Thursday 23 February 2012

Just popping out!

By way of a digression:
A couple of weeks ago I suffered a slight injury to my body in Waitrose when I bent over to pick up a coin for someone who was accidentally chucking their money around. Silly me. I was wearing one of those wax jackets which has a sturdy zip. I was zipped up. I bent, the zip didn’t and something cracked in my chest. I thought it was my …. errrr ….. undergirding being a bit unforgiving, so even though it hurt I thought nothing more of it.

About ten days later I was getting a bit fed up with the clicking and cracking in my ribs, so went to the doctor. “Hmmmm?” he said. “Ahhhh?” I said. He had a bit of poke and apparently I said ‘ouch' in a certain way so that after he consulted Google he was able to make his diagnosis. (This is true).

“You have popped a costochondral.”
“Oh?”
“It’s ok, it’s popped back.”
“Oh!”

There followed a lengthy description, complete with diagrams from wiki, of what a costochondral was and its function within the human anatomy. I was grateful to him for the google based explanation. “How long before it gets better?” I asked.

“Well” he said, “As you get older you are not so elastic and things don’t bend so easily. It could take a while and it might pop again.”

“Ah!” I said.

“Yes, we used to strap people up with those sticky bandages but we don’t any more. Ideally if you could stop breathing for a couple of weeks, that would really help!”

“Hmmm! I’m not sure I could do that?”

“No, well, don’t breathe too deeply or make any sudden movements.”

“Ok.”

“Don’t worry, it happens to a lot of people; in fact I have the same problem here (points vaguely to his left shoulder). I fall down a lot for .. . errrr … technical reasons and I have one that keeps popping. I just give it a tug and it goes back. Do you need any pain killers?”

I left with some unanswered questions - “fall down …. technical reasons?” But have decided that in life there are some things it is better we don’t know!


It was lovely day today so I popped out for a walk

34 comments:

  1. Ouchie, Austin's Mommy! Be careful picking Austin up or perhaps you can ask him to spring up to you instead?

    Seriously, I know that hurts and "undergirdling" can be uncomfortable at the best of times so no surprise, mom said, that you thought that may be the problem.

    I am glad things are better but do be careful and now I must warm mom to also be careful or she'll have me doibg all of the house work.
    xoxoxox to Austin and Mom

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  2. Haha (at the read, not the accident)enjoyed that!

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  3. Me and mom got a good laugh reading your story :)
    But of course we don´t laugh about your popped costochondral :(
    Hope it will be OK soon !

    xoxo

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  4. Oh Austin take good care of your Mom,that sounds painful.
    purrs
    >^,,^<
    ♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥

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  5. I'm sorry you hurt yourself but this really made me laugh. Loved the Google diagnosis LOL. Hope you enjoyed your day out and the pain is gone soon!

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  6. We never, EVER, have heard of that! So happy to read about it with your sense of humor though. Watch the popping. And feel better soon.

    Austin? Time to be a GOOD carecat.

    ; ) Glogirly & Katie

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  7. Sorry to hear you hurt yourself. :( Never fun.

    Sending you warm thoughts! xo

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  8. Haha! We don't mean to laugh at the fact that you hurt yourself, but what a story! And we can't believe your doctor had to google to find a diagnosis!! Our mom totally understands the fact that the older she gets, the longer it takes her to recover from stuff. We hope you are better soon!!

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  9. Aunty Caro,
    Mama popped her shoulders when she was 14 and 28 years later had to fork 20K for an operation to remove the scar tissue and ease the shoulder. Big ouch! Consider acupuncture. Mama says it's better than painkillers. purrr...meow!

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  10. Ouch, hope you feel better soon, with no more popping!
    I've been looking back at a few of your posts, I love Austin! he's so perfectly cranky!

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  11. Austin, you make sure you pick up all lost coins for your person! As for me, I'm still wondering about the wax jacket, not sure what that is, but sure there's a reason for it...

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  12. Oouuucch. Popping in to say I am so sorry for this popping of yours. Glad you decided to keep breathing or nothing ever would popp anymore. Girl, I hope it will get better soon. Austin, watch your Mommy and spoil her!

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  13. hey everyone, thanks so much for your lovely comments :) Just wanted to say that I am loads better, things have remained unpopped. I thought the doctor was so funny, that the conversation had to be written down for posterity lol

    Bernadette, a wax jacket is usually a Barbour in the UK. It is a very sturdy long lasting jacket that is water proof, windproof etc and is used by rural folks a lot :)

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  14. Ok, ::ahem:: we admit it. We are morons.
    "Hey, speak for yourself Glogirly!" shrieks Katie.

    I would have bet MONEY and all of Katie's SALMON that I read on your profile you were in Canada.

    So I guess WE are the dummies, eh?
    "Hey, speak for yourself Glogirly!" shrieks Katie.

    At least now when we read your words, we'll have the appropriate accent in mind.

    : ) Hope you still love us.
    Glogirly & Katie

    (Katie claims innocence on this whole affair.)

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  15. Hmmm.... did the sign outside of the doctor's office say Google & Wiki, M.D.?!! Quite a colorful story - has all the makings for a lovely chapter in a book!! Glad you are doing better - take it easy and keep us posted! xoxoxo

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  16. Oh the joys of getting older. So sorry about this, and love the funny cartoon!

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  17. I hope you heal up quickly. Just remind Austin that you can't be doing any ferocious petting for a few days.

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  18. That gorgeous view and funny cartoon would take my mind off any popped anything. Sending purrs that all stays where it should. Purrs to Austin from the boys.

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  19. My Human thought this was very funny - the story about the doctor having to Google to make your diagnosis, that is, not that you hurt yourself. We don't think that's funny, of course, and we wish you all better - we're sure Austin is taking care of you.
    Also, Mummy likes the picture of where you went out for a walk and wonders exactly where it is. She says you live in Wales and that she has visited that country with her choir. (She says taking a choir to Wales is a bit like taking coals to Newcastle, whatever that means.)

    Have a nice weekend.

    Possum

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  20. We are so sorry you popped what ever that was. I hate to admit but we did laugh only because only your Mom Austin could come up with that Popped deal. We do hope it doesn't hurt any more and doesn't pop our again.
    Now it is our turn to make your Mom laugh. We go tagged. Stop laughing. Take care. Don't do any popping any time soon.

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  21. Really, truly, he consulted Google to get a diagnosis?? That's both hilarious and a bit scary considering how much "wrong diagnosis" there is on the internet. Hopefully he landed on a trusted medical site, lol.

    That scenic photo is beautiful!!

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  22. Technical reasons? Maybe you should find a different MD?

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  23. A big ouch for your mom! Did that help make her feel better? We hope she doesn't pop any more. It doesn't sound like fun.

    Um, Cyndi is wondering why you think she needs counseling for being wakened by a yodeling hound?

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  24. Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the HedgeTuesday, February 28, 2012 1:25:00 am

    Austin please be careful not to push off to hard or fast from your mom when she's holding you! Enought popping! Purrs and soft cheek pat sent.

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  25. OK, I'm laughing pretty hard here! Golly, the answer was just a Google away. But then, I suppose it does require knowing what to Google for! And it certainly was a lovely day for a walk! (and still laughing)

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  26. I love the Google Moment. Well, so much for expecting the doctor to pop-out his iPad and figure it out there.

    I suppose Google can do the same... with a touch of Wikipedia on the side.

    I have those cracking back things too, but I'm too young to have costo... something.

    Nice one, Carolyn.

    Huggies and Cheese,

    Haopee

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  27. Sorry something popped but I wouldn't be really happy if my doc consulted google for a diagnosis and then referenced wiki to confirm. Hmmmmm. Hope you're feeling better.

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  28. Well Thank Cod for Google and Wikipedia! Seriously though, we send you good thoughts and prayers for healing and feeling better. And by the way, we FINALLY posted the tag! Come check it out. PS: You are funny even in your pain.

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  29. Mom think you should write the book...Ha..Ha..Ha
    Sorry, but I couldn't stop laughing.
    I do purrs for you.
    Nose kiss
    xoxo

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  30. Oh Austinnnnnnnn!!!!!!!
    We've announced the Cast & Crew for The Real Housecats Of The Blogosphere!

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  31. OUCH!! We made Mommy google it too...and we all winced! Mommy has periodically dislocated the floating ribs in her back - has since she was about 35 or so - so she can imagine the pain!

    We glad you is better, that it popped back in and you got to pop back out for a walkie!

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  32. Brilliant post, CAT. Cept it should be censored from us in the USA, who would only use it as arguments against the National Elf.

    Is that really where you live? WONDERFUL to imagine you there! What a spectacular place.

    Take care of your good self. Specially keep away from the National Elf.

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  33. Nad! LOL yes that is my view except photos don't really do it justice!

    Don't get me going about the Natinal Elf. All I will say is its not really up to the task!!! :-8

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  34. Not breathing will cure most aches and pains!

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