Ouch!!!

[Jason]

Boy, I've been in constant, agonizing pain over the last month. It began mid-August, when I was playing football. Stacey and I were on teams while our best friends (who are now dating) were on teams. I made a diving tag and landed awkwardly on my ribs. I felt a horrible pain shoot through my body up to my jaw. But it went away in a matter of minutes. We continued playing and doing various activities throughout the day.

The next morning, my stomach felt as if it were on fire. I suffered through the day hoping it was just extremely bad soreness. But the very next day, the burning in my stomach turned into horrible rib pains. I suffered through that, as well. But it took me about a full week of endless pain before I decided to go to the emergency room. After several hours and three x-rays, they explained that I had a severely bruised chest or rib cage. A chest contusion. They recommended I take ibuprofen and hot showers to relax the muscles. I deeply regret going, because now I'm in pretty deep debt with those x-rays. All that, just to find out I didn't need medical attention.

After a few weeks, as the pain in my ribs began to lessen, the burning in my stomach started coming back. I've awoken every night over the past week for about an hour or more in horrible pain. After several days of non stop burning, I awoke a few mornings ago with pain in the same area, but instead of burning, it felt as if it was being squeezed. Or that maybe there was a giant bubble in there somewhere. The bubble-like pain was just as excruciating as the burning. Yesterday, I made chicken noodle soup. The pain almost completely went away for about an hour, but came back. This time it felt like my back was being stabbed. Since then, the pain shifts from a giant bubble-like pain in my stomach, to a sharp stabbing in my back. I have no idea what it could be. I don't want to make the same mistake of going to the doctor to find out I didn't need medical attention, but at the same time, I want to know what's causing these horrible pains.

[Man in Black]

Dang man... that sucks.

I am in no way a doctor, but with all I've been through in the last few years I have learned a thing or two. So here is a little advice.

First, different problems can come at the same time that have nothing to do with each other... so this may or may not be related to your injury.

Second, doctors don't always get it right the first time, and they aren't sympathetic to you not having insurance or the means to pay for expensive tests unless you tell them about it. Always remind your doc of your financial situation and ask for alternative ways to figure out the problem that may cost less.

Back to your current pains. This sounds way too familiar to me. The moving pains from tummy to back feeling like something is in there is very kidney stone like. It also sound similar to a friends symptoms with his sports hernia.

If you are having any problems even in the slightest going to the bathroom then I'd say please go to the doctor and ask for a urine test. This should be under a 100 bucks and will tell you whether there is a problem.

If not you could have a hernia or some other problem. I've had cracked ribs from playing football and I didn't have these other things you are having from those. They just hurt like a mother and caused me breathing problems.

At any rate, I really hope you get it taken care of... and feel better soon.

[Jason]

I have no problems going to the bathroom. What's weird, is that now it's moved back up to my ribs again. It feels a little bit better, but it's weird that now my stomach and back are fine, but my ribs are starting to hurt again.

[Man in Black]

Hopefully time will heal it.

[Jason]

It's gotten quite a bit better. Slight pains here and there. It's come back a little worse as of late, but I think it's the cold taking it's effect on my bones.

[Man in Black]

Good, maybe you are through the worst of it.

[Jason]

I made a quick trip to the hospital a few months ago, again, when the pains weren't going away. I was there for about 20 minutes, the nurses aid recommended I keep taking Ibuprofen, and I was released.

Now I just got an early Christmas present from the hospital.
A 2,000 dollar hospital bill for a small piece of advice from a nurses aid. At the bottom of the bill, they wrote, "ATTENTION: If this account is not paid IMMEDIATELY, it will be assigned to our collection agency". Well, I have no idea how I'm going to pay them when I can't find a job for the life of me. So good luck collecting from me.
I didn't think I'd feel anything more painful than my rib contusion, but this hospital bill sure proved me wrong.

Ouch!! was the perfect topic title.
Merry Christmas from Desert Valley Medical Center!

[Man in Black]

Wow!

Just let it go to collection and settle when you can. It will make your credit crappy but if you don't have a choice... you don't have a choice. I wish I couldn't say that I know how you feel lol...

[Jason]

My second visit, I was there for about 20 - 30 minutes. I received no treatment. No blood work. No urine tests. No x-rays. No medicine. They just recommended I keep taking it easy and taking Ibuprofen. They're trying to say they had me hooked to an oxygen tank. You bet I'll be disputing this. I've never been on an oxygen tank my entire life.

[Man in Black]

Holy moley! It sounds like they have you mixed up with another patient or something. Or mixed up with somebody they can swindle.

[Jason]

Things like this happen all the time. Stacey has never been in a car accident her whole life. One day, her insurance sky-rocketed to about 150 dollars more than what she was paying. According to them, she was in an at fault accident and killed somebody. We had to explain to them like a 2 year old that she's never been in an accident, and they finally got it fixed. The same thing happened with me. I was involved in a small fender bender. Not my fault. But one day, insurance came and said it WAS my fault. Had to go to the DMV and print out my driving record to show that I have no at fault accidents. What a pain... Now I have an overly expensive medical bill to fight.

[Man in Black]

It's a shame that the majority of people in charge of all the important and necessary stuff are crooks. While you are watching your back somebody will stab you in the eye. ;D

[Jason]

It's funny, because my cat literally jumped and punched me in the eye. Ruined my contact lens and I couldn't open my eye the rest of the night. ;D

[Man in Black]

That is an ouch. Makes me remember how glad I am that I just stick with my glasses now. I was always doing crap like that to my contacts. We were riding along one day with the windows down in my car and Marii had wet hair. Marii, has really, really long hair and a strand of it whipped me in the eye (I was driving) and knocked my lense into the floor. Luckily we didn't wreck.

[Jason]

Whoa! You did get pretty lucky with that one. Stacey's hair has whipped me in the eye before, but it never knocked my contact out. That cat is one crazy cat, though, I'll tell you that.


IF YOU ARE EATING, OR EASILY GROSSED OUT, DON'T READ BELOW



I've been having pretty bad bowel pains as of late. I don't know if it has anything to do with my injury, but it's pretty odd.
It seems like every other day, I'll have pretty painful bowel movements. My back and stomach will begin hurting for a while, too. They'll hit me out of nowhere and I'll have to rush to the bathroom. When this happens,... it's not so solid

But usually every other day, or sometimes after two days, I'll have very little to no pain at all, and all is normal.. But today was just bad... Twice I've gone to the bathroom... both times... Not so solid... and this time... green.. I'm trying to see what I can find online but things like this. I don't want to go back to the hospital and pay another 2,000 dollars for a possible piece of advice.