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 By Argile Stox May 2, 2006 If you are a regular of the U-K the list of my physical ailments are well documented (degenerative bone disease, two herniated discs, high blood pressure, heart condition, high blood pressure, and a host of other ailments) which are monitored and treated by the Veterans Administration Hospital doctors in Sturgis, South Dakota. I am very grateful to have these benefits. However, there is one problem that I face almost every month – I exhaust my supply of pain medications about two weeks short of the refill date. Trying to get an early refill of certain pain medications is almost impossible. Since I don’t meet the “criteria” for disc replacements, I rely on at least three pain medications that are dosed every four hours. If I do not take all three medications – the pain in my lower back, left shoulder and legs cripples my ability to walk and perform simple tasks - like standing, walking, and personal hygiene (manipulating toilet paper to clean-up). I am not kidding! The arthritis condition I suffer from is now advancing to my right shoulder and arm. I have been on all three-pain medications for at least nine months and my metabolism has built up a “tolerance” level to the regular doses. So, after the regular doses are consumed – an additional dose may have to be administered to completely “kill” the pain about two hours later. As a storm approaches from the West and the humidly in the air reaches at least eight-five percent - I need assistance to get out of bed. This past April - fourteen days before the usual regimen of refills are sent by mail from the VA pharmacies located all around the country, I completely exhausted the supply of the critical pain medications that, like an artificial leg, allow my body to be mobile. Before Tracy’s eyes, within a few days I was almost a bed-ridden fifty-one year old man. The pain that circulated throughout my body caused every nerve in my body to react sympathetically. The last time this situation occurred was around Thanksgiving, I placed a call to one of the assistant directors of the VA in Washington, DC to “order a doctor and the pharmacy” to fill a new Rx for “breakthrough” pain. After that episode occurred, I was – in a very professional manner, advised that if I were to call the VA in Washington, DC to get a Rx filled early, I would “cease to receive the superior medical services of the VA Hospital in Sturgis” – by an individual who was in a very authoritative position. Five days elapsed and I began to pass-out from the searing pain in my lower back and left shoulder. Tracy was extremely worried. The digital blood pressure machine indicated that results were so high – I was bordering on a stroke. As a last resort, I placed a call to my local pharmacy and asked if one vital pain Rx could be temporarily be transferred from the VA and filled just to get me through a nine days before the regular refills arrived by mail. The pharmacist placed the call and the pharmacist at the VA in Sturgis quickly denied the request. Since I was previously warned not to call The VA in Washington, DC and face the consequences of that action, I just grit my remaining teeth – and dealt with the pain and pass-out a few times a day. Writing temporarily assists me to divert my mind from pain. The seventh day of no pain medications, the hard drive in my computer and the “blue screen of death” confirmed that the new one hundred and sixty GB hard drive completely erased the Windows XP program, dumped all the data that was on the drive – somewhere… I have an additional original back up forty GB hard drive still installed in the computer. So, I opened the computer box, switched two jumper plugs – and attempted to make the original drive the main drive. However, there was a huge problem with that plan – I have the CD Microsoft XP installation disc - However, it was the “XP UPDATE” disc that cost one hundred and eight dollars. The machine demanded that I install the “XP FULL INSTALLATION” disc. I did not possess that disc. I had everything backed-up on CD’s and important documents printed. However, the new hard drive was frozen and useless, and I was not about to spend another hundred or more bucks to purchase the needed disc. I was done! Meanwhile, my lower back and both shoulders was searing in pain. I passed-out twice bending over on the floor, twisting and turning my body to manipulate and switch the white “short-out” plugs. After about three hours of trying to get the “restore” function to bring the computer back to life, switching hard drive plugs, passing out from the pain – I finally gave up all hope, and quit. I told Tracy, “That is it! I am done with this computer!” To make matters worse – the keyboard failed, and the sound card began to shriek a high decibel shrill death sound. My two-year-old Compaq S4020WM was dead! My vision began to blur and my body shook from a blood pressure reading of one hundred fifty three, over one hundred and two – with a pulse one hundred and six. I was exhausted from the experience since I have been unable to get a full night’s sleep for seven days. I was sweating bullets, and was extremely pissed! Since I was recently released from my PublishAmerica contract - I was just about to undertake the time consuming effort of completely revising the entire book. Fuming from the death of my computer, I completely disconnected the computer box, disconnected everything. Like the final performance of a New York play, I “struck the set” and moved the complete computer arrangement into a spare room in the basement. I declared to Tracy, “I am done with that computer, and I am done with writing!” Tracy’s eyes froze into a blank stare. “You are giving up writing, entirely?” I restated my declaration and then said, “Well, I will still send you e-mails in the morning –while you are at work.” For the remaining two days I was very weak from not consuming food. The searing pain in my back, shoulders, and arms had taken away my appetite. I was very unsteady on my feet. The over-the-counter pain medications that I was taking for six days - were useless. I could not sleep, eat, walk, or even think. I was a complete bowl of chilled Jell-O. My former computer workstation area was now vacant. “I guess the pictures, successful articles, and other related writing / computer ventures that are taped on the walls of my former computer area, should come down too,” I said to Tracy – in a low voice, as we were watching a Law & Order TV program last night. “Don’t you dare take anything off the walls!” Tracy said, in a loud authoritative voice. “Everything that you worked on, everything that you enjoyed while your computer was working - will be gone! I am not willing to let you give up on yourself! “ I remained silent for a few minutes, and then assured her that the “stuff” will remain on the walls. I got up from the couch, very unsteady on my feet – and asked her for a hug. We embraced for a few minutes, and Tracy kept my body steady, as the strength was leaving my legs. Today was the seventh day. At two-thirty in the afternoon I heard the mailbox open and the sounds of mail being delivered. I also heard a very low “thump” – and that indicated that something heavy had been delivered. I staggered upstairs, opened the door. To my surprise there were three gray plastic envelopes neatly stacked in the mailbox. All my pain medications, plus other Rx’s were there. I slowly opened each bottle, took the recommended doses of each pain medication with a huge gulp of water. Within two hours, almost all the pain that I was experiencing for the past ten days was slowly becoming a memory. I was very grateful to have received the pain medications, and Tracy was delighted that finally, I would get the needed relief from the suffering. Four hours later, I took additional doses of the medications and took a nap. Another four hours passed like an Indy 500 race – and I took an additional recommended dose of all the medications. At the time of this writing, I am virtually pain free for the first time in fourteen days! Here is the problem; I have two herniated discs, bone spurs, and degenerative bone disease in my spine. I suffer from arthritis that is rapidly spreading throughout my body. When rain approaches Rapid City, South Dakota – even a minor rainstorm inflames the herniated discs located slightly above the tailbone in my spine. The arthritis I suffer from does not reveal the “markers” to classify it as osteopathic arthritis. What I really need is to have the two herniated spine discs removed – and the remaining space be filled with a synthetic substance, or have the bones fused, or have metal discs implanted in my spine. However, the VA doctor – one VA doctor has determined that, in his opinion, the condition of my spine does not qualify for an invasive operation - period, end of story. Tracy has suggested that I get a second, third, forth opinion from an orthopedic surgeon that accepts Medicare at the Rapid City Regional Hospital, where I was originally treated when I had my last heart attack and stent implantation. All of my medical records, MRI’s, X-Rays, etc; would have to be sent to the new doctor from the VA to examine. Meanwhile, the VA has made me dependant on pain medication. In addition, since the stent implantation in one of the arteries of my heart is very recent - New, additional MRI’s are out of the question. I have to wait at least another month or an additional six months before updated MRI’s can be done. The stent is a metal mesh device and could heat up or move in the artery of my heart. New tissue must grow to encapsulate the stent - to protect it from the magnetic field and pull of the MRI. Meanwhile, the VA has made me very dependant on the three sets of pain medications. I am very grateful for the medications. However, I do not want to be on the pain medications for the rest of my life! About my statement regarding giving up writing, forever, I am using Tracy’s old Apple “iBook” laptop. Hey, it works and I am grateful that Tracy has consented that I can use it. Life goes on, and now that the pains are subsiding, I see and absorb information, visuals, and other things with a different set of eyes. ------------ Email Argile Stox: argilestox@gmail.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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