That Did Not Last Long
* The following is a continuation of the 30th anniversary of my journey of the diagnosis of my Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
I admit that I can be stubborn. And it is no exception when I get a doctor’s order. But as all three of my primary care doctors that I have ever had, two no longer practicing (one actually would be over 100 years old now), I do not see a doctor unless I pretty much have a limb falling off. But at this point, if my doctor prescribed something for me, to help me, I never questioned it. If I was at the doctor, I had a problem, it needed to be dealt with.
I was not happy with the doctor’s orders of rest for two weeks. But with the large lump in my neck, I was no longer comfortable. Take the anti-inflammatory for two weeks, rest, and I will be good to go. No weightlifting, and worse, no playing basketball. We had just started a city league basketball team at work which I was totally psyched to be playing on, now sidelined for two weeks. But my doctor assured me the medicine would work. I had some sort of cold or infection. If the lump would have been in different location, he admitted his plan would have been different but was confident in his plan and prognosis.
And the medicine did work. The lump went down nearly 80% and as the two week “rest period” neared its end, I could not wait to get back to the gym, get myself back into condition to hit the court again.
Another unfortunate quirk about myself, is that I do not have a dimmer switch. I go full tilt with everything I do. I was so frustrated with not being able to train for two weeks, instead of just easing back into the training, I went right back at the weights and times that I stopped at because I did not want the two week rest to have any impact on me. I felt up to it. And it was what I wanted to do.
And of course, instead of just easing back, going as hard as the day I stopped, even if only two weeks, I developed a pain in my left arm pit whenever I extended my left arm straight. I had hurt myself.
I spoke to my friend and co-worker, Stephen (disclaimer, this photo is not of either of us) and explained to him my frustrations about now being hurt and not able to play that night as I had hoped. He understood, and suggested that I see his doctor as Stephen had seen his doctor for injuries and felt confident that his doctor could help me bounce back quick. Even though I had my own doctor, my sights were set on getting better enough to get back on the court. I made the call, and got in to see his doctor that evening.
And that is when things got confusing, and my stubbornness came out.
Paul's Heart 