|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: IL
Posts: 279
|
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: IL
Posts: 279
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Littlepaw
Remember Hadrian - Brick by brick good citizens of Rome...
It is easy to get run down by the tenacity of this damn disease. I think it is especially hard when the logical, goal oriented part of our minds tries to comprehend why we aren't getting anywhere fast. The things you are dealing with, pending exam, SSDI, licensure; all those would be stressor annoyances to anyone who was not in pain. Pain makes you tired, wears you out emotionally and physically, steals your resistance. Some days just doing your ADLs takes fortitude. To work around this you must approach the large goals in smaller components that are achievable and give yourself praise for meeting the smaller goals. This is the new normal, you still deserve praise for doing less than you used to!
The smoking cessation date will arrive. Getting the form from the employer sounds doable. Every smaller goal you meet will make you feel stronger and more accomplished. The large goals will diminish in chunks, not all at once. Do as much as you can and forgive yourself for the rest.
Are you able to get to a pool? I don't remember... I can't say enough about Aqua therapy when everything else is causing pain. Can you tolerate any sort of compression or ACE wrap? Have you tried kiniseotape? I find it helps with swelling and microcirculation (my skin looks normal color underneath as I take it off then goes mottled). I wear it for a few days then stay off a few. I am sorry for the bumps in the road. They are tiring and frustrating, I am sick of them myself but don't see any other option other than to get as much life back as I can and try not to be devastated by what is missing. For another inspirational quote I'll go with Churchhill "If you're going through Hell, keep going!" Hang in there sister, cuz you can't give up till I do and vice-versa. And Skype with the grandbaby when you can if you aren't already, not as good as smelling their little heads but at least you get a visual.
Sending extra Healing Love,
Littlepaw  |
LP
No access to a pool. I have a (smaller) whirlpool tub in my bathroom, but it's incredibly difficult to get in & out of and I can't get the jets to the right places/right intensity (even if that means "off").
Most days I can make it to the commode, I put the same clothes on that I dropped on the floor in the potty palace the night before while sitting on the commode. I can make it to the sink to wash my hands/brush my teeth and back to my bed to take my meds...and/or walk downstairs to let the dogs out and back upstairs to complete the above tasks. At that point, I'm spent for a while. Sometimes it's only an hour, sometimes it's several hours, sometimes it's the rest of the day.
I can stand. For about 10-15 minutes before the intense tingling/stabbing in my foot starts. I can walk without the tingling/stabbing for about 50-75 feet before the shooting pain in my knee starts. I feel like if I could rehab my knee more, I could rehab the peroneal palsy a bit. But that (knee pain) is not really being addressed. The PT that did my eval suggested (several times) that I contact my ortho about pain management. That is incredibly difficult for me. I tolerate pain pretty well and can be laughing with a pain level 6-7, but it gets to an 8-10, I'm quiet or crying. My experience with my endo pain years ago (before the major "drug-seeker" movement) was a rough one. Probably what makes me not want to ask for pain meds. I don't want that label. Funny that I didn't become addicted when I was on 20mg oxycontin twice/daily with 10mg oxycodone for breakthrough every 4 hours for 8 months.
I think I'm just tired of the tendency of those around me to disregard my pain as though I'm not really in pain at all. That perception contributes to me not discussing pain management with my ortho. Please tell me I'm not alone thinking/feeling this. When in the process did you think/feel this way? How did you deal with it? How did you begin your conversations with your MD to address your pain? What about family/friends?
__________________
Believe in the Strength of Faith and Hope, within there is Peace and Love...Always ~pe
|