When I was planning everything for college the idea of going to the doctor, filling out medical history forms, and accepting medication all by myself did not cross my mind. I mean, what 18 year plans out the important stuff? Pinterest boards filled with dorm room decorations or excel sheets with hospitals and doctors within my insurance network? Yeah right! So when I had to go to the ER for the first time by myself... I was a nervous wreck.
When the pain set in, I wasn't in my room. I was doing homework with classmates, classmates that I had only known for a short time. The next thing I knew, I was running from one side of the frosh quad to the other, clutching my wrist brace close to my throbbing heart, trying to hide my tears. I went straight into my dorm, ignoring any people in the common room right outside my door. All it took was one look from my roommate, and we were in consensus... I had no choice, I had to go to the ER. The next few hours were chaos. While Scrambling to call my parents in the Bay Area and brace them for the news, I was looking online for what hospitals were nearby and not too expensive.
I really don't recommend trying to explain an injury to worrisome parents while you haven't even wrapped your head around the fact that you are indeed injured. Nonetheless, I was miles away from home, miles away from any familiarity or sense of security, and to make it worse I was in excruciating pain. I needed help.
The drive to the Er is such a blur. But that's all. Pain doesn't let you forget going through check in, vital checks, x-rays, and yes waiting. Every hour that goes by without an answer is torture. And the only question I had? "Will I be okay to play?"
I absolutely hate sitting on the crinkle paper in Dr's offices. Every movement becomes ten times louder, and when I'm nervous or in pain I tend to bounce my leg. I swear every nurse asked me if I was cold and needed a blanket. Nope. I just need an answer.
A knock...my leg freezes. In comes a male doctor, a nice gentleman who takes me by hand and says well I've got good news! He puts up the X-rays and says "Nothing is broken". HALLELUJAH was my initial reaction. "Wait, so why does it hurt so much?" He informed me that while nothing was broken, I had severally bruised my ulnar bone in my wrist which was causing inflammation, which of course brings on tendon and muscle irritation. Okay, so basically a bad sprain?
The Dr. gave me tramadol, my first bottle of painkillers. "Take one for pain every 4-6 as needed for pain".
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