NeuroTalk Support Groups - View Single Post - This road is too long and bumpy-alternate route?

Always_Believe · 03-23-2015, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIT LOVE

Addiction to pain meds is a bad thing because your quality of life will always be reduced. Dependence on pain meds can be acceptable, if quality of life is improved with them.

You need to concentrate on your own acceptance that RSD/CRPS can be a long term, life altering, medical condition. Your family and friends opinion of your health is their issue, not yours, and you need to stop focusing on it. If they stick around, they'll figure it out, and if they become less involved with your daily life, than you'll need to adjust.

Even those that have supportive family members in the early stages, often find that they are lucky if they have even one or two people they can count on long term, in any type of meaningful way. You can help: by actively learning to adapt, seeking out a therapist to learn how to adjust, and not having any unrealistic expectations of others.

From your postings of how you're struggling physically, it seems unrealistic that you can get through your RN testing. And if by some miracle, you do manage to get through it, the result might very well be that it undermines your SSDI claim. This is an example that would very likely confuse your family and friends, as well. If you can't accept the new limitations your facing, how can you expect them to?

What happens with RN candidates that are wheelchair bound, btw? Are special accommodations made for them? If you were in a wheelchair, could you manage the testing more easily?

LL~
I definitely recognize the difference in addiction and dependence. I suffer from neither. Never have-even in the height of when I was on some serious meds. At this time, I don't have that option. Coming from the 'provider' side of things, I hear it discussed all too often and I don't want to be one they are talking about. Hence, the reason I am not asking for anything...and I suppose, ergo the reason my rehab most likely won't progress.

See my last reply regarding acceptance and acknowledgement. Although I am not certain that I cannot come to a place where both fit into this little struggle of mine. I'm also not certain I can, so I will stick with acknowledgement for now. I have only recently begun the whole responsibility for someone else's emotion is theirs not mine, so I needed that reminder.

My expectations have remained the same - help move boxes/furniture so I can maneuver/go through them and help get some (a lot) of items ready to sell. The conundrum of "independence" and "consideration" have been a subject of conversation, in that I have attempted to squash the notion that notifying me that you will be out for several hours isn't 'answering to me', it's allowing me to adjust my location to enable me to reduce my walking if something comes up (dogs need to go out, someone at the door, a meal, etc.). Would it be nice to be offered food when my pain level is such that I only venture to the bathroom twice in 15 hours? Yes. But I have learned to address that better and not place that onto someone else as much as myself for not mentioning it in the first place.

Ahhh...the dreaded RN exam. The program I am in requires a 3 day final exam. It consists of writing the care plan and performing the care for 5 patients, as well as demonstration of skills in a lab. The requirements to take the final exam are completion of necessary/required coursework, the ability to provide patient care, including positioning, transferring and mobility. That's where I don't meet the ability. Accommodations are made for the mobility challenged by: reducing the number of patients to 3; ensuring patients are located close together; allowing extra time and extra rest periods. While the accommodations would suffice - I cannot meet the provisions to providing patient care. Neither could someone in a wheelchair. Perhaps extra accommodations would be allowed after speaking with administration, but I seriously doubt it and either way, my PCP won't complete the paperwork until/unless I can meet the primary requirement.

I see the difficulty with SSDI and obtaining my RN, and I would much rather have my RN and drop my SSDI claim. The difficulty comes in when I am unable to attain either. At this point, PT thinks there may also be an issue with my hip and is insisting I use a walker at all times. That effectively removes me from the ability to take my final exam, leaving me to focus on my rehab and let my lawyer work on my SSDI claim.