medication

When it comes to meds, you have to remember that one, the same medicine goes by different names in different countries (I see to recall that you're in the UK?). Secondly, things that are available in the US aren't neccessarily available in the UK, and visa versa. And finally, sometimes doctors won't try you on everything there is because they either believe that they have made the best choice for you and the other "options" aren't really options at all, in their opinions (doctors can get prejudiced against some medicines because they hear bad things about them, etc.), or because they think you're a hypochondriac and don't want to put you on something strong. That you can't seem to find a pain pill that eases your pain makes me wonder if they're not giving you something strong because they don't believe you. There's always some form of pain pill that will ease pain (although many will knock you out and not allow you to function normally).

Do they have the equivalent of a pain management doctor in the UK? They have them in the US, and they are very helpful for people who have chronic pain and who have to take a lot of medicines.

I'm glad the filming went well. Sometimes positive things roll and build in our lives and make the daily unpleasant things less annoying.

Have you heard about FlyLady? On her website (flylady.net) there is a lot of information for how to clean house, and through cleaning house, getting organized and taking care of yourself too. You may keep an immaculate house and have no need for instruction on that, but her way of helping you get organized can help take some of the stress out of your life and make it easier to keep up with your big chore: keeping up with medical records, medicines, doctors appointments, etc. I know when I'm feeling bad, everything around me goes to hell-in-a-handbasket and I don't eat very well, and I especially don't pick up after myself, much less actually clean, and I ignore bills and skip appointments, etc. I read a lot of testimonials on her Yahoo Groups page from women who have severe emotional or physical problems and they say that it really helps them cope to have a system to follow. It might make it easier, too, for you to work from home, or work unusual hours, as you feel up to it. And having your to-do list written down and your to-do items all grouped together makes it easy for a friend or relative to come along and pick up where you left off if you're not able to take care of anything yourself. One very sad testimonial was about a woman who had been shot and killed. She and a friend had been doing the journals, so between the information she had left behind, and her friend who had worked with her on it, her husband was able to keep things together for him and his kids after she died. She had everyone's appointments marked on her calendar, had the phone numbers for kids teachers/schools and doctors and family all in one place, had recipes for their regular meals in it, had her daily routine for getting the kids up and ready for school, and getting them home, fed, and put to bed. He was able to keep everything normal for the kids while they were going through such a horrible time, and it helped keep him pulled together too.

I'm sure nothing so horrible would happen to you, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have something similar put together in case, as I said, you have a few really bad days and you have to have someone come over and help you. Of coruse, if you are a bit of a messy housekeeper (like me!), it will help you keep the house cleaned up and that alone can make a big difference in how you feel. Gosh, back when I was in college and first decluttered and cleaned up my apartment, even the middle of a gall bladder attack, when I was pacing around in the living room, I would think, "It sure does look nice in here." Having a tidy place is as uplifting as having flowers, I think. Which you should buy those for yourself, too, on a weekly basis. Anything to make you feel better!

Jen, definitely try FlyLady if you feel like you need to be in control of something (because those bowels just won't be tamed!). The first thing you do--after shining up your sink all pretty--is make... are you ready for it?... a CONTROL journal! This is what helps you keep CONTROL over everything in your life (and not just cleaning)! I just started mine a week ago, so it's still very much a work in progress, but I put things I need to do (like pay this bill or call these people) in the front pocket, and things I want to keep up with--sale ads/coupons--in the back pocket and in between I list the routines I do when I get up in the morning, when I come home from work, and right before bed. Plus I'm adding in my recipes so I can make meal plans and grocery lists at work during my lunch breaks. I'm planning on eventually adding my addresses, since I invariably end up at work needing to call or mail something to someone and don't have their address or phone number with me. And I have some calendar pages in it; I keep a pretty good calendar at work for my vacations, doctor appointments, time to take medicines, etc., but they don't ever make it to a calendar at home, so if I miss work, I might also miss my task for that day too.

I just wish I could convince my husband to use something like it, because he's forever putting stuff off. I put his bills and the like on the inside of the front door with magnets--a habit I picked up in college so I wouldn't misplace them or forget them--and he still forgets or ignores. It's like he doesn't even see this door with paper on it! Now me, I stick the outgoing mail on the door too, and I rarely forget to grab it and take it with me as I go out in the mornings. I think Friday, as I leave for work, I'm going to have to leave him a note on his computer to go to the post office, get his driver's license renewed, go to the bank and pay that labwork bill. Maybe then he'll remember... some of it. Lol.