Another scare!

I feel like we are getting really paranoid. With all that is going on with Thomas, we are so ready to read every ache or pain as "something" wrong.

For the last three weeks or more, Earl has been experiencing "back pain", mostly at night. I have been finding him sitting up on the side of the bed at all hours just about every night. He comments that his back is hurting and he has taken Tylenol. The pain would ease off after a little while and he would go back to sleep.

He has been told that if the pancreatic cancer came back he would likely begin having sharp, shooting pains in his back. What he has been experiencing were not sharp or shooting, but definitely pain. It is located just below the center of his back. Not really in his spine, but "inside" he said. We haven't been able to understand why only at night. When it first started, he thought it might be weak back from sitting so much the last few months. I thought it was too high up on his back and had asked him if it might be a kidney infection.

He had some pain during the day yesterday. Last night was really a bad night. Over about six hours he took just about every pain med he could find and nothing helped. He took five or six different pain pills. He has quite a supply he has accumulated over the past year! He tried them all! He said nothing helped. I'm surprised he didn't OD. I couldn't believe it when he rattled off all he had taken!!

Finally, early this morning he went to the bathroom and said the pain eased off afterward. So, he thinks he may have a kidney stone on the move. No pain during today. I just went in to check on him (2 a.m.) and he is sitting on the side of the bed again. Said the pain is not anywhere near as bad as last night. A Tylenol is helping tonight, so hope he will be able to get some rest tonight. 2:15 a.m. and he has laid down.

Many years ago, he had a kidney stone that started moving the day before Thanksgiving and he finally passed it the day before Christmas. What a month!

I would really hate for Earl to have a kidney stone, but would sure rather it be that than cancer.
Please pray for Earl to get some relief from this pain. I hope he will go back to the doctor and see if they can do x-ray or whatever to look for the cause of this pain. Recent scans did not show anything, but I don't know if they were even looking for something like a kidney stone. They were concerned about the bladder problems then.

My nap earlier tonight is wearing off.... guess I need to get to bed as tomorrow is another work day!