My physio therapist was poking around looking for the particular muscle or nerve that was causing the pain. As we found out, there is a 'trigger button' for it just two third of the length down from my bum on the outer side of my left leg. One push and it was like an electric shock sending high voltage current throughout my entire body at the pain scale of 10 for a whole 5 seconds. I saw blinking stars for a while after that. I warned him not to push that button again! The physio guru of PCMC also came around and her diagnosis was that it could be instability of joints. I didn't really know how to take that. I just hope instability of joint (or joints) is something that can be fixed from the outside.
Later I went to see Dr. Jag. He was happy to see me and for the fact that I was already discharged but quickly asked me why I was not on my feet but being pushed by Zarina on a wheelchair instead. I explained everything to him and he gave me his worrying look. I had a feeling that this was not going to be good. He asked me to lie down on his examination bed. He must have noticed that this time I was really afraid of his pulling-and-poking method and reassured me that he will not do anything. He even stood about a meter away just to prove it. But I knew he was asking me to do certain movements in order to trigger that excruciating spasm pain. And he was right, it hit me; twice! I was screaming in pain and almost fell off his examination bed. I was left with teary eyes after the two short episodes.
Dr. Jag agreed with the physio's diagnosis but he thinks it could also be caused by internal bacterial infection. He had the benefit of seeing the internal infection himself when he opened me up last time so only he knew how bad it was. I'm guessing it was pretty bad. If it was just instability of joints, he said it could be fixed by putting a body brace on me to hold the joint properly and over time it will heal. It doesn't sound that evasive but it doesn't sound too promising either. If it was due to infection; antibiotics are the only cure. But that would mean going back to Dr. Suresh, the bacteria warfare guy, and most probably using the antibiotics on IV which means another round of hospital stay. I was still shaking and too tired from the previous attacks to disagree with him.
"I'm going to admit you back in. We are going to do a blood test, an X-ray and an MRI again to find out what it is." I looked at Zarina and then we both looked at him. I can't remember what our actual reply was but in unison we agreed - do whatever it takes to fix this.
After he made a few calls to book all the tests for me and send his nurse out to arrange for my admission, I suddenly remembered to ask him. "What if the infection can't be cured with antibiotics?". I was merely putting together the facts he presented to me earlier - if the bacteria is on the spine itself, rather than the muscles; then it will be hard for the medication to reach there.
"Then we'd have to go in again..."
I can almost felt another spasm coming. This time not triggered by my movement but by the words he uttered.
He added, "I'll have to go in and give it a good clean. It will be a fairly simple and short procedure. Not to worry." Rather unconvincingly this time...
I can't even think on how to react. I think I will just have to cross the bridge when (and if) I come to it.
For the second time in PCMC, the routine repeats again. The only difference this time is I'm going into the medical ward instead of the surgery ward. And sadly also, I didn't get the Twin Towers view from my window this time... I just hoped and pray for the best. Just like last time, Zarina had to rush home and get my necessities and then came back to accompany me at the hospital. The X-ray and the MRI should have been a simple routine procedure for a regular like me but this time it was a bit constrained due to the spasm. I kept having to apologize to the imaging crew because I really had to take my time in getting myself into position. I was moving like a sloth in order to avoid triggering the spasm. The X-ray went quite well but I had two spasm attacks during the MRI and it wasn't fun at all.
Zarina spent the night at the hospital that night just to accompany me on my first night back at the hospital. I was in a way glad that I am back into good professional care but I can't help playing the scenarios in my mind on what was going to happen next. I pray hard that night so that I would not require another surgery...
Dr. Jag came early the next morning bearing somewhat a good news. It was confirmed that the infection was the one causing my spasm pain (well, this is not the good news). The good news is that he thinks the infection could be cured by antibiotics. They are going to pump me up with two strong antibiotics; Vancomycin and Fusidin. I googled them later and found out that Vancomycin used to be considered as the "last resort" medication to treat serious infections. I was comforted for the fact that they are using a super-drug to treat me but on the other hand, I was also not so comforted by the fact that, if this is indeed the last resort - what would happen if the last resort doesn't work?
So, I was introduced to this one cool procedure. It was actually quite scary when it had to be done on your own body but it was definitely worth it when you see how people cringed when you told them how it was done. The procedure is called PICC that stands for Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter line. In this procedure, a line was placed in a large vein in the arm near the inside of the bend in your elbow. It is then threaded through the vein all the way up your arm until the tip sits in the large vein just above the heart and sometimes extended right into the heart. As I was telling people how it was done, I drew a line with my finger on my arm all the way to my heart - that's when they cringed.
Anyway, I can sensed that Dr. Jag was being ultra-conservative this time when he was estimating that I would need at least 4 to 6 weeks of antibiotics in order to get rid of the bacteria totally. I'm an engineer so how can I argue with my doctor... He was stressing again and again on the 4 weeks stay and was asking if was I okay with the arrangement - not that he was going to give any choice anyway...
As he was about to leave, I said to him, "I only have one request". He turned back toward me and said, "What is it?".
"I want the Twin Towers' view", which he replied with a grin, "Considered done!". I guess if I was going to do it, why not do it in comfort. Somehow the Twin Towers had always have a therapeutic effect on me...
They got me a new room on the other side that very same evening. Last time I was in the surgery ward but now I'm in the medical ward. Same good service but with a different crew. I'm going to make a new set of friends for the next 4 to 6 weeks... My advice to everyone is - "Be nice to your nurses. They are the one holding the needles..."
No comments:
Post a Comment