Last night I tripped on our stairs and jammed my finger while trying to catch myself. I immediately recognized the sensation that I haven't felt since high school . . . maybe even since 8th grade. In 8th grade, I jammed my fingers a lot. My friend, Cassandra Brooks, and I would play catch with a football during lunch. Sometimes we played basketball. I'm apparently pretty clumsy, because although I was actually pretty decent at both activities, I often ended up jamming my fingers. I got to know the school nurse really well. Not only did I get to know the school nurse, but I learned how to lessen the impact of jammed fingers. The trick? To immediately bend and straighten the afflicted finger. Yes, it hurts, but if done immediately, one retains most of the use of that finger. If you immediately immobilize the finger, it will swell very big and become quite stiff. Nurses will put ice on the finger for 20 minutes to try to reduce the swelling, and most will offer a brace of sorts. Even using the brace, eventually one has to go through the painful task of bending and flexing the injured finger to regain complete use. After my first few jammed fingers, using the technique of immediately immobilizing and then trying to work it out after, I wondered what would happen if I did the bending/straightening exercises up front. I noticed a dramatic difference. So, last night, after wondering how I could be so klutzy, I immediately started bending and straightening my fingers. My finger swelled a little bit, and was definitely sore, but I was still able to use it for the most part. Even today, while it is still tender, I can type and do just about anything. Should I ever have a klutzy child, I will pass this tidbit of knowledge onto them.
A second medical note I would like to make is regarding appendicitis. I've had it. I no longer have an appendix. I blogged the details of my experience in March of 2009. Rereading it, I noticed I didn't really stress the fact that many people don't know how to recognize the signs of appendicitis, which can be a very dangerous ailment. I don't know why they don't teach about it and/or stress it in school. The little knowledge I had to help me recognize the signs came from an experience I had during high school, but unrelated to high school itself. The short story is that I had an ovarian cyst. Cysts are very painful, but often need no medical attention. My dad was the one who decided I needed to go to the emergency room when he found me writhing in pain, past the ability to cry. We immediately we to the ER. Shortly after arriving, the piercing pain began to subside. I finally met with a doctor. I described my symptoms (sharp pain on the lower left side). He said it sounded like a cyst that had probably burst. Apparently that is when they are most painful. He then made a statement that I am glad stuck with me for years. He said that if the pain had been in the lower right abdomen, he would have to insist on further tests to rule out the possibility of appendicitis, but since my pain was on the left, I was able to go home.
To briefly recap my blog post from Feb 2009, fast forward six years: I woke up on a Sunday morning with a sharp pain on my right side. Wondering if I had just moved wrong, I proceeded with my usual morning routine, but as I moved, I realized the sharp pain remained constant, but not too painful. More of a nuisance than anything. I decided there wasn't a reason to freak out yet. I was already considering the possibility of appendicitis, but decided to give myself until the afternoon after church to act on it. If the pain was still there or had increased, I would think about going to the doctor. We went to church and the pain never left. Kyle was the one who ultimately pushed to go to the hospital after he realized what it might be. We went to Urgent Care first, because it is less expensive and I was hoping they could diagnose me. Urgent care didn't have the equipment needed to distinguish between cysts and appendicitis. The doctor confirmed that I either had a cyst or appendicitis, but he then suggested I go to the ER. Following his advice, we traveled to the hospital covered by our insurance. We filled out the forms, waited a bit, and had a CT scan and some blood tests. At around 10:30pm, I was diagnosed with acute appendicitis. My appendix was only slightly inflamed, but still bad enough to warrant an emergency operation. Because the appendix hadn't burst, they were able to perform a laparoscopic appendectomy, which is much less invasive: no big scars. Just after midnight, they operated. I took a week off of work to recover, but I was still able to move much more than those who have their appendix burst before they go in. In talking with others regarding my experience, the number one question asked is "how did you know?"
Here is a summary of symptoms to look for: First off, if you are over the age of 30, your chances for appendicitis are reduced. Most cases occur in the early 20's. The pain is in the lower right abdomen. If when putting pressure on it, it hurts more when the pressure is released, go to the hospital. Another symptom is a loss of appetite. I didn't know this at the time, but when I found out later, it explained why I didn't eat very much of the snack that I had prepared before we went to the hospital. Although any sharp, constant pain is worrisome, if it is on the lower right side, go to the hospital. I do not profess to be an expert on appendicitis, but I think these are the important symptoms to look for, and the ones that specifically affected me.
I'm not sure why I felt the need to share this, but here you go. I hope it will help.
No comments:
Post a Comment