Giant Sunflower 1, Maestro 0.

[Maestro]

Last weekend I was pulling up some giant sunflowers in our garden as we are reorganizing our garden for fall. While pulling up one stubborn giant sunflower, I heard a very loud pop in my chest just under my left breast. I immediately felt a sharp and intense pain, but then it subsided to a dull ache. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I kept working through the dull ache in my chest. Long story, short is that 24 hours later I found myself in the emergency room with intense pain and trouble breathing because of it.

After x-rays, EKG, temperature taken as well as pulse and blood pressure, anything major like an infection or heart problems was ruled out and I was diagnosed with acute plueritic chest pain that is the result of a torn or severely strained muscle in between my lungs and chest wall. This hurts like the dickens! Man! The only treatment is rest, painkillers and medication for the swelling which was making the breathing difficult. It has almost been a week now since the incident, I have only experienced a minor improvement. I am still having to take painkillers for the pain, hydrocodone. The anti-inflammatory is okay, but tends to upset my stomach even when I take it with food. I can't even lift my arm to hold my camera. Focusing on objects with my eyes is difficult too. I'm just loopy as all hell!

Okay, enough of my complaining....other than that, it was a nice Labor Day weekend and this week wasn't too bad either.

[Cabcere]

1. Ouch!

:( I'm sorry to hear about your injury, Maestro - hope you feel better soon! :hug: <-- gently, so I don't hurt you any more! :hi:

[Maestro]

3. Thanks.

I'll just take a light pat on the shoulder instead of the hug. A hug, like a sneeze or cough, just kill me. The ragweed and pollen has been up in my area so I am taking Allegra D for allergies, but every so often I need to blow my nose. That is an act of torture.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Ouch.

I've wondered if I could hurt myself fighting with a deep rooted plant -- now I know. I guess digging and cutting away roots is safer after all.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Maestro]

5. Thanks

I even had a shovel with me but I still tried it with my hands. :shrug:

[sakabatou]

4. At least you were still concious during your ordeal

[Maestro]

6. Yeah, and it is not a very serious injury

but it is just very painful.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. My dear Maestro!

Oh, sweetie.......ouch!

Please take care of yourself, OK?

I hope the pain subsides very soon.......

We can wait patiently for more pictures...:hug:

[Maestro]

10. Thanks Peggy

Fall migration has commenced. I think one of the first places I plan on going is up to the border of Texas and Oklahoma to take pictures of all the geese and ducks passing through at Lake Texoma. Thanks for worrying about me. I'm sure I will be fine but it will take time.

[WindRavenX]

8. good lord

How scary :scared:

[Maestro]

11. Wierd injury

but in talking with the emergency room doc and my doctor as a follow-up, the injury is not all that uncommon. I guess I am just getting old and things don't seem to work as well as they used to. :)

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

9. Yikes! Sounds sooooo painful

Feel better soon.

[Maestro]

12. Thanks

I'll admit that it hurts, but I have had worse pain. The anti-inflammatory medication and the painkillers at least make the breathing easier and much less painful. I do not like some of the side-effects of both medications though. However, it is better than the alternative.

[wildhorses]

13. sorry to hear it -- peaceful pictures are just what the doctor ordered

;)

feel better soon!

[Maestro]

14. Thanks.

I actually tried to get some peaceful photos today but it didn't work out...too sore.

[wildhorses]

15. heh heh

i meant to relax and enjoy MY pic threads :rofl:

its all good. take it easy and don't strain yourself ;)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. My dear wildhorses...

Now there's a stunning, serene picture...

I love how the hills roll away, and lead your eye into the distance...

The trees are so beautiful too...

All leafy and turning into fall colors...

And the way the sun makes shadows on the grassy floor.....

Thank you, sweetie, for this glimpse into paradise...:hug:

[wildhorses]

18. thanks peggy!!!

:loveya: that means a lot to me. if you have time, would you look at my pix threads. let me know what you think? :shrug:

you take such great shots that i would really like to see what you think of mine. i wish i had a digital camera. all my shots are taken with a disposable :cry:

:hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Of course!

I would be honored to look at your pix threads, sweetie...

Do you have any up now?

I am more than happy to offer my thoughts...

Save your money, sweetie! But I would never have known that this one was taken with a disposable camera!

:loveya:

:hug:

[wildhorses]

20. i have three on the front page of the lounge right now --

jewelry show, labor day weekend, and more boring pix. thanks :hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. I'll check 'em out!

:hug:

[Maestro]

22. Extremely nice.

I like this one better than the other pics in your thread. :thumbsup:

[wildhorses]

23. thanks --

i like it, too. however, it does not do justice to the real view. in real life that view will take your breath away. it is one of my favorite spots on earth.

[libodem]

17. Sorry for your chest pain

much empathy and sympathy being sent your way. I've had to deal with a lot of chronic pain the last couple of years and that sounds NASTY! Poor dear, get better soon. Makes my chest muscles cringe just thinking about it. Damn sunflowers anyway I have the smaller version taking over my back yard.

[Maestro]

24. I feel alright now.

The medication is keeping me comfortable. I just need to keep resting. Hopefully it will heal soon. Thanks for your kind words.

[Shine]

25. Wow, sorry about that, buddy. You have every right to complain.

I wish you a speedy recovery and easy breathing. :hug: Take good care of yourself.

[Maestro]

27. Thanks Shine

I have felt pretty good today but I have been in a bit of a fog because of the meds.

[NV Whino]

26. Thou shalt not attack giant sunflowers

You have my complete sympathy. I had a similar injury several years ago. No sunflowers involved. I apparently damaged my muscle wall by loading and unloading large paintings into and out of my truck of the time. (I now paint smaller with less paint on the canvas.)

[Maestro]

28. Thanks NV Whino

Very painful, uh? How long did it take to heal?

[NV Whino]

32. Months

There's really not much you can do except try to keep from straining the muscles again. Even picking up a cat hurt.

LOL I alternated from thinking I had a heart attack to TB to pleurisy.

[Maestro]

34. Months?

Ugh, I really need to get outside and do something. I hate being stuck around the house. :banghead:

[NV Whino]

36. Yeah, it's nasty

You don't realize how much you use your chest wall muscles until you can't.

[Tsiyu]

29. Machetes and scythes are good

when you grow those mutant garden plants! :evilgrin:

Sorry the sunflower won. (I bet her name is Skittles..:))

One tip I learned working with post surgery coughers: before you cough, grab one or two pillows and press them up against where it hurts with your forearms. It will keep the sore spot from moving so much when you cough.

And I will tell you a photography story to bore you to sleep lol. :boring:

This April my then SO and I went to visit Buggytop Cave. It was an awesome spring afternoon, bright sun, leaves just that perfect pale green in the surrounding hills.

We took some photos from well inside the mouth of the cave. They had great contrast with the dark cave walls and the afternoon sun hitting the vegetation outside.

I've been working on a painting for a few months from one of the photos, except I put a person - a 19th century Chikamaugan, I imagined, crouched like a rock on the cave floor, looking toward the cave opening, listening. From a distance, the person could be a small boulder.

It was nowhere near ready, but a dear young woman I know had to open her gallery today minus a lot of work due to a major contributor backing out. So I was asked to find anything last minute to fill wall space.

After work last night I worked on it again. (I had been able to do some work on it Thursday when a Sewanee senior escaped the party bedlam and arrived here with a 400 page French novel she had to read overnight. We took turns mangling the French words and I painted while she read.)

With a panic attack, I dropped it off with a couple of drawings this morning. I felt inadequate as an artist but gave it up and went to work.

When I got home my daughter had left a message. The painting sold in a few hours.

:bounce:

So it's a long-winded not much about photography story, but I haven't exhibited a painting in years and it was all inspired by a photograph!

Hope you feel better ( if you're still awake ;)) and up to more pictures soon.

[Maestro]

30. Hey buddyhollysghost

Congrats are the sale of your work! Awesome! I'm proud of anyone who can create and put something up for sale. It takes guts. Good for you! :thumbsup: As far as the machetes and scythes, well, I was trying to get the roots and all because these giant sunflowers have pretty much taken over sections of the garden. :banghead: Anyhow, I have felt pretty good for the last 24 hours but that is with a large amount of medication. I need to start backing off of the hydrocodone. ;)

[Tsiyu]

31. Hey, enjoy it while you can

But I hear that stuff is addictive so be careful. Still, I'm glad you found docs who will not let you be miserable.

What did you feed those sunflowers anyway! lol


Happy Sunday and I hope you are feeling much much better.


:hug:

[Maestro]

33. They got nothing but lots of rain

and pollination via different animals. I love them, but enough is enough. :)

[applegrove]

35. Bad sunflower! LOL!

[Rosemary2205]

37. I predict 2 months or longer.

I once tore a ligament (or is that a tendon) holding chest muscles to the sternum. Took 1 month for it to not be a new experience in pain with every breath. Another month to be completely off all pain medication and able to do the minimum in self care and housework etc and about 6 months for it not to "catch" in certain positions.

Mine was trying to rip a dead bush out of the ground instead of beating the heck out of the roots with a pick ax.

I really feel for you.