Friday, January 27, 2023

Pop.

Angus intends to spend much of Thursday in the garage. It's time to go through the last of those plastic packaging crates marked ' Family papers/Miscellaneous  - Do Not Discard '  that we brought from France. Family papers/Miscellaneous is a catch all for table cloths, old hard drives, vases, single gloves  and all sorts of odds and ends that were packed with increasing desperation as the removal day got closer. Good progress is made until he bends down to pick up the last of the crates from the floor. It's full of papers ... and is heavy. In fact it's heavy enough to waken that forty five year old trapped nerve which decides now is the time to 'pop out' and get reacquainted. This was an old rugby injury that I hoped had gone for good.

From making the call to getting in to see the ' minor injuries unit ' at the hospital takes all of twenty minutes. It would have been quicker but the hospital car park is full and 'The Font' has to find a space by the  dustbins. 'A trapped nerve. That'll be sore' says the young lady on duty. Angus agrees. The young doctor's not entirely sure that lifting a packing case counts as an accident but as the waiting room is quiet she gives me the benefit of the doubt. Anti-inflammatories are prescribed. Angus was hoping for some pain killers - some Codeine would have been handy - but opioid addiction must be a thing that's frowned on in these deeply Presbyterian parts. He is told to buy some Nurofen and come back in a week.

For the next few days Sophie will be accompanied on all her outings by 'The Font'. Today they will driving off in search of physiotherapists. Getting an appointment as short notice is 'difficult'. Perhaps they can be persuaded in person ?


Question du jour : https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00167-1


18 comments:

potty said...

I know there is probably a simple answer but don't you have a GP. Mine would have been the gateway to the Physio as well.

Coppa's girl said...

Poor Angus - I hope that Nurofen does the trick.
Will 'The Font' be taking photos to keep us up to date with Sophie's wonderful adventures?

Virginia said...

Oh Tarnation! Fingers crossed The Font gets you an emergency appointment with a good physio fast. I hope anti inflammatories (and an old fashioned hot water bottle perhaps?) will convince everything to settle down. I recommend gigantic quantities of painkillers at night. Sleep helped me more that anything else.

WFT Nobby said...

The trapped nerve sounds painful and I hope the ibuprofen provides at least some relief. Given all the horror stories about the state of the NHS, Angus was fortunate to get to see to a doctor so quickly. I'm afraid that the suggestion above, to obtain a physio appointment via the GP, is unlikely to be the solution in the short term and expect that Angus's strategy of looking for one privately is the only way right now.
As for the rotation speed of earth's inner core - take it from this geophysicist who understands a thing or two about the poorly constrained modelling of this type of seismic data - they really don't know!
Cheer, Gail.

Anonymous said...

We are so sorry to hear this and send our best wishes for you to be pain free as soon as possible
Wendy (Wales)

Susan said...

You will no doubt be frustrated to hear that I got 11 boxes of 16 tablets containing 500mg of paracetamol and 40mg of codeine the other day from my pharmacy in France. I can go back in a month and get another 11 boxes should I so wish.

Anonymous said...

I have had this badly enough a couple of times to warrant intervention. I swear by (and at the point of treatment, at) my osteopath, who moves the bones to let the nerve out. Hurts like hell at the point of impact, but saves weeks of dull pain.

Anonymous said...

And I commiserate

Melinda from Ontario said...

I've never experienced a trapped nerve but I've heard it's awful. Feel better soon, Angus.

Taste of France said...

Oh no!
When you are better, make sure a physical therapist shows you how to move heavy-ish things safely (one should move truly heavy things only with a team).
I just saw "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" about the opioid crisis and photographer Nan Goldin's campaign to bring the Sacklers to account.
When I dislocated and broke my elbow, I was given Tramadol in the ER (in France). I tell you, that stuff makes you feel very, very good. I had no idea it was an opioid, and wasn't in a position to look it up. When I got out of the hospital, they gave me a prescription for LOTS of Tramadol. By that time, I had looked it up. As the pharmacist stacked the boxes on the counter, I said, how about if I just take half and come back if I need the rest? I ended up returning half of the half I had taken. I was terrified of the stuff, but was grateful to have it at those moments when the pain was edging toward childbirth levels.

Jake of Florida said...

Before I read further down to your very painful trapped nerve, I was about to ask if you found any classified documents among your family papers. Then my silly joke turned to empathy for your sudden pain. I do hope rest and time and ibuprofen help.

Bailey Bob Southern Dog said...

Angus, I am very sorry to read of this development. I use an ice pack for ten minutes each hour to help with the pain, as well as any swelling. May ‘The Font’ and Sophie have success in finding you help.

Barbara Anne said...

So sorry for your misery after lifting that box and hope you find effective relief without surgery. As a nurse, may I encourage you to have food in your stomach before taking pain medicine? Many pain pills can make you barf if they land in an empty stomach. Oh, yes.

Pam in NH said...

Sorry to hear that you are in pain. We are all hoping it is short term. In the meantime, Sophie will enjoy showing the Font all the best smells and sights.

10NISNE1 said...

Nerve pain is the worst! Hope you're feeling better soon!

The Bougalou Bear said...

Aiiee!
As the survivor of a misspent youth -serious motorcycle accident 40 years ago- I can vouch for anti-inflammatory meds (on a full stomach indeed) and chiropractics. Fingers crossed for a successful hunt by Madame The Font and prompt relief for you.

Does that mean that you won't be attending tomorrow's supper? I am sure I can't be the only one who was looking forward to your tales of the Robbie Burns evening

suej said...

So sorry Angus to hear your news. Hope your recovery is speedy and that you are soon back walking that wonderful beach.

Lisa in France said...

I was late to read yesterday's post, but I send my sympathies. My husband did something similar a few weeks ago on the outbound side of our move. I wonder whether the Font was more sympathetic than I was?