Tuesday, April 19
Today was about pain in the groin. It got so bad that no position was comfortable. My doctor gave me a shot after a “wait and see” period that felt unnecessary, and within an hour the pain began to subside. It never went away, but at least I didn’t terrorize my neighbors with my screaming when the muscles in question spasmed in bed.
Wednesday, April 20
All activities were suspended in deference to groin, only a session in Alexander survived. By all opinions it is a pulled muscle (how it got pulled is a mystery), but to be safe I’m having an eco-doppler on Friday morning.
Thursday, April 21
The small bruise that showed in the fold of my right thigh grew huge overnight, and this morning the swelling had traveled down my leg as far as the knee. I sent medicos photos, and am on course for an eco-doppler to see what is going on.
My dear friend Jeff is here today and tomorrow, and although in a general way that makes everything better, PD symptoms are heavy, made nervous by the pain and discomfort in the flank.
Friday, April 22
Last night as I sat watching a movie, the pain in my hip was suddenly familiar to about sixty years ago. It was during a swimming lesson when I was nine that the instructor, in showing me how to kick, grabbed both feet and tore a muscle in my groin. Some time later the pain settled into the right hip and remained there whenever I sat for a long while. At some point during my teens that pain stopped bothering me. I bring this up because injuries can become disassociated and healing can be deferred for decades when a person is in Pause mode. The doctor who did the eco-doppler today kept wondering aloud why my leg would have reacted as it did without having been exposed to a recent trauma. Deferred healing would explain that.
Today I was still hyper PD and Recovery symptomatic, but less so than yesterday. Last night I hardly slept (not from pain but from discomfort in the leg) and although today I had only two hours rest to make up for it, I feel that I will not sleep well tonight. All of that seems to have been brought to the fore by the deferred healing process.
However, lest I be viewed as unhinged, I save my speculations for all of you and my friend Jeff – who leaves for Venice early tomorrow morning. We dined out tonight, my first time since last summer. Not once did I have to blow my nose, and the liter of water I drank stayed put until after I arrived home.
Internally, another layer has peeled itself off the onion of fear.
Saturday, April 23
I was right about not sleeping last night; one hour then nothing until five. Today the right hip hurts less while seated than it did yesterday, with the exception of being seated in the wheelchair. The bruising is also less, and the swelling, although it continues to spread downwards, it feels less severe.
That all of these are signs that a deferred injury is finally healing is astounding to me, and that it is happening to me is on par with my winning a mega lottery.
Sunday, April 24
I slept well and for seven hours. Because the right leg is still swollen and bruised, Natalia gave me a ride into town without a corresponding walk, and it still tired me so much (in part because the hip pain required sustained adjustment in how I sat) that I slept three hours after lunch. The leg looks and feels better, however.
Had a good meeting with the Parkinson’s Recovery support group on Zoom. Some of the members have had really positive developments during the past few weeks, and all were generous with their sharing and attention.
Natalia was late. Eight people including babies and a woman of 88 arrived today from Mariupol with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, and she made sure they had food enough for several days. There are 2,000 Ukrainian residents in the greater Orvieto area, and they, with the larger community, have welcomed more than 500 refugees.
Remember, always, to find reason for gratitude.
Monday, April 25
Slept two, was awake for three, slept three. The right hip is still sore as is a muscle on the inside of the right thigh, but the bruising is almost gone, and the swelling is gone above a distinct point just below the knee.
I’m tired tonight. Will find a means of staying awake and hope for a good sleep.