The ER during COVID

The weekend before my recent injections my pain was skyrocketed. My post Christmas flair is getting worse and worse. Normally when I hit a 7/10 or just probably a 10/10 for ‘normal’ people, I consider going to the ER.

I hit 7 on the Friday but because of COVID, I did not even give the ER a thought. On Saturday, it jumped to an 8.. I was caving.. I went upstairs to ask for a ride.. Before I could say anything, my mom says I’m not looking great and if I had tried the Toradol she had leftover.

Before people freak about me using something I don’t have a prescription for, I actually do I just can’t afford to fill it.

Also, typically when I go to the ER I will get a 30mg shot, possibly 60mg and a stronger muscle relaxer..

So, given that that was the actual standard treatment I would get at the hospital I deferred going to the ER.. so I ended up taking 30 mg followed by another 30 mg a few hours later. I woke up the next morning with my pain level at a five. That’s way better than an eight.

Michael Garrow Hospital, Toronto East Health Network. I believe this used to be East York Gen.

SO,WOULD I go to the ER? Maybe.

In the event that my pain levels were consistently high for several days, like a seven I would start considering it, At an eight if the toradol had not helped I would have gone . It’s been some time since I have been up at that high of a pain level, so my tolerance for it is a little bit lower than I used to be. To me, at that point, it’s absolutely emergent… So.. YES..

However, I was having chest pain the other day I do get bouts of costochondritis, but it could be a heart attack. Pre-COVID, I probably would have gone to the ER.. but now given the extra covid risk, I took some Aspirin and monitored for any other cardiac symptoms. So the aspirin took away the pain in my chest and I had zero other symptoms so I didn’t go cuz it was probably the costochondritis. So.. NO..

Broke a bone? Only if I was in extreme pain in the middle of the night.. I would prefer to go to an urgent care than the ER because in an urgent care I would be considered more emergent than most. So…NO..

Kidney Stones? Absolutely. When those flare up , once they start to block something, it’s excruciating! Easily 8/10. Plus I get an immediate referral back to the appropriate specialist. So.. YES..