<p>Rick,</p>
<p>I have not heard of a county where someone who actually GOES to the ER in an ambulance doesn't get charged. Most counties I've lived in charge a pretty penny for every mile traveled. I mean, that doesn't even cover the ER.</p>
<p>It may be best to wait for morning. At least, it's the most logical course of action in my opinion.</p>
<p>Different places have different costs associated with ambulance & other calls. It's a judgment call if you want to go to the ER or Urgent Care or wait until tomorrow, since it appears you're improving (albiet more slowly than you'd like). </p>
<p>PLEASE tell your folks NOW! If you were my kid, I'd want to know & be the one to make the healthcare decisions. It's much better to tell your folks now than at 4am because docs get grumpier if you reach them at odd hours. If you tell your folks now, they can call physician's exchange & page the doc & talk with him/her about what best to do for now.</p>
<p>I am related to several docs who really hate being called at early hours in the morning when they could have been called at more "civilized hours." I think most folks would prefer to be called when they're wide awake rather than being roused out of a sound sleep. PLEASE talk to your folks now & have them call the doc if appropriate.</p>
<p>HImom,</p>
<p>The OP isn't in college and probably doesn't have his own insurance.</p>
<p>This gets tricky. Best to say "talk to the parents."</p>
<p>Ari, King County has a special tax to pay for the "Medic-One" service. If you call 911 you get a vist from a fire department paramedic unit. If you need transport, Medic-One usually provides the trip to the ER. Every time the tax comes up for renewal, it is overwhelmingly approved. Democracy does have its benefits sometimes...</p>
<p>Just talked with the parents.</p>
<p>Mom said "Wait until morning, I'll take you to the doctor if things don't improve;" Dad said something weird about some Chinese thing involving a jar and a lit match, along with saying that if it was really bad, he'd take me to urgent care right now. I declined Dad's rather eccentric offer, and his urgent care one, but will heed Mom's.</p>
<p>I hate having them worry over me.</p>
<p>Emergency response charges here can run into the thousands, because they're covered by only one company's policies (local, I think).</p>
<p>It's midnight here.</p>
<p>Rick,</p>
<p>Either way, we have no way of knowing whether or not the OP lives in a place that supports that sort of program, his insurance status, etc. </p>
<p>Regardless, it's not really up to us anyway. His parents are paying for it in any case, so the OP now has to make a judgment call...</p>
<p>Glad you spoke with your folks. Please ask your mom to at least call the doc & report the incident, even if things improve. It's important to find out if the doc believes s/he needs to see you for follow up care or a check up or testing.</p>
<p>That happened to me once when I was reading while leaning on my hand. After I stopped reading, I couldn't move my hand at all. It just hung limply. I thought I was having a stroke so I called my doctor's office. They said that it wasn't a stroke symptom because it wouldn't be localized like that. I believe they said it was a compressed nerve. </p>
<p>It gradually got better and about 12 hours later, I had a full range of motion again. That was several years ago: No problems since then. I make a point of NOT leaning on my hand when I'm reading.</p>
<p>My husband had a similar thing happen. One day, he noticed that he couldn't move his hand. Hours later, he couldn't even grasp a pen to write his name. He ended up going to the hospital and having various neurological and other tests. He did regain full function of the use of his hand, but the testing indicated he ruptured disc in his neck: "spinal stenosis." He ended up having surgery to fix it. He hasn't had problems since.</p>
<p>I hope that things are fine with you like they are with me. When in doubt about a medical problem call your doctor's office. Please don't try to self diagnose or rely on advice from well meaning strangers. Even though my problem didn't need medical attention, I'm still glad that I checked with my doctor's office or else I might still be worried that I had some serious medical condition.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Please don't try to self diagnose or rely on advice from well meaning strangers.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Unless the advice is to seek expert medical advice...</p>
<p>How's your arm doing?</p>
<p>I think you just did something funny to it by leaning on it, because my foot couldn't move at the ankle for awhile due to my constant crossing of my legs (bad habit, FUDGE, I'm crossing them now!). I damaged a nerve, and I wasn't able to function properly again with the foot for like 3 weeks. I was literally dragging my foot around and I kept on falling here and there. The foot just wouldn't bend up. But yeah, I think you should go see the doc anyway.</p>
<p>Go to a chiropractor. They're much better at stuff like this than conventional docs (who are better at treating broken bones and gunshot wounds, obviously). And before anyone yells 'quack' may I remind you that chiropractos WON their lawsuit around 15 years ago which proved that they offer more effective treatments than do 'AMA' docs for things like back pain, pinched nerves, etc. That's why many insurance companies now cover chiropractic.</p>
<p>Actually, there are lawsuits won against chiropractors as well. Before heading off to a chiropractor (if the patient chooses to), I think it's important for the patient & check in with her doc & be sure that there isn't something that needs attention & treatment. It is NOT normal for a young person to lose use of an arm for hours at a time & should be explored or at least discussed with the doc.</p>
<p>I agree that the OP should do SOMETHING!!!</p>
<p>Chiropractors are legitimate practitioners. It MAY be something that is easily fixed with a simple mechanical manipulation. If not, a reputable chiropractor will recommend a visit to an MD. </p>
<p>My question is: why is the OP still bothering discussing this on an internet forum? Regardless of what type of practitioner you choose, get thee to one immediately! In older people a 'numb' or painful left arm could be an indication of a blocked artery. Whatever it is, it doesn't sound right and should be checked out.</p>
<p>There is a "condition" that physicians refer to as "honeymoon stroke". This occurs when the sleeping partner sleeps on their partner's arm all night and the nerve compressed is temporarily deadened due to lack of blood supply and pressure. Of course this can happen to you if you are sleeping all by yourself and have your arm in a "trapped" position. It can take up to a day to get all feeling/movement back in the arm.</p>
<p>Not saying this is what you have---just a possibility. Nothing can be diagnosed over the internet.</p>