MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Reesie.. so glad to see you back! praying for your continued recovery!

Hauntie.. hoping you can wait and not have to go to the ER.. HUGS!

My DB said if it needs to be aspirated while I'm here, we can go to an urgent care clinic instead of the ER. Actually, I think I would prefer to have it done here rather than have my BS do it and listen to her lecture me about removing the drain too soon. By the time I go for my next follow-up she'll have forgotten about the whole thing (fat chance).

Hi everyone,

I came back from our normal morning walk with the dogs, feeling just fine.  I was getting ready to feed them and got this sudden, stabbing pain that radiated from my back shoulder blade through the front of my chest.  Initially it felt like someone had stabbed me from the back with a bayonet.  It doubled me over for a minute.  Since I had to be at rads in an hour I decided to see if anyione there had a clue what this pain could be.  It was super severe, scary pain.  No breathing issues, just that stabbing pain.

Well it was an interesting day.  I went to rads and told the tech what was happening.  She said there was no doctor in today, but after treatment she would have me see the nurse.  So, talked to the nurse and she wrote down everything going on and said I had to go to the ER.  She was very thorough but she said with radiating chest pain, even on the right side, they cannot rule out a cardiac event.

So off I went.  They got me in right away, hooked me up to an EKG, did a chest x-ray and lots of bloodwork.  The doctor came in and said all of my bloodwork and tests were normal, so it was not cardiac.  She said the one thing she was concerned about was a blood clot.  She ordered a CT  scan.  Had that done and more waiting.  She finally came in and said that was normal.  However, it showed I have two small nodules on my thyroid.  Needless to say I was not real thrilled to hear that.  She asked when I see my oncologist, told her tomorrow.  She gave me a copy of the report and said to give it to him.

As far as the pain, there was an area of my lung that was irritated, but she also thinks I may have an inflammation of the tissue in my rib cage.  Either way not serious so that is good to know.

They had me on Morphine when I was there so I came home and crashed on the couch.  I just woke up.  The pain is not too bad right now.  More aching than sharp.

So tomorrow I will show the report to my RO and see what he thinks about the little nodules.  The report did say an ultrasound was indcated.  We will see what he says.

It was a long day to say the least!

I'll let everyone know tomorrow what he wants to do about the nodules.  I feel fine, just real tired.

Janis, I'm glad you are a smart enough woman to talk to the medical community about what happened.  So many of us (read that ME) have a tendancy to say "ahhh, no doctor appt for another month....I'll bring it up then" and then don't when the reality is we should call immediately about worrisome things.  Kitty's experience sounds positive-let's claim that for you!

Janis sending you hugs and prayers for you!

Barbe...I think you mean Pleurisy?  It was never mentioned, but get this.  On the discharge paperwork (which I could not read, forgot my glasses) it said the doctor discussed Pleurisy with me.  Really?  Okay I had Morphine but still think my head was pretty clear and DH never heard her mention it either.  I did Google the Costcochondritis and that sure sounds like what I had!  What do you do to treat it?  Now that I know will not panic if it hits again, but that is some nasty pain.  Yikes!

Thanks for all the hugs, prayers and happy thoughts you sent.  I do feel better now about those thyroid nodules!  I will be real anxious to know what my RO says about all this.  That pain yesterday was horrible, there was no way I could ignore it.  I am sore this morning but not in active pain.  It does hurt to move my arm around but that is nothing compared to yesterday morning.  I swear it felt like someone had just shoved a huge knife right through my shoulder blade and out the front of my chest.  No fun.

I hope everyone has a great day today!  I will come back later and let you know what my RO has to say!

Hugs to all!

Janis - I just had a bout with costochondritis. As Barbe described, it is very painful. However, it went away quickly using antiinflammatory meds. I've had pleurisy, which I believe is an inflammation of the lining of your lung. That causes intense (knife like) pain when you breath. I think it usually shows up as a result of a respiratory infection. As far as I remember, that one resolved on its own.

I'm off to the urgent care clinic to have the accumulated fluid from my PMX aspirated. Hopefully, they won't charge me an arm and a leg. Maybe I should tell them, I just gave up a breast and that's all the body parts I can spare right now. The fluid isn't painful, just uncomfortable. I think I'll feel better once it's out. Seeing someone here means I won't have to go home early. Otherwise, it's get in the car and drive 4-5 hours to see my MD.

Janis sounds like you had a rough day but so glad you got checked out and can talk to your RO today. 

Foxy I was talking to a local veterinarian last night at church and she helped your friend find a place for her sheep so her animals all got placed.  Just though I'd update you.

The wildfires are still burning.  Last night they said bastrop had lost 576 homes and expected the count to at least double if not more. They only had the Bastrop fire 30% contained but a group of wildfire fighting experts from California are flying in today to give them assistance.  So if the winds stay down and the experts show up maybe they can get it contained.

I finished rads in late Jan and ended up with permanent nerve damage.  I am taking meds for it and for the most part they work pretty good and keep it under control.  However once every week or two I have a really bad day and have to resort to the narcotics.  Well last night I took my meds and about an hour later I ended up with the sever stabbing pains in my breast that just make me loose my breath they are so bad.  Took a narcotic but that takes a little while before it starts working.  Practiced my yoga breathing trying to work through the pain.  I think I just ended up passing out from the meds before the pain stopped but woke up this morning and all is fine.  I am just getting so tired of it.  I won't be having my MX for 6 months and this pain is getting old.  But looking on the bright side it is not every day so it could be worse.

I really need to keep up on the boards

SherryC - I have been thinking about you a lot and concerned with the fires.  It was in the air in the No Dallas area.  We have had several local fires south of the big D that did some extensive damange.  I was so mad one morning this week when a person threw a cig out of their window. Hello, were in one of the worst droughts in several years!

Welcome newbies, great bunch of ladies here.

Reece - glad your surgery went well.

Hauntie - I had about a month and a half of fluid buildup after my surgery in June.  Keep up on it, I think I went to my PS 4 times and the last time was the charm.  I have not been back yea.

Janis - your my hero, sorry for the pains you have gone through but you are a great example of what we should do in our own care.

Well today I am celibrating my first post cancer birthday.  Last year did not consider it because I was still going through chemo.  So today I am officially one again and here is to 48 more years. 

mjbmiller - we must have a banner

Yes it is my Birthday Birthday, DH and DS are taking me out to eat, found this great Chinese restaurant.  May try that.

Happy birthday mjbmiller!

janis hoping that the US comes back B9.  I used a lidocaine cream at the end of rads and it did help.