6.02.2011

Something you don't want

Never one to talk about ailments, always one to count the blessing of good health, I have been reluctant to explain my recent inattentiveness to DemWit.

(Yes, I often mention my vision problem, because it’s something I live with and something which often requires explaining.)

Over the last few weeks I’ve dealt with a physical problem which my son assures me should not be considered “an old folks’ condition” – the pain of pleurisy. (One of his college buddies, he recalled, likened it to "being kicked by a horse.")

Before being diagnosed with pleurisy I always grouped it with terms like lumbago and bursitis and thought it was the result of a bad chest cold. I haven’t had a cold in 20 years. So, here’s what I've learned about this condition:

“Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, which is the moist, double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the rib cage. The condition can make breathing extremely painful. The double-layered pleura protects and lubricates the surface of the lungs as they inflate and deflate within the rib cage. Normally, a thin, fluid-filled gap - the pleural space - allows the two layers of the pleural membrane to slide gently past each other. But when these layers become inflamed, their roughened surfaces rub painfully together like two pieces of sandpaper.”

Or maybe something like two plates of the Earth’s crust rubbing together in the “Ring of Fire.”

"Pleurisy can be caused by viral infections, any number of serious diseases, drug reactions, chest injury or simply movement and causes stabbing pain in the rib casge area." (Source of quotes: WebMd.com)

In my case, the pain is exacerbated by sitting for any length of time in my fancy ergonomics computer chair.

I have a friend who lives with chronic pain every day of her life, yet maintains a cheerful and loving nature. I, on the other hand, cry over a stumped toe.

The doc says it could take six more weeks of anti-inflammatory drugs. For someone who hasn’t been “on medication,” this is a bitter pill to swallow. Oh, there’s also a bottle of pain pills, but I’ve tried to tough it out and have only reached for it twice. Narcotic is a scary word.

Other than the pain, I feel great! No kidding. Temperature: normal. Blood pressure: normal. Chest X-ray shows lungs clear.

Let me sign off for a while before you start yelling “TMI” (“too much information” for the acronym challenged). In short, pleurisy is something you don’t want.

15 comments:

Bill Sumrall said...

Sorry to hear this but hope you will be up to battle-speed soon!

Tim Farrell said...

Hope you feel better real soon, Betty. Just got back from a week and a half visiting family down South. What a trip! I'll write you about it real soon.

Leslie Parsley said...

Living with pain is not only "painful", it is exhausting and depressing. Please take care of yourself and don't push it, so the healing process won't take as long as it would were you to try staying up to speed. Be kind to yourself.

Anonymous said...

I hope you feel better soon. I hear it is extremely painful. I have had several friends younger than me. Get well soon!!!

Love,
Phillip

Anonymous said...

Lol... Correction... I have had several friends younger than me have it.

Phillip

Lynn said...

Hi BJ,
So sorry you're going through this pain. Don't be so stoic - take the pain medicine. You need it or the doctor would not have prescribed it.I miss the blog and look forward to your swift return.
Love, Lynn

Sue said...

I'm so sorry you are in pain BJ, please take a much needed break and heal. Listen to the doctor and don't be afraid of painkillers, they work well if you follow the directions :-)

Love ya BJ!

Ahab said...

I hope you recover soon! In the meantime, may your pain ease.

Jerry Critter said...

Solution! Put your computer up high so you can stand instead of sit at it.

Sorry! That's probably not funny at this time.

Please take care of yourself. I am sorry for your pain. Hang in there. It will get better.

Dana Gower said...

I'm surprised Bill -- the greatest font of knowledge on any movie and most books written -- didn't mention that pleurisy is a major plot point in Fantastic Voyage. Try thinking of it as an adventure. Seriously, I hope you're feeling better soon.

Tiny said...

Pain is not a companion anyone wants to live with at all. Pleuersy is a very painful condition. Tiny had it when she was in her late 30s and can identify with what you are experiencing.

Sending you lots of love and good healing energy. Take good care of BJ and be patience with yourself and allow yourself time to heal.

Ya gotta lotta people out here who loves you and are hoping and praying for your full and, hopefully, speedy recovery.

beth said...

BJ ~ I am so sorry to read this! Hope you get well soon because I rely on your wisdom and that of your "posters." I am going to be more attentive shortly -- we're finally moving into our house. Have spent three nights here and I'm up to my ears in boxes.

Get well SOON, my friend!

Murr Brewster said...

Ugh. The only person I knew with pleurisy had a rough go for a couple months. But he did end up good as new. Rest up and go ahead and be as big a weenie about it as you want. We'll wait.

B.J. said...

‘Scuse the blanket thank-you note, but I do thank each of you for your concern and love and especially Leslie Parsley, Jerry Critter and Murr Brewster for making me laugh when I wanted to cry! And what a nice surprise to hear from my old college buddy Dana Gower, who describes Bill Sumrall to a “T.” Love to all, BJ “I shall return” Trotter aka DemWit

Tiny said...

BJ we know you can't keep a good gal down. We know you will be back with us asap because you're one of the 'good gals.' Hope you are doing better and will soon be good as new.

Sometimes Tiny thinks we have these obstacles to scale in order to learn to have as much patience with self as we give to others. Wishing you less pain each day until you regain pain-free days.

So, take it easy until you can take it anyway you can get it! LOL