Holiday

This pretty much explains my weekend.

We were at the ER on the 4th after days of cranky man pain.
As I have said many,many times, Rick is a bear when he has pain.
Cranky doesn't even cover it. God help me!

Last week he kept saying his foot hurt, then it became huge. Then it spread to his foot, moved up his calf and then his left foot and the same thing.
His feet were so swollen again and he could barely walk. He was in such pain and nothing was relieving the pain. Honestly, his feet didn't look human and I worried he could have shingles again. But he didn't have the sores to go with it.

When this began in his foot he thought it was gout. He's had that in his big toe before. But then when it spread from his toe to his whole foot and ankle he thought it just couldn't be and in a few days, it will go away. 
But it wasn't going anywhere. Me, on the other hand, was ready to go anywhere away from here when he gets this cranky. But I hung in there and insisted we go to the ER. I played the role of the bitch. He was Mr. Cranky Pants who I contemplated drugging his ice water. He is the most easy-going guy on any given day - give him pain and he does a 180 and I frankly don't like him.

We got there at 8am on the 4th because I was not listening to him another minute unless he had this looked at. I told him he had no opinion, he was going if I had to drag him by his swollen feet. He hobbled to the car. I pulled up to the ER doors and ran in and got a wheelchair. The only kind they had were big ass sizes.
I got it to the car and it made him laugh at how big this chair was. I told him he had just lost 30lbs maybe he was now just smaller. He didn't buy it.

I got him inside and we were immediately seen. Brand new hospital so the wait isn't bad at all. They did the vitals and all that jazz. Then the Doctor walks in.
He was a funny, informative and a real jokester.
He immediately said he thought this was tophi gout. But blood work had to be done to be certain.

They take Rick's blood and then hook him up to an IV and give him some strong medication. It didn't seem to help anything but his shoulder. They came back and said because he was a big guy they'd give him some more. He was given Dilaudid or morphine. He was still in pain but he said it was better.

When we got the blood work back the doctor came in to tell us it was showing gout. He then went on to explain why the test showed this and what it all meant. He finishes by saying, "This pain of tophi gout is 2nd in pain only to shingles. Be thankful you don't have that" To which Rick replied, "Just had that."
The doctor said, "Damn you've had a bad time lately haven't you? "
Oh, Doc you have no idea!
The doctor said this was the worst gout there is, yeah Rick, you win, worst gout ever. Too bad there isn't a money prize for this. Tophi Grout - google it, it will make you ill.

They gave him steroids and pain medication. He is to see a Rheumatology specialist next. Gee and shoulder surgery on the 20th.

He has had these bumps on his elbows that hurt a great deal. He was told it was student elbow by 1 doctor, bursitis by another and just for the hell of it I asked the doctor while there, could this be what is on his elbows?  Sure enough, it is.
He will have to have those cut out. Yipee.  But I am wondering if that could be what it is on his shoulder?

This morning he is shuffling.  When I say shuffling I mean to tell you he is barely walking. Remember the old man on Laugh In?  Of course, you don't, you're too young. But he shuffles like that. This morning as he is shuffling across the kitchen floor to grab his coffee cup he says, "Hey look at me go"
That made me laugh and it made me lose my coffee, which I haven't done since 7th grade. We both were laughing. At least now, he is not Mr. Cranky Pants and he is laughing with me and at himself.

The doctor also felt Rick's most recent diet probably set this in action.
Rick just lost 30lbs. The doctor asked about his diet and he said, protein and veggies only. No dairy, sugar, or carbs other than veggies and fruit. The protein is the problem. While red meat and fish aren't issues for most, if you are prone to gout, which we learned is hereditary, eating that every day will cause the uric acid to build up and that causes gout. He can have red meat but not more than once a day or even every day.
Rick is adopted so he doesn't know anything about his family history of any illness so that tidbit of being hereditary doesn't help him much.
And when he did cheat on his diet, he would have a couple of drinks which to, are something he has to do a lot less of now.

He was such a hot mess on the evening of the 3rd that I called the people coming to our home to cancel our 4th of July BBQ. It rained all day so that worked out okay. I knew he couldn't be sociable or stand over a grill to finish the ribs. Bad enough I have to deal with Mr. Cranky Pants, others should not have to be exposed to that monster.

He is to stay off his feet for a week to 2. Doubtful he'll listen to me or his doctor so as soon as he can walk he won't be off his feet knowing Rick.

In Rick's room at the ER, there was a chair that I was sitting in. It was like the wheelchair, it was enormous. Two of me couldn't have fit very comfortably. Then when I went out to the lobby to give the woman my insurance card I saw that all the chair were big ass chairs. Rick made a comment about the chair and the nurse said with Americans being so large now we have to accommodate with the chairs and wheelchairs etc. Wow. That put things in perspective. That is a very sad commentary.

What I do know is that this phase of my life is not a lot of fun. Rick is a medical mess it appears and as we age it ain't going to be getting any better. Ah, the things we have to look forward to.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and stayed out of all hospitals.
Lucky me, no gout in my family, I can still drink. Wine for everyone!