Time for me at last... but it has taken two broken ribs to get it! Yes, that's right, TWO BROKEN RIBS!
Here's what happened.
The weather here in Ireland has been glorious lately. And, because the weather has been so good, I've had the heating turned off. Unfortunately that means no hot water unless I switch the water heater on. Which I hadn't, as the water gets too hot. So I try not to use it too much as Jack is at the stage of turning on taps at full strength, so I was worried he'd get scalded...
Anyway, I went to my evening photography class on Tuesday and when I got home decided to get ready for bed. Because there was no hot water to wash my makeup off, I decided to grab a quick shower.
Quick indeed.
As I stepped in my feet flew out from under me :(
I ended up on my back lying across the bottom of the cubicle scrabbling frantically for a towel (a gal needs some dignity even when sprawled in a painful heap on the floor!) as Stan desperately tried to open the door! (He had been on his way upstairs when he heard the thunderous clatter of me hitting the ground.)
So there I was on the floor, Stan was shouting my name, but so winded was I by the speed at which the whole thing happened that I couldn't answer him!
Anyway he got in and helped me out, I sat on the bed for a moment - and then I decided to try again!!
I got my shower, got into bed... and then it really hit me. I began shaking uncontrollably, thinking that I was going to die from a blood clot and all sorts of crazy stuff like that. LOL. Luckily, having a few nurses in the family, I realised it was shock so off Stan went to get me something hot and sweet to drink - a bag of marshmallows and a cup of coffee :)
I should really have taken some painkillers but I was too afraid of masking any injuries, and as the pain was just about bearable, I decided to wait until morning.
That was a mistake! By morning I was in so much pain that I almost collapsed as I tried to get out of bed. I relented, took some tablets and phoned my GP.
I got an appointment and as I went into see him Stan waited in the car.
In the waiting room I took another dizzy spell, began sweating, feeling sick and again almost passed out. So I reached for my mobile to ring Stan and yep, you've guessed it, I had no battery power left!
Silly me. I guess I should have shouted for help - after all what better place to be than in the doctor's waiting room, but I didn't want to make a scene!!
So instead I tried telepathy but it took about five more minutes before Stan made his way in to see how I was getting on... so either I'm not very good at it, Stan isn't very receptive to it or it just doesn't work!
Anyhow, my GP diagnosed, "at least one, but probably two", broken ribs (the ones wrapping around my back, not the front ones).
And get this, there is no treatment for broken ribs apart from pain relief! And because I'm still breastfeeding all he could offer was paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine or a combination drug like co-codamol (which is what I have been taking).
By the way, just in case it comes across that I'm criticising the doctor, I'm absolutely not! He was wonderful and extremely sympathetic. That's just the way it is. Broken ribs have to mend themselves! And breastfeeding mums have to be very cautious about taking medication in case it effects their child.
However, the problem now is that because I had been taking the painkillers for a few days I was feeling quite good yesterday, not totally painfree but just quite uncomfortable - so stupidly I decided to put a few washes into the machine. ( Totally against the doctor's advice which was to rest for at least three or four days, no coughing, sneezing or laughing, no strenuous housework...).
BIG MISTAKE.
Plus Jack fell asleep on the floor and without thinking I lifted him onto the sofa! BIG BIG MISTAKE.
Although I got through the evening, I was due more pain relief during the night but didn't waken up until a couple of hours past my time. And when I did I was in pure agony. (not helped, I'm sure, by my antics!)
So now I'm confined to bed.
I was in so much pain that this morning I ended up sobbing down the phone to my GP's receptionist as I called to request stronger medication.
So the point of telling you all this? - Well apart from the fact that I just want to pass some time as I sit here in my bed, I think the new medication will probably be contra-indicated when breastfeeding. And although I have been weaning gradually, I feel really sad that I'm probably going to have to stop sooner rather than later.
Poor Jack obviously hasn't a clue what is going on and keeps coming to me for feeds but I am so terrifed of him hurting me that I have to keep chasing him away and telling him to ask his daddy for a bawbaw (bottle!). So he only got two breastfeeds yesterday and just one so far today.
Sarah also doesn't really understand what's making her mummy so sad and earlier walked in on me as I was having a really bad moment; so she gently climbed into bed beside me, put her little arms around my neck and cried in sympathy with me - how cute is that?
I cannot believe how painful broken ribs are - it feels like something jaggy is proding the inside of my side. And it also feels as if something has shifted and at any moment will slot back into painful place!
But, thank goodness I only broke two. I heard about someone in an accident who broke every single one down one side of their body - yikes.
At the moment I'm feeling a little bit better after two doses of co-codamol - but I still can't get out of bed!
So although I've had time for me, to be honest it's not the sort of time I really wanted! I think next time I'll settle for a night at the movies instead of a slippery trip in the shower :)
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