pameladean: (Default)
[personal profile] pameladean
I think the subject line is about all I really have to say about events in the world.

On my little square inch of ivory, I now have three half-finished LJ entries languishing while I scrabble around saying OW. This is because on Friday evening at Minicon I tripped over my sweetie Eric while we were rounding a corner together, talking animatedly (neither of us can now recall what we were talking about) and rushing to meet David, Lydy, and Ctein for dinner before Opening Ceremonies. I fell flat on my chest, knocking the wind out of myself. I am proud to say that even while I was making Unnnnngggggg noises getting air back in, I thought, "So THAT'S what that feels like!" Several members of the hotel staff were very concerned, as were my dinner partners. It might have been smarter to try icing the injury right away, but I was, amazingly, still very hungry and didn't want to miss Opening Ceremonies. In any case, I felt I was reasonably accurate in my assessment that the problem was not on the surface.

Half the people at Minicon seem to have bruised or cracked a rib at some point in their lives. The general advice was to ice the area, take anti-inflammatories, and not do anything to aggravate the pain. When I saw the doctor a week later, at an appointment previously made for a blood-pressure check, he said pretty much the same thing, confirming everyone's assertions that the medical profession really couldn't do much about the situation. I can't take ibuprofen because it makes my hands swell up ("Weird," commented my doctor), but acetaminophen worked all right for pain control, along with lavish applications of Ben-Gay. He gave me a prescription for Flexeril, which I filled, but I haven't taken any. The patient information sheet alarmed me too much. I have become blase about the possible side effects of antihypertensives, but not about random other drugs, apparently.

I managed my reading and my two panels at Minicon, although I was really not all there for the Sunday afternoon one. I can still, two weeks later, only sleep in one position; at Minicon, I had to build fortresses out of most of the available pillows before I could lie down at all; and since the hotel pillows were soft, these fortresses would gradually subside and need to be flung about and rebuilt several times every night. This kind of activity cuts into one's sleeping time. Fortunately, David, Lydy, Eric and I had split out into two rooms rather than piling into one, so I could have a bed to myself. I am much obliged to Eric for helping me put on my shoes, and for hanging around while I discovered whether it was possible to take a shower. Being in a hotel with high beds, a shallow tub, and a grab bar was probably a good thing for the first few days after this ridiculous event.

At this point, I can cough, breathe, and laugh without any difficulty. Sneezing is still very painful. At Minicon, I had to develop a special high-pitched yelp from the top of my chest so that I could laugh. I perfected it under emergency conditions at [livejournal.com profile] mrissa's reading.

This is the first spring in five years that I haven't had some kind of book deadline, but I can't garden until things heal up. However, I look forward to being able to sleep in a normal position someday. My cat is puzzled, but persists in sleeping as close to me as he can get, pillow fortresses or no pillow fortresses.

Pamela

Date: 2011-05-05 06:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] michaeldthomas.livejournal.com
Ow. I'm so sorry.

Date: 2011-05-05 06:58 pm (UTC)
kate_nepveu: sleeping cat carved in brown wood (Default)
From: [personal profile] kate_nepveu
You are . . . not the _last_ person I ever expected to be quoting "Seven Nation Army," but certainly not high on my list, either.

And ugh about the injury. Two weeks out you probably have your pillow fortress perfected, or I'd suggest asking any formerly-pregnant people in your vicinity if they had any body pillows left over from their pregnancies. Hope you feel better soon.

(no subject)

From: [personal profile] kate_nepveu - Date: 2011-05-05 07:21 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [personal profile] kate_nepveu - Date: 2011-05-06 02:36 am (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 07:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sinboy.livejournal.com
Ugh. Worst I ever had was some separated cartilage, which was excruciating. I hope you get well soon.

Date: 2011-05-05 07:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] faithhopetricks.livejournal.com
OW, cracked rib!

(Of course you listen to White Stripes, because you're cool.)

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From: [identity profile] faithhopetricks.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 07:14 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 07:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] minnehaha.livejournal.com
Gad. I didn't know!

K. [maybe we'll add an ice pack to the general run of Green Room stuff for next year]

Date: 2011-05-05 07:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cogitationitis.livejournal.com
There really isn't much to be done about a cracked rib, and they can take up to six months to heal. (I cracked one over 20 years ago and still can't wear an underwire bra as it cuts across that rib.) The Flexeril is probably not the right thing, as it's a muscle relaxant, and your muscles are just fine, so don't worry about not taking it.

The fact that you can cough & laugh says you actually didn't hurt yourself too bad, so you should heal pretty quickly. However, if you get a sharp, stabbing pain or start coughing up blood, go to an emergency room ASAP. That's pretty unlikely unless you do something foolish, like skydiving.

You should be gardening in no time!

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From: [identity profile] gypsy1969.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-08 04:45 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 07:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alecaustin.livejournal.com
Eep! Sorry to hear that the rib is still bothering you. I do recall the emergency laugh very clearly, though.

My only experience in having the wind knocked out of me happened when I was like 8 or 9 years old. I was having a riding lesson - not actually my idea - when the purportedly calm and placid horse I was on decided that she didn't like me and I should not be on her back.

Suddenly, without any discernable transition, I was on the floor of the riding ring, simultaneously trying to gasp for air and feeling like I'd been hammered across the back and that someone was sitting on my chest to keep me from breathing. It was... quite an experience, let's just say.

Ever since then, I'm afraid, horses and riding lessons have been on the Do Not Want list.

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From: [identity profile] casacorona.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 09:42 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] casacorona.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 10:08 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [personal profile] 3rdragon - Date: 2011-05-06 04:42 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 08:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com
ouch
ouchouchouch
I one had three cracked ribs . . . I hope you do know that healing is asymptotic. The more healed you've gotten, the more it slows down. But it begins quickly enough that I expect (and hope!) that your are past the severe discomfort.

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From: [identity profile] apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-06 07:17 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] dichroic.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-09 07:09 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 08:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ginmar.livejournal.com
Yeah...ow! Took a fall myself, and apparently you're another person who makes a thorough job of falling. Well, if you're going to do something, do it right, you know? Holy cow, though. I bet you pulled some muscles along with whatever you did with the ribs, which would have been bad enough.

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From: [identity profile] ginmar.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 08:32 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [personal profile] carbonel - Date: 2011-05-05 09:25 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] ginmar.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 09:34 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] jinian.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 10:40 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 08:05 pm (UTC)
lcohen: (pleiades)
From: [personal profile] lcohen
*gentle hugs*

sending e-mail to you.

Date: 2011-05-05 08:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mrissa.livejournal.com
I'm sorry. I had more serious things I could have read.

Of course, then I would have had to make Serious Andrew Face, which would have spoiled it. I don't know if you've ever seen me make Serious Andrew Face. It is...a thing. (My friend Andrew has a very long, narrow, solemn face. On him it is rather handsome. My attempts to replicate it are...not.)

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From: [personal profile] carbonel - Date: 2011-05-05 09:26 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] mrissa.livejournal.com - Date: 2011-05-05 09:28 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2011-05-05 08:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] clindau.livejournal.com
Owich. Glad you're feeling better.

Date: 2011-05-05 09:01 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous) (from livejournal.com)
the medical profession really couldn't do much about the situation

You have no faith in medicine.

Date: 2011-05-05 09:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shweta-narayan.livejournal.com
Ow! *gentle hugs*

Date: 2011-05-05 09:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] casacorona.livejournal.com
Ow! I hope you get to feeling better soon.

Date: 2011-05-05 09:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dsgood.livejournal.com
Ouch! Sending wishes for good healing.

Date: 2011-05-05 10:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] karenkay.livejournal.com
I'm glad your cat ignores the pillow fortress, because I think they can be comforting. However, if he jumps where you Do Not Want, remember the mew-yelp kitten in pain noise! Very useful.

I hope you heal quickly.

Date: 2011-05-05 10:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jinian.livejournal.com
Yikes. Glad you're doing a bit better.

Date: 2011-05-06 02:22 am (UTC)
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)
From: [personal profile] mdlbear
Flexeril works well for me, but only if I take it in the evening and don't mind getting a full 8-9 hours of sleep. I had it for back pain (muscle spasms).

Double doses of naproxen also work for me.

Date: 2011-05-06 02:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mjlayman.livejournal.com
I'm glad you're doing better! I haven't been to the hotel in a few years, but they always had solid pillows for me when I ask. Not that you need them now.

Date: 2011-05-06 03:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sartorias.livejournal.com
Sounds like it was a good con except for the horrid fall.

Search engine.6

Date: 2011-06-04 04:04 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
What is the best search engine http://google.com or http://yahoo.com?

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