News of Jack

[marta]

Oh Jack! I hope that at least the trips you might have on the pain killers might be worth it a bit. I hope you're not in too much pain and that regular life comes back sooner than you anticipate. (Maybe some good whiskey might make the time go by a little faster - wink wink, nudge nudge). Lots of love and a speedy recovery!

[pberggren1]

I've got some old scotch here from the 40's! LOL

[Psyborg]

Well I've been really stupid again.

I won't go into details because I can't believe that something I always knew was a bad idea suddenly seemed to be the right thing to do. Anyway, I put my full body weight onto my arms at an awkward angle and my sternum went Pop and hurt like hell!

I called my wife for help and we had another good experience from the ambulance service who arrived within 5 minutes and carried me off to hospital. They soon came to the conclusion that nothing was broken and that I just had torn cartilage. I spent a sleepless night high on Morphine, had an assessment of my capabilities and was taken back home where I am now. I can just about manage to use the bathroom and move from arm chair to wheel chair, but not a great deal more. Deep breathing and coughing are a real nightmare.

I wonder how many weeks this is going to take?

Well when I dumped my motorcycle I hurt my ribs, and the one spot still hurts, I suspect I tore cartilage too. I hope you start feeling a bit better soon.

[Sangye]

I hope you're doing okay today, Jack. I imagine you might be feeling pretty disheartened with another setback. Hang in there.

[Jack]

Thanks for all the messages of support guys!

Yes, quite a few of my problems recently have been due to weak connective tissue in addition to the bone breaking incident of last year and this is all a Pred side effect. Apparently I have forced my arms back and this has over extended my chest, tearing the cartilage over the sternum that holds it all together. I have had this sort of damage to ribs in the past so know the routine - usually gets worse for the first couple of days (like today! Very bad ) and then gets better very slowly in fits and starts over the next few weeks.

Pain killers never seem to have much effect on me until I get up to the strength of Morphine. But then that starts to make me feel sick and unwell and I have to take an antidote.

Oh well. This too will pass.

[Sangye]

It's at least comforting to know what to expect, even if it means having to go through a lot of suffering meanwhile. Take care of yourself, Jack.

[elephant]

Jack, sorry you hurt yourself. Don't forget or be afraid to take deep breaths. Do don't want to end up with pneumonia. Your a strong guy, you will pull through this.

[Geoff]

Jack, for Pete's sake look after yourself, and stop putting us all thru this torture!!!!!

If you dont start bucking up your ideas, we will send someone round to put a bat up your night shirt!! (only joking, get well soon mate)

[Lightwarrior]

Jack, sorry you hurt yourself. Don't forget or be afraid to take deep breaths. Do don't want to end up with pneumonia. Your a strong guy, you will pull through this.

Ditto to what elephant said Jack. I know it will hurt to deep breath so take a pain killer and breathe in and exhale as strongly as you can. I'm sending you light and energy for healing.

[jmmilliorn]

Jack,
I re-broke a rib coughing! Ever since I got diagnosed in Jan., I've had a chronic cough. Sometimes I cough for an hour straight. I have coughed uncontrollably and violently till I throw up. I don't know if it is the WG, the Pred. or some other med. It could be the mysterious "nodule" that recently appeared on my CT scan that wasn't there in Sept. during my last CT scan. I don't know, but it hurts like crazy to break a rib. #9 rib I think they said. One of the lower ones that expands when you breathe. I've taken bottles and bottles of cough medicine. None of the docs can tell me what is causing the cough. It has gotten better in the last two weeks, but I still have to take hydrocodone to make it through a meeting or church service, or even just to enjoy a TV show or meal with my family. Hope you are better soon.