I missed posting yesterday but I wasn't in a very blogging sort of mood to be honest. I had a bit of a worry.
I have been battling with rib pain for weeks and weeks. Last July I broke my ribs and they eventually healed and I was pain-free. In about June I started getting tenderness where I had hurt my ribs for no reason at all. I mentioned it to the doctor in August and she felt it was OK and nothing to worry about. Some days it would be worse than others. Then it began to spread and rather than just being in a small spot on my right side at the bottom of my rib cage it started to spread round the side and to the back and it started to be more and more persistent. It didn't feel muscular and it was very very tender if pressed. Then at the weekend the pain and tenderness spread to my breast bone as well. So I got a doctor's appointment yesterday expecting him to say yes it was rib pain and it would go and take more paracetamol.
It was a doctor I hadn't seen before and he was very nice. He listened to my concerns and then examined me carefully. One of the first things he said was' what is the scar on your back from?' I told him it was a malignant melanoma removed 5 years ago. He checked my lungs etc which he said sounded fine and then he checked my ribs and abdomen all over and it hurt. He then sat me down and said that it didn't seem muscular but either bone pain or nerve pain and the next step was an urgent referral for a chest x-ray. I questioned urgent and he said in light of my medical history he wanted that checked as soon as possible. I asked Nigel, who was in the waiting room, to come in, and we discussed his concerns. He agreed the melanoma was a red flag and that whilst everything was probably Ok it needed to be checked as a priority. So I left in a very different frame of mind than I entered and in a bit of shock really as I wasn't expecting that scenario. Nigel keeps telling me - and I know he is right - that they have to cover themselves and that it is unlikely to be anything wrong but they have to check etc etc. I keep alternating between worst-case scenario and thinking it is all a waste of people's time. I had my urgent chest x-ray this morning and will hear results in a couple of days. If you can, keep me in your thoughts and the odd prayer wouldn't go amiss either, please.
Consequently I haven't really been able to settle to anything today.
I did make this yesterday though - a lovely picture of Nigel and his Mom who is increasingly 'absent' as the dementia steals more and more of her away.
I used more Indigo and ivy and it was made for ATDML.
Today I am thankful for
- the speed of our NHS which is terrific when it needs to be
- the care of NHS staff - they were lovely as always today and I watched nurses and ancillary staff be so kind to so many people and so patient with them
- faith - it's so key!
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