For about a month Tom’s been having pain in his right hand. Lately it’s gotten worse and affected his ability to do physical therapy with his hand. It limits his range of motion. Even wakes him up at night. It’s a crampy pain, “like there’s too much blood in my hand,” he says. And his … read more Regaining pain
Tag: pain
What hurts about beauty
I slept too late and moved too slowly. When I gathered my seven pieces of colored paper, the shapes would not play. They sat stiffly in their rectangles and triangles, and waited for the time to pass until the daily call from Pakistan came and I had to answer it. After a lot of commotion, I … read more What hurts about beauty
A cold red cure
Imagine a treatment for pain that is easy, fast, simple, inexpensive, and has zero risks and zero side effects. Sound like science fiction? It already exists, and was approved 15 years ago by the FDA: low-level laser therapy. I’ve had two treatments, and those few minutes of laser did more to relieve my frozen shoulder pain than … read more A cold red cure
Watch over me
It’s only this week, now that I feel almost fully recovered from the brain surgery, that I realize what a big deal it was. Eleven weeks today, almost to the minute, since that aneurysm ruptured and I collapsed on the floor. I really did almost die. And the surgeons really did dig through my brain. … read more Watch over me
Bumpy turf
There’s ridges on my head. An indent deep enough that the sides of it make two ridges, and a double-wide ridge just above my temple. The indent is the leading end of the incision they made for the surgery. It’s maybe an inch or an inch and a half long. The ridges on my temple … read more Bumpy turf
A new habit
Usually new habits are hard to adopt. But I’ve changed a lifelong habit in one day. It happened because I’ve had shoulder pain from strains, off and on, for years. But lately it’s been bad, bad, bad. An MRI revealed a tear, and yesterday I learned from an orthopedic specialist that I have a frozen … read more A new habit
More pills??
The surgeons are done with me. Today I turned myself in at the office of the primary care doctor. My usual doc was out of the country, so I went to his partner. I wasn’t too sure about going to a stranger. But I’m anxious to get some closer-to-home follow-up on the daily trials I’ve been dealing … read more More pills??
What else is wrong
I apologized to Ann for talking her ear off. “Oh, no, it’s fine – I’m just glad to see you awake, and not crying,” she said. That’s about right. I don’t have a big repertoire in terms of socializing these days. In addition to sleeping 9 or 10 hours at night, I take a couple … read more What else is wrong
The blood that lingers
I’m in the swamp. I’ve been having lower back pain all week. It started in the hospital, but eased up when I was able to move around. I assumed it was sciatica, but it seems more concentrated near the base of the spine. And I’ve been taking short walks in the parking lot outside the condo, … read more The blood that lingers
Day 96: To me, 1982.
Dear 23-year-old self, Who told you that you were “too tall,” anyhow? You are not taller than any of your future lovers will be. A tall woman with straight posture looks so elegant that men of all heights will jump to be with her. So stop slumping. Right now! It doesn’t make you shorter, it just makes you look … read more Day 96: To me, 1982.