Trials for Sue Along with Some Good News

I haven't posted about it until now, but Sue took a tumble last week — a whole week ago, last Tuesday, as a matter of fact.

It seemed innocent enough at first. We had been on the front lawn, trying to get an outdoor, spent chrysanthemum into a bag for autumn leaf pickup. Suddenly, Sue went over, and we're not sure what caused it. Since she was already bending over. it wasn't a far fall, but she was gasping found it difficult to get her breath for a moment. The neighbour across the street her her moans and came over out of concern.

Afterward, her side was very sore but seemed a little better over the next two days. Then, we had that fruitless trip into the hospital last Friday, followed by dinner out, and that exacerbated the condition.

By Sunday evening, she was in much discomfort, and while she wasn't exactly struggling to breathe, the pain made it difficult to take a deep breath

What to do on a Sunday evening when you know that radiology in our little hospital is closed until Monday morning?* Well, we did go to Emerg anyway; three hours passed before we emerged from Emerg :) into the cold night. The doctor diagnosed that her lungs were fine but that she could have cracked a rib for which there is no help except time. He gave us an X-Ray requisition for morning, just to double check.

However, she didn't return for the X-Ray yesterday, for that was the day to drive back to the city hospital to see the disease specialist. 

The good news on that front, and surely we need some for a change, is that the doctor declared, most emphatically, that Sue does not have C. diff, and most likely never did have C. diff.

She was dreading going on another course of the antibiotic that affected her last time, and the second dose would have been for much longer. At least that frightful scenario can be laid to rest. 

Apparently, it is not uncommon for bowels to go kerflooey after certain surgeries, but diet and time should restore Sue to her former vitality in due course. He did suggest a bowel X-Ray, just in case the surgery has impacted the situation in some way.

Shortly after we got home, Sue got a call from our radiology department to set up an appointment for today. We were surprised by the quick response. The specialist had immediately sent his report to our family doctor. She read it and acted upon it promptly by referring Sue for an X-Ray. Then, radiology contacted Sue forthwith. That is pretty good, I think.

So she'll have both of her X-Rays today — bowel and ribs. I am hoping and thinking that they'll both be negative, and that will be a good thing. Then I shall have my arm X-Rays this afternoon and my second physio appointment tomorrow morning.

Hopefully, we'll both be on the mend, and, perhaps, there will be little more to say about health concerns for a a spell.

Please make it so.

* We been through our unique hospital explanation, here. No! it is not typical of Canadian hospitals to not have radiology facilities available in off-hours. That our little X-Ray department closes at night also astounds Canadians who live in more urban areas. It is a local situation and not about the whole country’s health care system.