwhile - gentle hug . . . reflexology can sometimes help frozen shoulders - osteopath may be good too - let us know how you get on.
And sharpen up your finger nail for poking you know who in the eye . . .
I hope Rose has settled in and a little more comfortable at her dad's.
Hope that your doctor and you can find ways to better your shoulder. Quickly. Or at least, steadily.
Forgive me if you have already written about this, but what were the first signals? Did it sort of creep up on you as many physical bit seem to?
I am glad that you are still able to keep up with the writing.
xo
hate the pain killers and the side effects...a lavender wheatie is my new best friend! I hope Rose is OK and coping with change...no doubt you and she will have a giggle about it at a later stage but perhaps a few sore spots at the mo.
Best wishes for your recovery. And especially for the deodrant application.
Crystal xx
By the way, don't be too impressed by the Eisteddfod stuff - spent a lot of time skulking so as not to be spoken to but did learn that south walians use an entirely unknown word to us northerners for milk.
I hope they get to the bottom of it for you. I also suggest you check your seating/posture when writing as it can affect you.
Heat treatment makes me feel better.
And as someone suggests, it is VITAL that you keep it moving even though I know how much it hurts...any chance you can find a warm swimming pool and jacuzzi?
take care and warmest wishes
xx
Love your blog and will look forward to reading more about you..have really enjoyed it so far...best wishes OBM
How horrid for you, have you tried Sonic Relief this is supposed to be a good remedy for Frozen Shoulder. Although maybe a good Reflexologist or Osteopath could help you.
So pleased that you are able to keep writing Chris.
Camilla.x
Slash and burn, baby, slash and burn.
Well done on the slash and burn.......remember nothing is ever wasted........keep the limbo files :-)