Ok, I hope you will bear with me on my story:
A few months ago, 6 months to be exact, I was punched in the chest by a minister in a church. Yes, long story, and horrible experience, but I chose not to press charges and never notified authorities about the matter. Anyway, when this took place, it left a lump on my chest, right below my collar bone from a pendant I was wearing. For the first few weeks, it was tender to the touch but the soreness and bruising went away, but the lump remained.
In the past few days, It has become inflamed, tender to the touch and I've experienced some muscle soreness around the area as well. I thought maybe it was a bit of muscle trauma from the pendant, as the lump is the exact size of the gem, but now I am a little concerned. I don't rush off to the doctor easily. I thought it was due to the fact that I had a cold...my glands in my throat have been swollen also due to a sore throat. Can this be a related problem? I just needed some sound advice from some ladies who wouldn't focus so much on the problem that this manifested from, but rather as to the problem/symptoms I am feeling now.
As a side note, I cannot and will not press charges. Too much time has transpired and it would essentially develop into a he said/she said situation. I no longer attend this church (go figure) and most of those present during this event are family to him, so it wouldn't develop into anything...so...can I have your advice ladies?
Thank you to everyone who responded. Some of you I responded to personally, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew "what happened".
The pendant never did pierce the skin, it was a jade stone so it just left a deep imprint. The size of the lump is the exact size of the stone I was wearing.
Though not a body builder or personal trainer, I work in a factory where heavy lifting, squatting, pulling, etc. is common on a day to day basis. At work yesterday, I noticed that when I got into a certain position that I felt a bit of aggravation around that area so I think I have unknowingly been aggravating it. However, I am seeking medical advice for this problem...now.
As for the minister: No I didn't aggravate him, he was going after my husband, who is also a minister and I foolishly got between them hoping that I could talk him down. When he decided he'd had enough of my interference he punched me in the chest and threw me into a pew. It was by the grace of God that I landed on my feet instead of hitting face first into the wooden pew. It was mentioned that I needed to mention all of this for working it out's sake, and you're right. I thought I had forgiven him, but when I started having trouble with it again, the hurt and anger came back all over again. It was very therapeutic to share with ladies who were so kind in their responses and I feel I can forgive yet again now. After prayer and consideration, I have chosen not to file charges and this is why:
1. He has already lost his license and his wife over the matter.
2. He already had a reputation for abuse and has lost his position and his respect in the church and community.
Anything more I could do at this point, when he is at nearly the lowest it can get, would be to push it too far. I don't want to go there and push him to the point of anything worse.
Thank you so much ladies for ALL your help and kind words!
Hello C., If the blow broke capalaries or disrupted cels you could have an infection that the body has encapsualted (and become an abcess). Sometimes it takes a while for this to show because the body tries to take care of it. Please go to a doctor. If is infected he/shw will give you antibiotics and advise you to put warm soaks on it.
I hope you feel better soon, Nana
I recently had a cyst that became infected and felt much like what you describe. The doctor treated me for a staph
infection and put me on a sulfa antibiotic to take for 2 weeks. Good luck!
You need to rush of to te doctor on this one. Anytime a bump the you think is a cyst that is red and swollen and tender to touch and gets bigger or more irritated needs to be looked for an infection.
I am sorry about what happened to you. It is time to have the problem checked by a doctor.
As far as the incedent with the minister goes, if you didn't want us to comment on it you shouldn't have told us. Don't let him get away with that! If you don't press charges he will go on to harm others, and keep hurting others until he is finally caught. I can personally attest to that.
C., After reading your posting I did a little googling and found that trauma to the chest, such as someone punching you, can injure your ribs, muscles, cartilage and/or ligaments. Given the fact that it's been 6 months, I agree that you need to see a doctor soon. I'm sorry you had to deal with being assaulted by a "minister" that you would obviously trust. I pray that you see a doctor and everything comes out alright. Take care! God bless! S.
My beloved OB/GYN has reassured me in the past by saying, "If it's nothing, it will go away. If it won't go away, it's not nothing." What he was telling me to do was give things time, just to see if they would clear up on their own. Doing so has saved me from "rushing off" a few times. But whatever you're experiencing isn't going away, so it may be something that needs to be looked at. You have 3 kids ... you owe it to them to take care of yourself. :)
As for the preacher situation, let me just say this. I was a victim once and I didn't tell. The perpetrator then went on to do much worse to someone else. I live with wondering if I could have prevented that by speaking up in the first place. But your situation is a little different ... I just urge you to make the decision that gives YOU peace. Everyone else should respect the fact that it's your decision.
I'm so sorry about what you've experienced! Given that you have mentioned that it's been 6 months and you're not only continuing to have issues, but that they actually seem to be getting worse, I would recommend your going to the doctor. Believe me, I have a hard time making myself go to the doctor too. I hope everything works out for you and that you can get better!
Go and have that checked, it might be a cyst, I pray that it is not a cyst, but if it is have it taken care of before it turn into something else. May God bless you.
S. K. Whitehead
Hi C.,
You didn't say whether or not the pendant broke the skin. A subcutaneous hematoma should have disolved by now. You really should get this checked out for your peace of mind.
I believe you mentioned the circumstances for a reason, so I'm going to comment on them. Ministers are not perfect and unfortunately this one was obviously acting in a very "un-Christ-like" manner. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive him and not harbor any feelings of hurt and bitterness towards him. The normal attitude to have would be angry and bitter. Rise above "normal" & walk in forgiveness, if you aren't already! I am believing God's BEST for you! D.
What you do or don't do about how this came about is not the issue. Taking care of yourself is! You need to go to the doctor. Whenever something continues to get worse rather than better, especially after all this time, there is something going on.
In 6 months' time, I think that you should get it checked out by a doctor. This is existing too long and the body naturally works to take care of incidents like yours. However, that area is not one of constant use of muscles unless you're a body builder or personal trainer. Is there any other inflammation in/around the area? Have you tried any OTC anti-inflammatory meds such as Alleve? I strongly recommend the doctor before it could get any worse and further diminish your quality of life.
C.,
I would go have it checked by a doctor. I am not in the medical field, but it sounds like it is a subcutaneous hematoma. It shouldn't still be sore after several months. I also don't think there is a link between your cold and the soreness. Good luck.
J.
A cyst would not be inflamed and tender to the touch. That is either a bruise or an infection. Since the bruise had healed, I'm guessing that the same bacteria causing your sore throat may have taken up residence in the tissue trauma caused by the stone.
Go to the doctor.
You can't afford the risk of not fixing the problem.
I just wanted to say I am so sorry this happened to you. Sadly there are many in the ministry that do not belong there as I can personally attest to. Get to a doctor and get the care you need.
Definitely go to the Dr. Until then I read you should use a cold compress and protect the area from further injury. There could be damaged tissue and even a broken bone. Please go into see a Dr.
I'm very sorry to hear this happened to you. If I was you, I would be getting it checked out with my Dr. Even if it's just "trauma" it's better to be safe than sorry...also, due to the length of time, it should of be healed or well on it's way, not getting worse. I used to be a practicing nurse and I would be getting it looked at, if at least, they could give you piece of mind.
Good Luck
I think you should go see your doctor. It could just be from the trauma, but I would think is would have healed after so much time. There may have been an underlying tear of some kind. I would definitely get it checked out.
I think you won't know for sure until you go to the doctor. If it has been 6 months and it is still a problem, I think it is time to make an appointment. Better safe than sorry!
Good luck and I hope you find a new church home. If you are in the N. Dallas area Fellowship Bible Church rocks! :)
Go to a doctor and have it checked out.
C.,
Sounds like you had a horrible ordeal, I am sorry to hear that. In regards to your cyst/lump I do know that trauma can cause a cyst.
I would at least file a police report and if you don't want to file charges at least they have a record of the incident. If this "minister" wants to lie about it, he's lying to God also and has no business being a minister unless he doesn't worship the real God. I would definitely go see a doctor about it and make sure there is no permanent or continuing deep tissue damage that could evolve into something more. You have a 3 year statute of limitations (as far as I know) to press charges and I'd certainly think about it. If you don't do it, he'll just hurt someone else and his church will be misled. If you don't want to do anything, I'd at least have a doctor check it out and tell him exactly how it happened and who did it to you so he knows what to look for and how to treat. I really don't think it would have anything to do with a sore throat and swollen glands. Please get it checked out.
I hate to be a fearmonger, but I had a similar experience -- my then two-year-old son stepped on my chest and the resulting lump turned out to be a worst case scenario. Please get it checked out, by a doctor, as soon as possible.
I agree with the others. Make an appointment with your doctor to see what they can do for you and make you feel better. It should have not lasted this long if it was just a bruise. I also don't think it has to do with your sore throat.
Good Luck and Feel Better!
My advice C. is to go the doctor though if you didn't want us to comment on your story you could have left that part out. You could have said you were hit in the chest and had a pendent on. My observation of this email is you are traumatized by the experience and a little counseling wouldn't hurt either. It infuriates me to hear of anyone hitting another person unless they were defending themselves physically to keep from being further hurt. I would still press charges.
I am sorry that you had to experience this trauma. I hope that it has not affected your walk with God. Anyway, I would most definately have it checked out especially since it has been so long since the original injury and it is now worsening again. Good luck. A.
i hope you will see a doctor soon to make sure that it's nothing serious! do you havea doctor that you are comfortable with? if you don't, i can recommend a few, man or woman, either way..... also, i'm curious, you said you work full time and home school, i would love to hear more about how you can do this, it's something that i would very much like to do, but how do you do both? thanks! and good luck at the doctor too! i'm sorry to hear that it's a bad story that gave you the injury in the first place!
Yup - you need to see your doctor. On another note, I am curious how you can work full time and home school your kids.....how does that work?
They only option here is to see the doctor as soon as possible.
oh and P.S....
Punching you in the chest could have easily killed you!
You chose to tell the world how you got this cyst and you didn't have to. I think you need encouragement to file charges on him, unless you assaulted him as well. If your injury ends of costing you thousands of dollars, (and in this day and age, it could) your insurance, if you have any, will want to know how you were injured. If you don't have insurance and you don't file charges on him, you will be left "holding the bag" for your medical expenses so to speak. This man physically assaulted you and injured you. At the very least you should file a complaint with the board who granted him his license to minister. Good luck to you.
I wouldn't consider a doctor's visit for this as "rushing off." There is something happening there that needs to be looked at, and I wouldn't wait to do it. Whatever is there has been there for 6 months, it is quite possible that a tiny piece of the pendant was imbedded into your skin, or maybe a small piece of bone was chipped from the blunt force, and that can now be infected. But, of course, I can't see it and I'm DEFINITELY no doctor. Personally, I'd go get it checked out, and the sooner the better. It may be nothing, but then again, you just don't know. Don't take the chance of it becoming something serious. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
W.
