a brief break...

I had to take a brief break in blogging. Well, actually, my body insisted on the break. I've had this unreal cold that took forever to get rid of and one morning I woke up with a little twinge in the upper part of my left gluteus maximus and by the end of the day I could barely walk.

At first, since I had started a new medication a couple of days before, the doctor thought I had an adverse interaction with another medication. It is a rare side effect but causes permanent muscle damage. Luckily, that was ruled out with muscle enzyme tests.

Then, they took x-rays to see if there was any damage to my left hip. Besides a little arthritis, the x-rays were clear.

So, they've diagnosed bursitis: definitely a sign of old age. It seems that it's much more than that. The bursa is what cushions the tendon and thereby helps prevent friction between the tendon and the bone. Unfortunately, constant rubbing of the tendon over the bone with high amounts of repetitive arm, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle motion can lead to enough friction of the bursa itself to cause the inflammation and irritation of the bursa called bursitis.

According to New York-Presbyterian Hospital A bursa is a closed, fluid-filled sac that functions as a cushion and gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. The major bursae are located adjacent to the tendons near the large joints, such as in the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. When the bursa becomes inflamed, the condition is known as bursitis.

So, now you know about bursitis, at least a little. All I can say is that the most painful illness I ever have had has been kidney stones, and there is no pain like it. The first time I was hospitalized with kidney stones the nurse I had was 8 1/2 months pregnant with her fourth child. She told me she would gladly have four more as long as she never had to have another kidney stone attack. She swore kidney stones were more painful than childbirth! Not being of childbearing capacity, I can't agree or disagree with her. All I can agree with is that I hope I never have another kidney stone attack - two has been enough.

Any way, the pain of bursitis comes close because it is continuous and throbbing; hurts more if you laugh, sneeze or cough; makes it impossible to sleep, climb stairs or sit; and causes walking to be a difficulty so that the entire leg hurts.

and as my grandmother used to say...

the man who said life begins at forty should have been shot!...