Hello,
I haven't posted in quite awhile. The reason is because I feel like my adventures in this realm are drawing to a close. No, sadly I'm not cured. But, the reason that I created this blog was to be able to keep my family and friends updated about where I was in this battle against pain. The blog served its purpose well and even exceeded my expectations. Acquaintances turned into friends because we were fighting similar battles. Friends and family went out of their way to send me advice, encouragement, inspiration, information and love. I can't even express how grateful I am for everything. I'm beyond honored to know that I've even been able to help a couple of people who felt trapped, lost and angry within their own struggles. It is on this note that I am going to close this blog and move into the next chapter of my life...Because you see, I've reached the point where I can put my health problems in the background and live life again with minor interruptions versus everything you may have read about over the last couple of years. Therefore, if you would like an update from me, please contact me directly and we'll have a nice, leisurely chat.
Love to all of you,
-S
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I'm here...
Hi,
I'm here and I have a lot of updates to give from the last month, but now isn't a good time for me to provide a huge update. So for now...I'm ok, but it's been a tough month since my meds were switched around. In the long run, I think it's going to be a good thing, but my energy has been zapped by nortriptyline for Fibro and Tramadol for my other chronic pain. Scar tissue and adhesions from endometriosis have been causing me more pain than usual. Through physical therapy myofacial work, we can tell that I have adhesions on my intestines as well as my lower left abdominal cavity. And then, just to top it off, my Physical Therapist is pretty sure that I'm having ghost pain as a result of having my ovary removed in 2007. How dumb is that? Sadly, there aren't any specific treatments to fix any of this. I just have to keep up with PT, take my daily meds, keep exercising, .and know when to take it easy. Oh yes, and there's still the Interstitial Cystitis.
I had a really rough weekend that involved a lot of couch time. Thank goodness my hubby is so good about picking up the slack...of which I leave a lot!
-S
I'm here and I have a lot of updates to give from the last month, but now isn't a good time for me to provide a huge update. So for now...I'm ok, but it's been a tough month since my meds were switched around. In the long run, I think it's going to be a good thing, but my energy has been zapped by nortriptyline for Fibro and Tramadol for my other chronic pain. Scar tissue and adhesions from endometriosis have been causing me more pain than usual. Through physical therapy myofacial work, we can tell that I have adhesions on my intestines as well as my lower left abdominal cavity. And then, just to top it off, my Physical Therapist is pretty sure that I'm having ghost pain as a result of having my ovary removed in 2007. How dumb is that? Sadly, there aren't any specific treatments to fix any of this. I just have to keep up with PT, take my daily meds, keep exercising, .and know when to take it easy. Oh yes, and there's still the Interstitial Cystitis.
I had a really rough weekend that involved a lot of couch time. Thank goodness my hubby is so good about picking up the slack...of which I leave a lot!
-S
Thursday, October 20, 2011
So much to share...
So much to share, but I'm too tired to share it all at the moment. I have a new medication that is helping a lot, but it's making me sleepy. Plus, I'm still fighting off the tail end of this cold, so I have to come back to all of you another day to get all of the updates together.
For now, I guess I can sum it up as this: I'm to a point where it is finally easy to exist again, but living is really, really hard. Much better than the days where I was fighting just to make it to the next minute without going crazy from chronic pain.
Over and out.
-S
For now, I guess I can sum it up as this: I'm to a point where it is finally easy to exist again, but living is really, really hard. Much better than the days where I was fighting just to make it to the next minute without going crazy from chronic pain.
Over and out.
-S
Friday, October 14, 2011
Happy Anniversary to me!
Hello,
I've just returned this afternoon from my 9th Wedding Anniversary mini vacay with my hubby. Despite the fact that we both have colds...his turned into an infection requiring anti-b's...and my pain is still flaring, we had an amazing, relaxing time in a cabin at a bed and breakfast. Since we didn't feel well, we didn't do the normal activities like shop in the tourist town, go to a bar, or take a boat ride, but we did manage to make it to dinner one night. We also took a 50 mile drive through farmland to take in the fall colors and I saw the first Bald Eagle that I've ever seen in the wild.
What really got me during the trip was that even though I was sick and in pain, I felt so much better than I did two years ago when we stayed in the same place for our Anniversary. It was during the time I was on a 2 month medical leave, about a week after I had a laparoscopy for my endometriosis (which didn't help) and at a time where I was taking 10-12 percoset each DAY. I barely got out of the bed during the 20 hours that we were there and not surprisingly, I don't remember much of the trip at all. I say this all the time, especially here--but I always think that I haven't made the progress that I should have, until something makes me think back. Then I realize how much hope I've been given since those hopeless months.
As for the next week, I begin Monday with my cholesterol test, followed by an appointment with my primary care physician to figure out what do to with my Fibro this winter, my pain medications for the pelvic/IC pain, and the GI stuff that's still causing me problems. I'm trying to centralize my treatment into as few doctors as possible, so I hope that goes well. On the downside, I heard a rumor that my awesome new primary care doc is leaving the practice, so that is going to put a gigantic wrench in my healthcare. Also, I have PT on Wednesday and a bladder instillation on Thursday, which is really going to hurt since I haven't had one in two months. I'm sure I'll have more updates on that this week.
For now, I sleep.
-S
Friday, October 7, 2011
A Friday 2fer
Me again,
Something I forgot to share that I remembered as I was hooking up my INF (similar to a Tens) unit. I'm becoming immune to it. Didn't know that was possible. After PT, I generally stay to be hooked up to the clinic unit before I leave. Normally, I hang out on the unit at the level of 10 to start, and about 18 when I leave. That's higher than most with my issues, meaning a stronger pulse. This time, my PT was turning up the level and I couldn't even feel it around 7. She was afraid of hurting me, so I took over the knob and turned it past 20. By the time I was done, I was in the 30s. My home unit is now doing very little for me since the top charge doesn't do what it used to. The good news about this is that it confirms my pain is real...not that I need confirmation myself, but I've learned it helps to have such notes in a medical file. The also sort-of good news is that it means that I'm acclimated to the pain. Meaning: I may not really be having less pain, but I'm getting used to what I have. Either way, I'm ok with it because overall, I feel better. The question is still...what next, which is where this ties into my previous post.
Not sure how well I've just explained all of that, but that's what it is.
-S
Something I forgot to share that I remembered as I was hooking up my INF (similar to a Tens) unit. I'm becoming immune to it. Didn't know that was possible. After PT, I generally stay to be hooked up to the clinic unit before I leave. Normally, I hang out on the unit at the level of 10 to start, and about 18 when I leave. That's higher than most with my issues, meaning a stronger pulse. This time, my PT was turning up the level and I couldn't even feel it around 7. She was afraid of hurting me, so I took over the knob and turned it past 20. By the time I was done, I was in the 30s. My home unit is now doing very little for me since the top charge doesn't do what it used to. The good news about this is that it confirms my pain is real...not that I need confirmation myself, but I've learned it helps to have such notes in a medical file. The also sort-of good news is that it means that I'm acclimated to the pain. Meaning: I may not really be having less pain, but I'm getting used to what I have. Either way, I'm ok with it because overall, I feel better. The question is still...what next, which is where this ties into my previous post.
Not sure how well I've just explained all of that, but that's what it is.
-S
Still not feeling great
Happy Friday,
I'm really kinda falling apart this week. No matter what I eat or don't eat, I can't get my digestive system on track, so I feel like I'm walking around with the flu. Sleep continues to elude me and my pelvic pain (which is actually more abdominal pain) at the moment is still flaring. My PT was able to confirm that the source of the pain is flared scar tissue/endometriosis adhesions. And being autumn in Wisconsin, my Fibro is flaring. My new symptom is random numbness in my arms. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick fix for any of this...but I guess if there was, I wouldn't be here blogging, huh?
So, the solution: I have an appointment with my primary care doctor on the 17th, along with a fasting cholesterol test and then we'll figure out how to attack all of this stuff. Not so coincidentally, I also have my bladder instillation at the hospital up the road later that day. It's nice to get things done all at once. Overall, I'm pretty down about it all this week. Such a mess. On the bright side, I was able to get four yoga workouts in in the last few days. I skipped a full workout today because we're heading back to Miller Park today and I know that I need to bank my energy for such events.
And a publicly shared note-to-self here...I have a few things that I've been meaning to talk about lately that I haven't gotten to. Here's a list for the hopefully near future:
-S
I'm really kinda falling apart this week. No matter what I eat or don't eat, I can't get my digestive system on track, so I feel like I'm walking around with the flu. Sleep continues to elude me and my pelvic pain (which is actually more abdominal pain) at the moment is still flaring. My PT was able to confirm that the source of the pain is flared scar tissue/endometriosis adhesions. And being autumn in Wisconsin, my Fibro is flaring. My new symptom is random numbness in my arms. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick fix for any of this...but I guess if there was, I wouldn't be here blogging, huh?
So, the solution: I have an appointment with my primary care doctor on the 17th, along with a fasting cholesterol test and then we'll figure out how to attack all of this stuff. Not so coincidentally, I also have my bladder instillation at the hospital up the road later that day. It's nice to get things done all at once. Overall, I'm pretty down about it all this week. Such a mess. On the bright side, I was able to get four yoga workouts in in the last few days. I skipped a full workout today because we're heading back to Miller Park today and I know that I need to bank my energy for such events.
And a publicly shared note-to-self here...I have a few things that I've been meaning to talk about lately that I haven't gotten to. Here's a list for the hopefully near future:
- Weight
- The funny side of pain
- Forums
I'm already forgetting at least one thing that I know has been on my mind so I hope it surfaces.
-S
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Still recovering
Hi,
Not much to say today. My stomach is still a mess, but at least my pelvic pain seems to be more manageable. yoga might be in my future for today. I haven't made an appointment with the GI doc yet, but I will today, I swear! The next plan is to go back to my primary care doc to review all of my meds and figure out the best way to treat my Fibromyalgia now that I've known about it for about a year.
Short and sweet.
-S
Not much to say today. My stomach is still a mess, but at least my pelvic pain seems to be more manageable. yoga might be in my future for today. I haven't made an appointment with the GI doc yet, but I will today, I swear! The next plan is to go back to my primary care doc to review all of my meds and figure out the best way to treat my Fibromyalgia now that I've known about it for about a year.
Short and sweet.
-S
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)