UPDATE: What a difference a day makes!

As of now, the road to recovery is palpable! Wednesday night, however, I felt death lurking nearby. Ok, I exaggerate. But I had such trouble breathing much of the day that I worried about asphyxating while sleeping. Every deep breath felt explosive, like I'd taken a sledge hammer whack to my chest. I dismissed it as part of the aches and pain of a broken collar bone. By Thursday morning, I realized that breathing shouldn't hurt so badly, that coughing and turning my head shouldn't feel like my ribs were about to pierce through my skin at any moment. And, a strange greenish blotch had appeared on my chest.

The doctor's advice? Get thee to the ER. We were serviced almost immediately. After tests that included an EKG, and way too many x-rays, I learned that there is a good reason for my breathing problems. I have five broken ribs--five different ones in front, back and along my left side that were missed by the ER in Bedford, VA. In their defense, I only complained about my collar bone so they didn't x-ray anything else.

Broken ribs explain so much like why negotiating stairs hurt, why sitting on the couch or in a chair makes me moan all the way down; and, why getting up reminds me of giving birth. Like the collar bone, there isn't much doctors can do about rib fractures. Rest, move around as much as one can tolerate movement, and take drugs for pain management.

By Friday--after more than 10 hours of sleep, I felt strong or so loopy, I just didn't give a hoot about my discomfort. I think it's the former, however. In any case, 24 hours has made a huge difference!

Thanks to a friend who is telepathically sending me Reiki energy.