Friday, May 30, 2008

The Ecstasy and The Agony

THE ECSTASY
Today I finished my general medicine rotation and took our school's mid-medicine written exam, my second-to-last exam of 3rd year. It wasn't too bad--statistics, concepts, EKGs and CXRs. I'm pretty sure I got everything right but I'm usually surprised by just how dumb I can be on exams. The most important thing about this is that I now have only have ONE test left in all of 3rd year, and it's a biggie... the Medicine Shelf Test. Which transitions us nicely to:

THE AGONY
Of course, there's the looming Medicine Shelf. There is also another month of medicine (I do have high hopes that it will be good). However, NOTHING compares to this horrible, crippling pain in my lower back. I am seriously walking like a 100-year-old. It is SO pathetic. Plus I'm in pain basically 100% of the time. This has been going on for three or four days now and it is flipping killing me. Yesterday I tried to stand up from a chair, had a giant spasm and almost FELL DOWN in front of my whole team. I was going to try to get a lot done this weekend since I have it off, but now I'm considering drugging the bajesus out of myself and finally getting some relief/sleep (which I have not had since this started). Also--walk rounds=usually painful; walk rounds when your back is one giant spasm=unbearable. It's like every second takes an hour, and you WANT to be concentrating on learning whatever the attending is talking about, but instead all you can focus on is trying not to throw up or a fantasy about finding a dark room to lay down in and cry or how much you wish someone would take pity on you and just kill you already.
Is it just me? OldMDGirl, you too claim to be old--do you ever have this problem?

In any case I am taking my broken self and money I don't have down to get a professional to address this problem right now. Those of you reading in other states--let me know when my screams of pain reach your time zone.

Until then, cherish your youth. For you too will someday become whiny, old and pathetic.

4 comments:

DK said...

I once threw my back out acutely my fourth year. I survived only by the grace of aspercream (stinky, but effective) and those stick-on hot pads. Get em. Get em now.

See, now the problem, though, isn't such the back throwing out, it's the getting up in the morning, bending over to pick something up, and then going...oh.....shit....when did thirty become old, and when did I get to be thirty?

I'm going to blame it on my mattress...

Filipus D. said...

Yea it hurts sometimes. Hot water bath always do the magic for me.

Filipus D. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
OMDG said...

Dr. Von B I am so flattered that you would think of me!

;-)

The back pain is the worst! You have my sympathies. And I always seem to mess up my back doing something idiotic like sneezing. Alas, I don't think it's a function of age for me -- been a problem since age 18 -- but more a function of inactivity. If I don't work out regularly (run 30 min 3x/wk or the equivalent) I am virtually guaranteed to have back spasms.

What works.... walking. The eliptical trainer (which I hate). Not sitting or standing for long periods of time -- good luck with that one. Comfy ugly shoes. Stretching my back by flexing AND extending it. Muscle relaxants and benzos (heh heh). Not carrying anything in my back pocket with tight pants on -- rubs the sciatic nerve. Other than that, time.

Congratulations on having only 1 month left. I am green with envy. I hope you feel better soon. And thanks for linking me!