Monday Check-In

Hi Tina...I hope that your are doing ok and getting even a bit of relief with the Botox...

I have my appt. this Wednesday at the free clinic now that I applied and got my card to be able to see Drs. on an appt. basis and get some much needed "female" tests and some regular ones like bloodwork. So I am happy about this...

I am also VERY happy in the Patriots win last night!!! Sorry to any Texan fans ;) It was an exciting game and we have some work to do this week to pull out another win to get the Super Bowl!

I am making checkered flags for the speedway That is my week and short periods of puppy training.

I am happy that the patriots won .

My back hurts along with the left leg. Time to take OTC meds. See if I get any relief.

I took a shower this morning. Exhausting!
Betsey

Nver....do they do the ultrasound massage treatments? That was one of my favorite things:) The hydro pool sounds good too!

Hey Everyone:

I am checking in! I am not sure what I am going to be doing this week. I am still recovering from surgery, and am not currently working.

Hope everyone is doing ok

~BlueDolphin~

Made the big final move back to grad school today (for those of you who don't know, I'm returning to school after a year long medical leave). Of course I waited until 3 pm yesterday to start packing, so I got off to a bit of a late start this morning. Last week was not great for me in terms of pain, stress, and sleep. So I couldn't handle the added stress of packing, etc until yesterday. Fortunately, I had already moved most of my stuff to the apartment last month, including all the furniture, etc. I basically only had to pack clothes, books, meds, some food, and a few other little knick-naks here and there. Even so, it turned out being more stuff than I anticipated.

It is a 5 hr drive. I couldn't have asked for better traffic or road conditions, but it was still quite rough on my eyes. But the dogs and I made it here in one piece. I don't officially start classes until next week, but I do have to go to a lab on Wednesday, and might go sit in on a couple speakers on Thursday. Also am supposed to meet with a couple of psychologists later in the week, as I am trying to find a local therapist vs just speaking with mine on the phone like I did last year. Other than that, it is just going to be a week of unpacking, settling in, and last minute studying. It will undoubtably take a few days to a few weeks for the dogs and I to get used to this place.

Skeye

RetiredMom - Oh you made me laugh! When my 17 y/o daughter was 14 I got into a "verbal altercation" with a 20 y/o that was trying to get her phone number and persisted AFTER she told him her age! I went off and he had nerve to talk back...his friend came over and agreed with me that his friend was a perve and made him apologize...but man alive dealing with that stuff is not fun! Give my daughter zits or something lol!

Anyways, my weekend was ok, got grocery shopping done with my 2 girls, had to turn down 2 invites for mani/pedis with friends because I knew I wouldnt be able to make it sitting in those chairs...and I feel both thought I was just making excuses...they don't deal with this pain and I wouldn't wish it on them. ;o) I had to take my youngest (10) who has grown 3 inches in 2 months clothes shopping, so that was fun even though I just took her school shopping in september and she now doesnt fit hardly any of it! I also went and visited a friend who just had surgery for an injury she had in a car accident in June, so we were laying around chatting and medicated together - very relaxing.

Now my youngest has the flu, she has had the flu shot as she has asthma and she seems to be having a milder case, my oldest also has a mild case of it - I am waiting to come down with it but so far hanging in there.

I have an appointment with my pm on Thursday and will be asking for more details on the cervical esi he wants to do under general as well as the sacriatic joint to my lower back one...and also changing my meds around because my insurance changed and I can't afford the skelaxin any longer. Does anyone have experience with diazepam? According to my insurance this is a much cheaper alternative with the same effect so I was going to ask about that.

I am making it through work, trying to get my desk adjusted so I can stand and hoping that will make things more tolerable for me...but only 5 1/2 months until I can really look at getting my fam back home. I plan on starting a job hunt in April/May. Then it will be another cross country move but well worth it to get back home...Just have to try and get this pain under control!

I hope everyone has a good week!

Good morning everyone

Nothing new here on the pain front except that the pain levels have been 8-9, my usual being a 7. the pain is 24/7, no breaks for me. Still waiting word on my ONS surgery. Praying that this will happen soon and that it is successful.

Appointments: had my mammogram done yesterday, today in home massage which i SO need, tomorrow chiro, Thurs. scrapbooking with some friends. Otherwise I am laying low at home because of the pain levels and keeping my head frozen.

Hope you all have a low pain week. Take Care

Suzane

Hey all, I've just been having a rough time the last couple of weeks. My back pain seems to be a little more consistent, not quite so many pain flairs, but the feet and ankles are at an all time high; they are most definately getting worse; last week, my son was trying to climb on my lap, and he stepped on my left foot, it hurt so bad, I thought maybe he had crushed the bones in there. It was as bad, if not worse, than the pain, the day I woke up after my back surgery, definately a 10 of 10! Trying to put socks and shoes on is almost as painful. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've taken to wearing my slippers to the bank and the grocery store the last two times that I had to go.

Not much planned for the week, I have obligations at the lodge that I have to fulfill, I was elected to be Junior Warden this year, and I wont back down from that no matter how bad I hurt, I feel like I may not be able to do this agian, it's a 3 year commitment to go through the officer's line, and I don't know if I'll have the ability to go through this again, especially if things are going to get worse medically.

Still in limbo with work comp; spending alot of my free time looking at schools. I don't know if it's going to be in the cards for me to go back to work or not, but I want to give it my best shot. If I end up not going back to work, it never hurts to be more educated lol, and maybe I could get a teaching job at the college as a welding instructor if I get my BS degree lol; that's a pretty kick back job; I did that as part of my work experience credits for my AS degree.

Well, I'm looking at houses out of town right now with my older brother. He just got a new job down the hill back in October, and him and his wife are considering moving closer to his job, and have offered to let me and my son stay with them, they're in a 2 bedroom appartment right now, but want to find a 3-4 bedroom house; they can afford it now, and he's done with his 90 day job probation. And it would be a lot closer to my doctor's office, schools, and a few other things too. If we move, it will be at the end of February when their lease is up on their appartment.

Well, hope everyone has a good week. Take care all, hope your all having lower pain weeks. God bless.

PS the weather here is HORRIBLE lol. This is Southern California, and it hasn't gotten over 35 degrees F in the last week, been down in the teens at night. What gives?

Hey everyone,

Good to hear everyone's updates :)

Things here are pretty much the same..... nothing really new to report. Have another recheck w/ my PM on Thursday.... other than that - just trying to survive each day.

Thinking of you all --Tina