Hello everyone,

I thought I should pass along the latest. The last couple infusions went well. I now have zero pain during them. Before there was still a bit of breakthrough.

The stinging and biting ants are 90% gone, even in my ankle. It may be a ketamine, scar injection and cool weather combo so we'll see how I do when Texas heats up again. But so far things are holding better than I expected now that the scar injections have likely worn off. I gave up nortriptyline 10 days ago and we're seeing if I can stay steady without it. I have noticed a bit of kickback discomfort which my Doc says should pass in 12-14 days. If it doesn't settle I'll go back on it.

I am tapering infusions to every 6-8 weeks for three more then to every 10-12 weeks.

My follow up appointment went really well. It was so nice to have a positive doctor's visit. I asked him about my prognosis and here's what he said. I so hope he's right!

My doc said that what he's seen in his patients is that when they get where I am (pain down to 3 at worst, often less) they tend to stay there or get a bit better! He's says they typically don't go back to where they were. He says I have many years ahead of me with this and that inevitably I will roll an ankle or something and the pain could come back, in which case he says we'll deal with it. He says if I have surgery anywhere on my body it could come back. So no lipo for me.

Apparently the color change and circulation stuff may be here to stay, though Doc says since I am 18 months out from trauma I could still have a little improvement. He believes the sympathetic damage is done and the ketamine just detaches the pain from it.

I am to take a prescription for tramadol and a Medrol dosepak on vacation with me this coming Spring and Summer, just in case. He wants to avert a pain crisis if I have one while traveling. We are also scheduling my infusions a week ahead of travel. Hopefully this will keep things calm.

I am so pleased with my doctor's understanding and skill. Third Pm was the charm!

Thanks for reading and for your ongoing support. I hope we all find comfort and healing.