That thing

 

The thing about feeling so bad is that when I start to feel better -- it feels so good!

I started feeling bad last spring when a new doctor prescribed a bunch of new drugs. I eliminated them, one at a time, until I was only taking one and thinking I felt okay, mistakenly continued taking that one until it caused my body to develop gout as a by product of dehydration.

The gout was tenacious. It would not go away despite all the prednisolone packs they gave me and I eventually ended up at a podiatric surgeon's office. In desperation, she put a soft cast on my foot and eventually prescribed massive doses of naproxen, which I am not supposed to take for the sake of my kidneys. I took it and the gout gradually disappeared after weeks in the cast, but not before I fractured the bones in my left heel by favoring the sore right foot.

That was nearly seven weeks ago, so I was looking forward to this holiday week (both my birthday and Thanksgiving) as a time when I would be free to sleep without the boot I have been wearing. It would, or will be, the first time I have not had some sort of thing hindering my movement in nearly four months.

Then Tuesday I must have pulled a muscle in my back and for the last three days I have been in almost unbearable pain day and night. Taking naproxen and extra strength Tylenol both at maximum doses I have been at the point where I thought I would rather be dead. Finally last night things improved.

Today I have only taken the Extra strength Tylenol and used the heating pad. I still have to remain in a position that takes all strain off my back, semi-reclining, but it is the difference between night and day. Between unbearable and believing that I am really on the mend.

Just not feeling like nothing works makes me feel so good! Now I think that by Monday, when the doctor office opens, I will be okay and not even need to make an appointment, but I wouldn't have believed that Wednesday night, or all day Thursday.