Inflammation and Pain

I've really been neglecting this blog in recent months.  Between lousy health for the past year and us staying inside our home every day for the past year, there really hasn't been much to write about during this period.  

I last wrote about inflammation of my spine due to having to stop my anti-inflammatory medication.  (I was having some internal bleeding.)  The resulting inflammation in my spine and joints is now about as bad as it can get.  It is interrupting my sleep and making it difficult to just get around the house.  

The other night, I sort of turned my left ankle.  I say 'sort of' because, as I was sitting at my desk, I was resting my right foot on top of my left foot while the top of my left foot was positioned so it can rest on the floor under the weight of my right foot.  About an hour into sitting this way, I realized that my left ankle would probably get inflamed so I stopped sitting that way.  In case you were wondering why someone would sit this way at a desk, my feet were cold and putting one foot on top of the other helped warm them up.  Anyway, sitting this way causes inflammation in my ankle like I had turned my ankle playing basketball.  I assume I probably strained some ligaments.  

The pain was so bad through the night last night that I could not sleep.  I got up early this morning, grabbed my cane, and hobbled to the bathroom on the other end of the house (we're still not in our master bedroom suite...  we're waiting on some decent health for me to attack that project...  of course, getting out to Lowes probably won't happen until the pandemic is behind us.  I definitely do not want this virus again.  I can't put any amount of weight on my foot without excruciating pain.  At rest, the pain is in the 6 to 7 range...  when I try to put any amount of weight on my foot, the pain shoots up to a 10.  

I'm using ice packs this morning as well as Aspercreme.  It has dulled the pain a hair making it 'tolerable' while at rest as long as I keep my foot in a neutral position.  Letting the foot dangle off a foot rest is extremely painful so I need to twist my left leg and lay my foot on its side.  Needless to say, this isn't helping my spinal injuries at all.  My spinal inflammation is increasing too.  Walking with my cane is a one half step at a time, pain, cringe, grunt, then move to the next half step.  Crutches would be more appropriate so I can get around without putting any weight on my foot but we don't have crutches.  

This is why I haven't written much lately...  we're doing absolutely nothing but watching movies, Dayton basketball games and Florida basketball games.  Oh...  and I'm alternating between icing my spine and now icing my ankle.  I've been residing on the couch, an armchair or our bed.  

PS...  the internal bleeding that started about a month ago apparently has stopped so that is good.  I have a few medical tests coming up but, for now, until I can get around more easily, I have put these on hold.