Last Thursday night and Friday morning before bathing was the last time I've cross dressed other than wearing my lace panties. Do any of you (I'm sure some do) know how difficult it is to be changing clothes with 3 broken bones in your left foot and a broken 10th rib on your left side? It actually hurts to yawn - and I'm dead serious about that.
I love to soak in a tub of hot water before bathing and shampooing my hair. I used to soak for 15 - 30 minutes in a tub of the hottest water our water heater could deliver. Often times I would actually get a pink glow to my skin when I finished. in 2015 after soaking for 20 minutes or so and washing my body, I stood up to shampoo my hair under the shower head. After I stood up, the last thing I recall was realizing I needed to brace myself against the shower walls so I wouldn't fall. Well, I fell. I had passed out. I believe I was out for only a few seconds. My back hurt badly (a cast iron tub will always win), had it checked out, and was told nothing was broken. The folks at urgent explained to me that !) soaking in a tub of hot water dilates blood vessels which lowers blood pressure, 2) sitting or standing from a laying down position also lowers blood pressure, and 3) the combination of 1 & 2 can lower BP enough to cause a person to pass out. I purchased a shower hose so after soaking and bathing, I could sit up and shampoo my hair with a handheld shower head. Then, if my BP is low, it should have enough time to get back to normal when I'm done with shampooing and am ready to get out of the tub/shower. That has solved that problem ever since until............................
...........this past Friday morning while soaking in the tub of hot water (different house and different tub), my phone rings. It is on the vanity next to the sink. Without thinking, I stand up, get out of the tub, see it's my wife calling (she was already gone for the day), and answer the phone. The last thing I remember is not understanding a word she was saying. When I woke up my back was sore and my foot was hurting but not much. My back hurt enough that it took me several minutes to get up because of the pain. Anyway, I get up, get dressed, and walked ever so slowly to our family room. After about 1/2 hour I took my BP which was 104/55. Yeah, it was rebounding but I know it was low and I had passed out. I still wasn't particularly worried until I started getting nauseous - something I simply never do. That's when I called my wife (who was about to walk into a movie theater with a friend) and told her I was going to the VA for X-rays.
It's 40 minutes to the VA clinic. Hmmm... They can't take X-rays without a doctor's order. That makes sense so I get on the automated system to see someone from my care team to help me get the doctor's order. 30 minutes later having seen nobody I go to a service desk only to find out they are all in a meeting and I should go up the road about 1/2 mile to an urgent care facility. I'm told the VA will take care of the expenses. Off I go. I walk in, fill out the paperwork and wait about 15 minutes. The nurse there tells me they can't take X-rays in my case as I must have a CT scan of my head. HUH? It seems if a person on blood thinners passes out, CT scans are required in case of damage to any of that vast wasteland between the ears. Off to the ER.
When I get to the ER, my back is now in excruciating pain. My foot really doesn't hurt of any consequence at all; so, I don't even mention it. X-rays confirm I broke the 10th rib on my left side. The next morning when I wake up, my left foot is totally swollen and a good portion of it is black and blue. The last 3 toes are side-by-side facing in a leftward direction. There is a nice space between the 3rd toe and the 2nd toe, and there is another nice space between the 2nd toe and the big toe. Back to the ER we go. This time my wife is driving. Yep, a broken metatarsal on each one of the 3 smaller toes and possibly a broken metatarsal bone on the 2nd toe. Fortunately, surgery isn't needed for any of this.
So, I've been sleeping in my recliner as getting in and out of bed is a major pain in the back - literally. I know all this will mend; but, Not wearing bras, forms, lingerie, and dresses is almost as painful as the rib. The tub/shower combo is one with a fiberglass surround on 3 sides. Upon later inspection, I realized I will have to apply caulk from top to bottom on both sides of the tub opening. When I fell, I suspect I broke the rib on the top of the side of the tub as the entire surround was pushed back (towards the back wall) between 1/32" and 1/16". My left foot would have been on the side witha wall. I can't imagine what my foot hit that could do the damage that was done where it was done. Oh, well.....
A couple of takeaways from all this. Before my wife drove me to the ER on Saturday for the foot X-rays, she thought it best if she removed the nail polish from my toes. It mattered not to me; but, for her comfort, I agreed. Saturday night when I wanted to shower, she asked where my underwear was so she could get me a clean pair. Also, I never put my lace panties in with the laundry as they are supposed to be hand washed. Today, after I showered, she asked if I had put my clothes in the laundry as she wanted to do a load of laundry. I told her my shirt and pants were in the basket to which she asked about my panties. I explained about the hand wash only instructions. But, she was willing to wash some of my girl stuff which caught me off guard.
Anyway, Heather will be back when I'm feeling better. The foot isn't a problem as it hurts about a .5 (1/2) on a scale of 1 - 10. Diabetic neuropathy in one's feet can be a blessing at times.
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