Healthcare??

My elbow was so painful this morning I took 4 children to the clinic with me... This has been going on for a couple of months now. Initially, it was off and on heat and burning in my elbow, soreness at the first onset, after doing some heavy duty pruning. Now, it's daily and constant. I haven't wanted to mask the feelings with ibuprofen and so haven't been taking it on a regular basis- I'm ready now. It's numb'ish and I can feel, but not see the swelling, radiates down my arm and makes my pinky and ring finger feel tingly and numb.

Tendonitis? Tennis Elbow? Strain??

I walked into the clinic a bit before 9 and was quickly ushered into a room. My double stroller barely fit... For an hour and 20 minutes, I kept the 2 Three year old's entertained and amused and the two 6 month old's content, fed and happy. The nurse took my blood pressure, temp (99?), asked for symptoms, reasons I was there etc. After I continually promised treats for Julia and Ruby for doing a good job, the dr. finally arrived. Without once putting his hands on me, and only asking me where the pain originated from- he diagnosed me with Ulnar neuritis- some sort of nerve injury/damage originating on my funny bone. He told me he thought thats what it was and that they would be sending me for further testing- an EMG- and they would let me know...

I literally stopped him from leaving the room by reaching out and saying " hey, wait a minute, what does that mean, what kind of test, what do they do, what about these other sensations I have, what do I do in the meantime??" With his hand on the door knob and the door half open he tells me "not to worry about it, they'll do the EMG and let me know". Again, this time a bit stronger, "okay that's fine, but what does the test entail, who makes the appt, what can I do in the meanwhile, can you explain your diagnosis?" He turns again towards me, by this time Julia has lost her patience as well, and is whinning at my leg "eat, mama, eat" repeatedly, and says "they'll put a series of needles in your arm to test your nerves and then we'll know more..." and leaves the room. I think the whole episode took less than three minutes.

At the nurses station, I stopped to ask how the referral is made for the EMG- they assurred me they would call with an appt. And with that, I left. I walked out of the lobby at 10:26.

Lovely.


Edited to add: Forgot the best part- if it is Ulnar Neuritis, surgery may be the best recommendation. Sweet.

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