ouch - Thursday 21st August

Natalie got pretty blue lights last night - and three paramedics.

No joke.

So, something I actually wasn't going to mention on here (but now am thinking hey - why not?!) is that since I got back from CA (and while I was out there) I keep on getting cramps in my legs.

And yes I did do all the walking around on the 2 lots of 11.5 hour plane trips, yes I did wear delightful flight-socks, and yes I did do everything that apparently you're meant to on long-haul flights.

But, had to go to the doctors about it VERY early on Tuesday morning. (Hence the rather miffed blog that day!)

They thought I had DVT. AS IF I NEED ANYTHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT!!!!

The doctor skewered my arm - 5 times in the right because he missed, then stabbed my left arm, but was really embarrassed by this point so got jittery and it felt like he shot straight through my arm, let alone my vein, and took a blood test. OUCH!

I then had to go back to work, so with a severely empty arm I drove 50 miles (plus I think!!) back from virtually the Devon/Cornwall border (literally - it's metres away!) to Exeter, and then do a full day's work. I was not in the best of moods when I eventually got home that night.

So, come Wednesday, went to work, felt a bit weird, but carried on.

Come Wednesday evening felt REALLY weird, and then got excruciating cramp in my lung...yes that's right my lung.

I don't recommend cramp in the lung.

I then lost all feeling in my left arm, and when it came back slightly - I continued to have pins and needles in my left arm for about a MILLION hours.

Don't ever try to call out 'Devon-Doc'. They're useless. And if I really had been dying of DVT (which NHS Direct thought I might be - again, horrifically, no joke) my obituary would have been loo-paper recycled from old fish and chip paper by the time the doctor may have arrived - but that would've been if he hadn't clocked off at 11pm - it was 3 minutes to 11 when we finally got through.

So yeah, the local, out-of-hours doctor was never going to come to see me anyway - and someone else involved with Devon Doc (I can't remember who it was - I was a little out of it by then) had said that I should DRIVE, yes DRIVE myself to the hospital (because everyone else around had had a drink).

I had explained that I couldn't feel my arm, couldn't see properly, was developing cramp in my leg by this point too, oh yeah and the small problem of not being able to breathe or move...but apparently in that state - it's ok to drive. IDIOT.

We only called the out-of-hours thing because I hate calling on emergency services - because you blithely think, if you're conscious at the time, you'd be wasting their time as you're conscious!!

So, we bit the bullet and called for an ambulance as it wasn't going away, and, to be honest, I was more than a little frightened.

They arrived. I confused them. It wasn't DVT because I didn't have the normal signs - phew you may think. But then the question arose - well what the hell is it? Later followed by - "Why do you have symptoms of a spinal injury when you haven't got one?"

Good question I thought.

The last thing I wanted to do was go to hospital - and without wanting to sound really martyrish, I actually don't have time to go to hospital.

The paramedics were wary about this, but they were happy that I wasn't going to die at that particular moment and that I could be left to go to bed...saying as they left "but if anything gets worse, call us right back"

I felt so cared for (sans sarcasm - they really were fantastic - big BIG thankyous to the three paramedics who came out that night).

They left me with the instructions that regardless of whatever else - I have to go to the doctors in the morning and get all this checked out.

So I did. And never guess what's wrong...

My neck and all of my back are in serious, no-messing spasm - so much so that it's cutting the blood supply off to my arm and legs (and the top of my head - hence the 'not being able to see' part and funny tingling in my head (oh yeah forgot to mention that bit - pins and needles in the skull is particularly unpleasant as well!)) and THAT'S why I'm getting cramps in my legs, lungs, arms and well, seemingly everywhere.

And never guess what's brought it all on - exhaustion and stress!! OH I WONDER WHY!!

What's so funny about this whole thing though - is that mentally - I actually feel ok about everything - I know sometimes on here it seems as if I'm ever-so-slightly unhinged - but for those who know me - you know I am anyway (but in a nice way!) and also - it's just quite fun ranting and writing!

In my heart of hearts, I know I'm going to get it done because I have to...and I'm good with situations like that.

But what always happens is something has to give, and with me, it's always something physical...although normally that's breathing - says the chronic asthmatic... hehe!

So today at the Dr's - he said very strongly, "You are taking today off." very full stop. Later, I managed to get an emergency appointment with a wonderful sports physio lady - who ended up having to do a full body physio thing on me (again OUCH!) and found that only ONE of my muscles in my ENTIRE body is behaving...isn't that such a hoot!

She did say one of my now-favourite quotes about me though..."You're definitely a challenge."

Today though - I hurt...alot. I can't move, I ache all over and I feel like I've been a very taut trampoline skin for the National Obese Trampolining Championships.

I hasten to add - sitting at a computer doing the audio is NOT something I can do today. I'm not kidding about the not being able to move part.

Up side though - I am on massive anti-inflamatories...mannnnn...!