Paracetamol, anyone?

Last Tuesday, 03 January 2006, my lower back began to ache a little bit. i didn't mind the pain since it's tolerable. However, on Thursday, 05 January 2006, upon waking up, i could feel the pain seething through the end of my spinal column. but, heck, i got a lot of things to do and accomplish for the day. i just couldn't afford to take a leave again!

so, despite roney's protests, i forced myself to go to the office, presided over a staff meeting, accomplished some of my administrative work until barely after two hours of doing stuff, i called roney to pick me up. the damn back was too painful for me to stand, walk or even sit down!

That afternoon, we went to the OB and guess what? She suggested that i take a bed rest. Urgh! Doesnt she know that the reason why i changed doctors is because the former advised me the same?

Anyway, since it was really physically impossible for me not to heed her advice, i did not go to the office the next day, which was Friday. it was logical to stay in bed and rest, rest the whole weekend away, so that i could be up and about the next week.

I thought i was getting better over the weekend. i could do some stretching and even bend a little. That was before i woke up last Sunday.

Sunday was a nightmare! i could barely get up from the bed. i could not move sideways or forward or backward because it was just too painful. i was rushed to the ER of Makati Med around eleven in the morning. Roney even got me a wheelchair as soon as i alighted from the car.

Just as we were waiting for the doctor to attend to me, i remembered a story told by a friend that she ordered pizza for the ER staff just so her patient friend would be cared for immediately. and it worked for her. As i was thinking of doing the same, the doctor called my name and seemed to be waiting for me to stand up and go to him. When at last he finally noticed that i could not really move away from the wheelchair, he went to me and asked questions. Upon learning that i was pregnant, he referred me to an OB before saying his last words: 'i couldn't give you anything due to your condition but biogesic.'

After a few minutes, the OB came and asked questions. She said, 'due to your condition, i could just give you biogesic.' Hmmm, sounds familiar. But, she referred me to an ortho because i was complaining of back pain which may be caused by a torn ligament or something. She told me that the ortho might recommend an x-ray which may not be harmful to the baby if it was done only once. Heck, i would rather live in pain than risk the baby. No way, jose!

After forty-five minutes (and it was already past one in the afternoon), the ortho came and asked me questions. "I could give you nothing but paracetamol. And oh, just do some warm compress for 20 minutes thrice a day." Really familiar! Darn, i came there, waited for roughly 3 hours, let myself get starved, just for biogesic??!!! I wanted to shout: Why didn't anyone bother to at least look at me or have me stand so that they would see what was really bothering me!

When i went home, disappointed and resigned, i asked my churchmates to pray for me. And it worked! The pain just diminished the day after, which was Monday, which was merely yesterday. And here i am! in the office. typing the keys away.