…on our last episode.
Yes, having referred-pain in the left should is suggestive of heart-involvement. And I’m only 46, but the ticker’s still rather healthy, thankyouverymuch.
It’s not my heart.
And it’s not my left shoulder.
Referred pain in the right shoulder, on the other hand (heh, that was funny right there), is suggestive of liver-involvement. There aren’t any sensory nerves in the liver, as such. Much as the brain, lungs, and several other internal organs don’t have mechanoreceptors. Instead, discomfort or injury to the liver is referred pain elsewhere.
“I’d like a CT…”, he started.
“…of my liver,” I finished.
About a half hour later, I was across the street at Samaritan Healthcare getting another dose of radiation in the CT scan. Then I’d have to wait another hour for the radiologist to interpret and report back to my physician. So, I just went home and resumed shivering and waiting.
No sooner than I got home, the phone rang. “Well, I know why you have a fever. You have a liver abscess.”
I remarked, “Well, that would explain a few things.” Yet, at the time, I still hadn’t fully comprehended how many things it would explain.
“We don’t have what we need to treat you here.”
Moses Lake had only barely reached the Level III trauma center designation. Samaritan in ML can stabilize a patient then transport them off to Wenatchee or Spokane.
He helpfully added, “I’ve already called ahead to Confluence [Wenatchee] and they’re expecting you. I can have you taken there by ambulance…”
“Uh, no, thanks. My checkbook is still reeling from the last emergency trip the other direction,” I jokingly said. “I’ll have Daisy drive me there as soon as she gets back from the pharmacy.”
…🚑☢️📜
the rest of me 