news
Hi everyone,
We were sitting around on Wed and Steve told me he was going to call the doctor who did his radiation treatments. So he called and left a message for the doctor to call. A few hours later he called Steve (great) and they talked at length about what had been going on. His doctor said I want to see you right away and we went yesterday! He immediately gave Steve a shot of Dilaudid and something for nausea (that he put under his tongue?) The doctor actually teared up when he saw the pain his was in. He said my main concern right now is to get you comfortable. We went across the street and they did an ex-ray of Steve standing up!!
Well long story short Steve has a broken rib!!! When I say broken it was completely apart ! My feeling is he splintered it coughing last fall when he had the flu because that is when he started having pain. I think he broke it a few weeks ago when he was trying to throw up. I did not think I would be praising God for a broken rib but we were so sure it was the cancer again!
The solution is to have a rib block next week. I have to speak to his onocologist next week to see if that is safe for him. (cancer spreading wise)
We are so relieved that we know what it is and what to do about it.
Also so thankful that we have a doctor who really cares about him! And so thankful for my friends on DS.
God bless each of you,
Wanda
the doctor said that the bone was probably weakened by the intensive radiation they did last year!
We were sitting around on Wed and Steve told me he was going to call the doctor who did his radiation treatments. So he called and left a message for the doctor to call. A few hours later he called Steve (great) and they talked at length about what had been going on. His doctor said I want to see you right away and we went yesterday! He immediately gave Steve a shot of Dilaudid and something for nausea (that he put under his tongue?) The doctor actually teared up when he saw the pain his was in. He said my main concern right now is to get you comfortable. We went across the street and they did an ex-ray of Steve standing up!!
Well long story short Steve has a broken rib!!! When I say broken it was completely apart ! My feeling is he splintered it coughing last fall when he had the flu because that is when he started having pain. I think he broke it a few weeks ago when he was trying to throw up. I did not think I would be praising God for a broken rib but we were so sure it was the cancer again!
The solution is to have a rib block next week. I have to speak to his onocologist next week to see if that is safe for him. (cancer spreading wise)
We are so relieved that we know what it is and what to do about it.
Also so thankful that we have a doctor who really cares about him! And so thankful for my friends on DS.
God bless each of you,
Wanda
the doctor said that the bone was probably weakened by the intensive radiation they did last year!
Replies
Dear Wanda,
No wonder poor Steve has been in so much pain. I am so glad you have found the reason for the pain he\'s been in.
Keeping you in my thoughts as always.
Much love Angel
Hi Hon!
It\'s got to be somewhat of a relief to know this is what has been causing all of Steve\'s pain. I just hate that he\'s been so miserable. When will he have the rib block? Hang in there, and know you both are in my prayers.
Love You,
Ingrid
I TOTALLY understand your joy at a broken rib!!!! Very very good news, and thank goodness Steve called that particular doc. Honestly, if only they\'d done that x-ray earlier....but at least you can breathe easier now....well, you can, and Steve can when his rib\'s healed!
Oh such good news Wanda - you two have a lovely weekend!
lots of love, Meriel
Hey Meriel, It does make me a little mad that they didn\'t find it earlier Our family doctor just assumed that that it was from the radiation. It evidently did not show on c-t scans. I am so glad to hear this news I don\'t have the heart to be very mad! Of course that means he will have to be very careful from now on, hold a pillow to him when he sneezes, etc. The series of treatments probably weakened his bones . It is such a relief Ingrid so onward we go with this monster cancer!!! Thank you dear Nita and Angel for the prayers!
Wanda, I can imagine the relief. After my operation last year I had a coughing fit and had a pain in my rib, just a strain, and the pain was awful so goodness knows the pain Steve has been going through. Now they know what they are dealing with and he will soon be pain free. Poor man. My love to you both, Nita
Wanda, this is fantstic news! I can understand you being so vety RELIEVED!!! A boken rib is something that CAN be fixed!! Too bad your poor hubby had to suffer like this and no wonder it was so bad!!
YES thank goodness for such a caring doctor who is thinking of his patients!!! And GREAT luck that the block can be done and Steve can be MUCH more confortable!!!
You must be SMILING ear to ear even through knowing he was in pain it is pain that can be dealt with!!1 So HAPPY for both of you!!
HUGS to you and to Steve. Gentle ones for Steve ;-) diane
DEAR Wanda,
Just took a look at my comment on your journal entry of April 10 - at that time, I shared my own and Tom\'s experience and suggested that you have the md\'s (lower case on purpose) take ANOTHER look at those scans and to explore the source of the pain more carefully. Maybe your doctor was crying because he is sorrowful that Steve had to suffer bc they dropped the ball. Nothing surprises me Wanda, and that is why I am such a skeptic, and a questioner. Not that it did my darling much good did it? There were many times when I backed off and thought well who am I to question these well educated, experienced men/women of science. If the doctors were their own patients, they would be their own advocates. If I sound bitter, I am. Don\'t forget - besides my husband, my son just had FOUR tumors and his kidney removed, one of them EIGHT (8) cm!! How could he have had a transplant and NO ONE noticed these growths on his native kidney?? And now four weeks after surgery this massive infection at the incision site is STILL oozing and bleeding. And here we have the BEST care in the world? Sorry if I sound bitter and angry, but I AM. You may not have the heart to be mad, but mine is broken and gets mad easier. Doctors ASSUME too much because it isn\'t themselves or their loved ones on the spot. You HAVE to advocate for yourselves.
loveya gloria
ps said similar comment on your 4/17 journal.
Ya gotta push these people........! Yes they are all busy, but that is no excuse.
Wanda, what wonderful news. I know it \'s terrible to say a broken rib is good, but in comparrison, you know what I mean. I know from past experience with my friend who breaks bones on a regular basis, she\'s in the hospital now for 3 broken ribs, they usually don\'t find them untill weeks later when they start to heal and you can see the new calcium on the x ray. I am not making excuses for them, but I can understand the oversight. I am glad that the cause is found and now they can deal with it and make him feel better. That is the main think. Both of you are in my prayers and thoughts. Hugs Jane
Dear Wanda,
i\'m so sorry that i hadn\'t read your journal before i sent you the hug back.. I honestly had no idea about Steve\'s broken rib, i am so surprised that it wasn\'t caught earlier, but to tell you the truth look what my Tim went through with his fractured humerus in his upper arm.. He had two exrays done in 2 differnt places, in the hospital and the orthopedic\'s office.. No one can ever tell me that the bone met which is 3 cm\'s couldn\'t of been seen in both those exrays !! The ortho told us right out that there was no cancer there, i looked at the exray myself and i saw the very cloudy spot that was there and the ortho looked at it a few seconds.. A day later the fracture happened and i will never forget the horrible pain Tim went through, so i know how much pain poor Steve has been in.. Thank God it was finally found this was a long painful haul for Steve.. I now understand what a stressful week you have had.. I hope Steve will beable to have the the rib block done safely without any worry of the cancer spreading.. Wanda you are very wise to check into this to make sure any spreading will happen, this is a very important issue to worry about in all our cases with our men..
I hope now Steve will be treated with the right pain meds and he will be feeling so much better soon..
You both take care and please keep us updated..
Love you,
Becca
\"I did not think I would be praising God for a broken rib but we were so sure it was the cancer again! \"
I had to smile at that line. I know that fear and anguish over unexplained pain. I hope he is beginning to feel better now.