In the ER again

So, I spent 5 hours in the ER today (some of that was at my primary physician's).

Starting at the beginning, I came home and was in a hurry because I had an allergist appointment, the puppy needed to go outside, I was expecting an important call etc. So, as I run through my apartment to change my clothes, I hear my phone go off in the living room. So, I turn around and run back, sprinting over the cat who, as always, was in the way.

Stay with me, this is related to the main story. Every now and then, my calf muscles tend to tighten up and hurt a little. The doctor had told me last year it could be a vitamin deficiency or the result of not warming up before working out.

So, as I landed on my right foot after jumping over the cat, I felt my calf muscle go really tight and then "POP." I literally heard it go pop and then the most excruciating pain, second only to my kidney stone pain. I did make it to the phone and told Jeff what happened. After I tried putting some weight on the leg, I decided to go to the doctor. Let me tell you, I'd be much happier if it was my left leg, what with needing the right one to drive. My doctor looked at it and said, "This might be a blood clot." GREAT! He sent me to the ER for a sonogram and also gave me codeine.

Where, I might say, they define emergency way differently than I do. I guess I might have gotten faster and greater attention if I had a knife sticking out of me or a bullet wound. Finally, I got the sonogram done, where I kept expecting to see a baby on the screen since that's the only time I have seen a sonogram. I am glad I didn't because how freaky would that be? A baby in my leg? The radiologist was pretty sure there wasn't a clot. He also told me how if there's a clot below the knee, it's not lilfe threatening because the veins are too tiny to make a dangerous clot.

Then, I waited some more for the results to come out and the PA came back and told me it was a muscle tear or calf strain. Apparently, very common and similar to the Achilles tendon. They couldn't say what level so it could take a few days to a few months to heal. Till then, I have codeine and crutches. They gave me a little tutorial on how to use the crutches and let me tell you it's not as easy as it looks. 1, I am carrying some extra weight. 2, I am not very coordinated. Add those 2 up, I crutch around in an ungainly, drunken manner, almost falling on my face every few feet.

Migraines, kidney stones and now calf strain ... I am stacking up my variety of ER visit resons :-)