NORMAL LIFE: A Literal Pain In The Neck

One thing I didn't write about back in August was the unfortunate accident I had on my bicycle which has left me somewhat injured ever since. It was August 16th, and I was cycling to work. Just after 8am, on the very street where I work, I made a maneuvour I have regretted ever since.

I was on the wrong side of the road so I went from the pavement onto the road and, as I looked back to see if there was anything preventing me from getting to the side of the road I needed to get onto, I went over a small hole which destablised me and I ended sprawled all over the road.

There were no witnesses and only a moment later did a car eventually come along the road I had glanced back at. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, relatively unscathed. Or so I thought. As I got back onto my bike, I suddenly broke out into a series of shivers - I looked down at my left foot and it was just oozing with blood. I arrived at work, had my morning shower (yes, at work!), but the bleeding wouldn't receed.

I work with two wonderful women, and - in a way only woman can do - they nagged me to report this as a work related incident and visit the company doctor. I did so and, boy, was I glad for the doctor proceeded to extract traces of asphalt which, by this time, had become deeply embedded in my foot. Two months later, the wound is still visible, although healing nicely.

What emerged a couple of days later was a neck injury very similar to that of whiplash. As the foot slowly began to heal during our trip to the UK (see blog entry here), the neck injury became more apparent. Upon our return to Finland, I visited the doctor once again who, after a thorough examination, prescribed a course of physiotherapy.

The physiotherapy bought short-term relief, but now (two months later) the pain has suddenly worsened. In all that time, I have refrained from exercising yet my neck hasn't healed. What worried me more than anything was the consistent clicking sound emanating from my neck at the slightest rotation of the neck. And so I went back to the doctor, this time a very caring woman in her fifties who just wasn't happy with my condition and immediately requested x-rays. It was at this point that I knew what was going to happen as I have been here before - I have spent quite a lot of time in hospitals and have become rather astute at self-diagnosis.

After the x-rays, I was referred to a specialist to analyse them - as I expected, he couldn't find anything wrong so I (not him) suggested a CT-Scan. The doctor, an unmarried and rather ugly looking and no doubt overpaid private consultant wanted to go the whole hog and order an MRI-Scan. I told him that wasn't an option because of my implantation and pointed out that he should have known that already!

That was two days ago. Still in pain, I finally got my insurance company to give me the approval I need to get a CT-Scan covered by my insurance. Within seconds of arriving, I was whisked away to the scanning room where I laid patiently in the huge machine. As the machinery hummed around me, I marvelled at just how powerful these machines were.

An hour later, I had the pictures of my scans in a CD and headed off to a Finnish lesson; on the way, I got a phone call that my consultation with the specialist - the one who would interpret the scans - would have to cancel this evening's appointment! Grrr! So we rescheduled for Saturday. It would be nice to know what is causing this literal pain in the neck.