Well, mom said I need to blog because she tried but didn't understand what happened or what they said. I am not sure.
Since I was pregnant with Jake (about 4 months in) until now I have had chest pains that radiate to the back of my shoulder blade and then down the inside of my arm and down to my elbow. The pain stops at my elbow. When it gets really bad I then have tingling from elbow to fingertips. It is not every day and is not all the time. Just everyonce in a while. Toward the end of the pregnany they got worse (hurt more and more often). Then they stopped. They started back up when Darrel decided to take the Job in Seattle and we were having to make plans for everything (about the last 2 weeks he was here). Then they went away for a while. They started back up when mom had to go to the hopsital here 2 weeks ago. They have been very consistent and off and on in strength. It was when we were at church and mom was taken by paramedics that I relized they are tied to stress. (not maybe - they are!) If I am yelling at the kids in the back of the car because they are fighting (which is often) they start up, if I am worried about a lot of things they start up.
Well, I am not sure what was wrong the other night but I had made dinner (which was a big thing because this last week we have been going so much we have been eating out). Anyway, I made dinner, nothing big (mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches). Mackenzie started hounding me about what else she could eat because "I don't like that and I am not eating it". (sorry this does not show Mackenzie in the perfect light Granny sees her in. I see the real side sometimes!) Michael then got on the band wagon and had a list a mile long of suggestions. I yelled at them (which I should not have done but the baby was crying and Amanda was wanting in her seat to eat and it wasn't even quite done yet). So of course the pains started. I got everyone's food dipped up and set to eat but they hurt so bad I couldn't eat.
Now, during my pregnancy Darrel had said it was gas or indigestion so I had always taken Gavascon for it and gone to bed (whoa and guess what when I went to bed and left him to deal with everything it all went away!)
Well, I tried Gavascon and it didn't work. Then I tried Mylanta. By this time Mom and Melissa had talked to me and I was really hurting.
Well, mom's great suggestion was I will bring you one of my Colonopin (I know I spelled this wrong but at least everyone can pronounce it phonetically).and two extra strength tylonol. Reminder: the strongest and only med. I take are Wellbutrin and Gavascon. I try to just sleep off headaches and other things because I don't get them very often and it works to get rid of them. Anyway, I took that and then went to bed. Now, I have been having bad dreams for a while now (since I was pregnant with Jake and they have just continued - he is 5 months now) Anyway, I woke up enough to know I was still hurting 2 or 3 times during the night when I would roll over. At 4 am I got up realizing I still hurt and that the kitchen was still a mess because when I was hurting so bad last night I just piled all the kids in my bed and went to sleep. By the time I made it to the kitchen it hurt so bad to breath or move my arm I knew I was not going to be able to clean it up. That is when I figured I needed to go to the ER. (I am sure subconciously I knew mom would clean it for me - Thank you mom. I forgot to tell you yesterday when I talked to you). So, mom came over and dad drove me to the ER. I explained that I was sure it was because of stress some how. Anyway, they did EKG and Xray and then Darrel called. Explained (what I would call chewing on me!) that I should have had this looked at when Jake was born and should not have waited until now since I was with all four kids alone and that I had better call when I found out what it was and he hoped I didn't plan on still going to CA. with all this going on.) then he hung up and my chest hurt so bad, worse than it had all night including when I thought it was bad enought I needed to go. Everyone came running and they put some drug in my IV to hopefully stop the pain. (don't know the name of it - something like Tetrol or something) I was holding my chest and explained when I put pressure here it releaves some of the sharp pain. The doctor came over and pushed real hard and it hurt worse.
She then diagnosed it as Costochondritis - chest wall pain. She said it is not my heart or lungs. It is the cartliage in my chest wall though. That I probably hurt it while I was pregnant lifting something too heavy (very possible since I was teaching) She gave me some literature on it and I read it and it does sound pretty accurate. Here is what it says:
Costochondritis is due to an inflammation of the cartilage joining the ribs to the brest bone. It is not caused by heart or lung problems. Although the exact cause is not known, it often occurs during times of emotional stress (YES!!!) It can be painful, but is not dangerous. It usually disappears within one to two weeks but may recur (So it looks like I will be living with this the rest of my life!)
Rarely a more serious condition may cause these symptons similar to this therefore, watch for the warning signs below.
=Change in type of pain - (no it is always the same exact pain in the exact same place)
=becomes more severe (what is more severe, they said it won't kill me so I figure I will just have to put up with it)
=Lasts longer (I am assuming when the stress is longer the pain will be longer and let me tell you the stress has been longer and more now that my schedule has become very full with kids sports and other commitments)
=Or spreads into shoulder, arm, neck, jaw or back (well it is already in the arm and back so that is two less I have to look for)
=shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, or fainting (okay if any of these occur I will be worried because I have had none of these)
= Cough up blood
= Abdominal pain (my period starts in about a week - do those cramps count)
= Dark stools (I better not eat prunes or iron pills)
=Painful breathing (that is already happening)
Well, since I only have half of these symptoms I am assuming I am okay until I get them all.
In the mean time I should find a way to releave stress. Any suggestions since I have four kids 24 - 7 .
Darrel's suggestion was get a sitter - but my questions became when? Evenings are dinner, homework, ready for tomorrow. Saturdays are shopping for groceries, soccor for the older two and any cleaning I can. Sunday is church and family things that need to be done and any more cleaning I can get done before starting to get everything ready for Monday.
It is sad when it wasn't too bad until soccor and church became consistants and those are the two items I feel I can't get rid of and don't want to but the last two weeks this has been the consistent stresser with the consistent pain.
I guess I will just have to put up with the pain. I'm sure this weekend at Disneyland should not cause any problems (ha-ha-ha).
And I have determined mom is not aloud to have any more problems because it might kill me also. She is just going to have to believe she is getting well and live up to it.
We leave tonight for Disneyland. We will bring back lots of pictures! I am going to miss my baby. I wish we could take him but not enough seats. I hope he is okay. We will be back Tuesday so we should have pictures on internet by Tuesday night.
Well, got to go to work and deal with 24 other families problems. (you would not believe the stories kindergartners tell about family problems) It scares me to think what I said when I was younger.
