Day 214

No more cast!

This really makes me happy. Have to follow up in two weeks for another round of X-rays.Don't know bone density results although ortho PA said I was "a little light" and said they were starting a F-something-drug-name clinic but would let my primary care doc coordinate. The F-something osteoporosis drug I found online was a daily injectable parathyroid-type hormone you can only take two years total ever...that's a big cup of Fuggheddaboudit! 

Because I fully expected another 3 weeks of cast I arranged to take rest of today and next 3 days off which I still am...my work ethic doesn't carry that far. Was cautioned to "take it easy" and "let pain be your guide" so actually do plan to take it as easy as possible. 

Had a BATH when I got home and it was wonderful.

Y'know what wasn't wonderful though? Getting a runny nose this afternoon and feeling all sick to my stomach this evening and having heat flushes and chills and generally feeling overall lousy. Thought I might be coming down with a cold till I realized I took my last hydrocodone at around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, looked online and discovered that every single one of those symptoms could be chalked up to physical withdrawal. I took them exactly as prescribed, never once hit maximum daily dose and in fact was at less than half that most days...but I suppose three weeks is still three weeks and daily use is still daily use. Damn. Well, it should be over soon. I read that it peaks at the 2-3 day mark so all the better I took the time off after all.

I think I understand the "prescription opioid epidemic" a little better though, that's for sure. That's some powerful dangerous stuff there. Kills pain really well but damn there's a price tag. Now that I've been declared to have "good sticky bone formation" if I -do- have pain I'm going back to my nice safe aspirin. 

Feels a little weird to be writing all of the above before saying that tomorrow is my seven-month soberversary but I think that is largely because of lumping "addiction" all under the same umbrella...and because "withdrawal" feels somewhat pejorative even though I was specifically told "take these but -not- NSAIDS because NSAIDS delay bone healing."  I'm trying not to let it get me down.

Sleeping in and being cast-free will be a great start to a new personal best sober date as will having a nice leisurely breakfast. I do plan to take it very easy - as easy as if I did get another cast at least for the three weekdays - so there won't be driving or sewing or other adventures but I already have a BIG sober treat planned for myself: sending the rest of the family to MiL's house on Xmas day and pleading sickness/under the weather as an excuse to stay home. I soldiered up and did Thanksgiving; that was enough. And part of why I'm writing it here is so that I have less chance of letting myself be guilted into going.

Happy Solstice.