Well, I did it this time!!!

Well, I did it this time!!!!

Over the years, being a type 2 diabetic, I've had to deal with numbness in both my hands & feet. It's worse with the feet, but bearable.
But every now and then, I get this shooting, sharp, needle type pain than hits irratically in one spot, in the same foot, for at least 12-18 hours.
It's been happening for a few years now, never in the same spot, or in the same foot. I've complained to my primary physican several times, having him look at me as some hypocondriac :-).
You know what I mean, when you never have the symptoms at the doctor office, right?
So, recently, I mentioned it again, but this time he suggested something (didn't say what it was, just that it would make me drowsy & nausous ( like that a lot of fun!).
He wanted me to wait after he looked over my bloodwork he had just taken, and would let me know by next week. That was on Wednesday....The pain flared up on late Friday night, continuing on to Sunday afternoon

At my wits end from no sleep, and trying not to use too much ibuprofren, in desperate need of relief, I went online to find some options. Typed in 'nerve pain', looked under 'symptom relief', where they listed some medications I never heard of, walking it off (well, there's Hurricane Irene right outside, so that's out of the question!), but lastly, they suggested to soak your feet.. OK,now that I can do.

So I get out my foot basin, started to turn on the hot tap water, but due to the Hurricane, my water heater pilot light must of flooded out. Living on the 2nd floor house apartment, I don't have access to the basement, and it wasn't worth getting the landlord to come over.

So instead, I heated up some water on the stove, thought I only heated it up until I saw steam rising, so I emptied it in the basin, along with some cold water, and took the basin to my bedroom. Tested it with my finger and my heel, but I guess the numbess underestimated how hot it actually was, beause I put my feet in. My feet never felt hot, and the nerve pain did slighty go away, so, after a few minutes, I pulled one foot out, and noticed some blisters, so I immediately removed both feet and realized that both feet were effected. I tried lightly to dry them off, but the skin started to break.
Still having no pain from the burn, I noticed my heels weren't burned as bad as the soles, so, I gently walked to the bathroom to get some large gauge pads, a couple of ace bandages, antibodotic cream, and gauge tape.I try to wrap my feet as best as I could.

Being that I don't drive, and would have to walk on them to least to go down steps, just to get to the front door. Keep in mind, there's stiil the hurricane,having the city to literly shut down. So, all I could was stay indoors, keep my feet elevated and try to get a little rest.
Although the rain form the hurricane didn't seemed as bad as they predicted, but we had very strong winds the next day, and the city was still under lock down, and with finally not having any foot pain at all.
I decided to just wait the day out, but called my oldest brother to see if he knew of anyone that had a pair of crutches, thinking I could use them to get out of the house to at least get to a car or van. He didn't know of anyone off hand, but he said he'd let me know.
I didn't want him to how bad my feet might actually be ( knowing his crazy behind, he would of tried to come over). But I guess with me not sounding like I'm any kind of pain, he thought it wasn't that bad.
I called him the next day, (he's not known for calling you back right away....always been like that, love him anyway ), and he remembered one of his daughters need them recently, so he picked them up, and brought them over that evening. Once he saw how bad it actually looked, suggested to go to the hospital, the next day.
Again, no big sign of pain, no immediate need to go , right?
Now it's Wednesday, we finally get there, and really get to see how badly burned my feet are....PRETTY BAD!!
But I kept saying to myself, at least I wasn't in any pain. That was sort of my monthra I used to keep things in prespective, stay calm, and think rationally.
I did experience the same throbbing pain that first lead me to all this madness, along with the cold shivers, a fever, and a severe headache. But with some pain pills they gave me (and a couple of my own), the leg pain and the headache went away, and my fever broke. Talk about being grateful!!
OK, I'm a 'wimp' when it comes to pain, avoid it at any cost.....I don't have a problem being, poked, pinched, even probed, but having to endure any pain, no thanks!!
So, Ive been told that some some unknown reason, my potassium level is really high, too high for the skin surgeons to work on my feet....hmmmm
What might of happen was my potassium level started to go up due to the scolding,and increased each day before I went to the emergency room.
Well, it's been nearly a week since I was admitted (08-31-11), and it looks like I'm gonna have to wait to have a skin graft a few more days than expected. But the good thing is that I've met a lot of fun nurses.
They make the days go by faster. One in particular is named Diana,a short, cute, small middle-age South Philly Italian, full of jest and life, always cracking jokes,and shows real concern for her patients.
One of the other nurses told her about seeing me crocheting, and we talked about her experiences, and found out she too, knows my friend Jane (Jane's Yarn Shoppe), by those damm loop stitch jackets.Speaking of crocheting, I tried to do some while lying here, but my fingers get numb, so it's a little awkward to crochet.
I was able to make a couple of diagonal squares for a afghan.
I really want to get on the Internet, but still no such luck here. There's no wifi, and I wished I had that wireless modem thingy, but it cost too much.
OK, it's 09-14-11, and I'm supposed to have the skin graft surgery (take some skin from my thighs to cover the affected areas arounfd the top of mt feet)today....we'll see!! ;-)
Went for the skin graft and found out that they didn'ty actually do it. They took the loose skin from my toes to cover the open wounds. Not sure about my soles, but I don't think they
There's a good chance that I'll be getting outta here today (09-16-11). Waiting for the surgeon to give me the OK, then talk to a home health care provider. It looks like I'll need to have my feet vacum sealed while I'm at home with a suction monitor attached to each foot for dranage.
I'll need to speak to some physical therapy workers, a home health care nurse, and a caseworker before they'll let me leave
I'm not quite sure if I'm be going home or to some healthcare facility. Either way, it'll be good to get out of here...
OK, OK, it's not like I lead a full, exciting life, let's face it, I really wasn't doing all that much anyway. Juist getting up, eating, getting on the computer, eating, watching soaps, doing some housework (if necessary!), eating, doing some crocheting while watching TV, then go to bed.
Exciting, huh?
Well, at least I got a chance to kinda reconnect with my brothers & sister(a double edge sword kinda thing). They all want me to move, and now they have a justified reason to nag me to death about it.
I always wanted to move, it's just as time went by my energy went too.
My biggest treat was when my ex boyfriend Mallory came up from Baltimore over the weekend, along with flowers (never gotten any before)

I'm a proud, self sufficent private person, who will only ask for help if I truly need it, and just feel a bit awkward to ask for help from people who I don't stay in contact with.
I don't have any local friends, so I'm left to do what I can with the hand I dealt for myself. I k now I've let things slide, allow problems with the apartment to be put off, and not to complain that much. I guess I got too settled and lazy.
I need a smaller place, like a a large efficency/studio apartment. I would like to move in to a small senior apartment, that has a laundry room on each floor.But I'm too young for any right now, so the only thing I can do is to put myself on a year or two waiting list.