Hey all! Very thankful kids are back in school as fewer demands on "Mom's Taxi Service", LOL. I love living out away from town for the peace, the wildlife, the natural beauty, the wonder of seeing the Milky Way in the night sky - but with TOS and RSD the driving has become really difficult. My oldest has her permit and is 16, but has a long way to go to complete her hours behind the wheel, which requires Dad's assistance, as younger daughter isn't allowed along for practice driving and I prefer not to leave her alone very often - you never know WHAT she'll get up to!!

Overall, SCS continues to keep pain at manageable levels, MUCH better than prior. However left arm pain continues to increase, hand atrophy visibly progresses, and I am dropping objects with my left hand as often as I do with my right (surgical side). I wish I knew the right course of action. With RSD, it's best to avoid surgery if at all possible. And Dr A. advised me 3 years ago not to have the left side done unless the pain got unbearable. The
TOS surgery was successful but made my RSD (which I had due to my injury) spiral out of control; the pec minor surgery 7 months later caused the pain to get even worse.

The SCS keeps the arm/hand and underarm pain to about a 4 as long as I don't overdo. If I were to have surgery, the SCS would have to be removed, as it's in the epidural space of the spinal canal, and any risk of infection is to be avoided - so it comes out if you're to have major surgery. The thing is, a scalene minimus was found wrapped around the brachial plexus and under the vein when Dr Annest did the TOS surgery on my right - and he said in his opinion I would never have gotten better without the surgery because of that, no amount of therapy would have helped. There is a very good chance I have a scalene minimus on the left as well, I think it is very possible I do and that it is the main problem there as well because the locations of pain and the pattern of atrophy in the hand are exactly the same as I saw with the right.

The difference is this side has developed slowly, while the right came on very fast as a result of trauma. I have seen some recovery of some of the muscles in my right hand, while other muscles have had NO recovery at all. The longer the left side compression remains, the fewer nerves will be able to regenerate when/if the compression is released, and so fewer muscles can return. How long/far is the point of no return - where a thumb has been so damaged it can't be returned to a functional state?

I saw Dr T last Feb for a full work-up on the left arm - it tested actually WORSE than my right on several measures. What the HECK am I supposed to do with THIS???

Feet and legs have been much better lately (knock on wood). I think the RSD sometimes just flares the sacral nerve and then walking is agony. Feet burn if I am on them too much, but that has happened for so long I am mostly used to it.

I had yet ANOTHER phone conference for my vaccine injury case yesterday. Still have not seen a counter-offer, the DOJ atty has wasted this whole summer just dragging his feet. Supposedly we are to have one in the next 2-3 wks and at long last can start negotiations. Thankfully it seems the judge has lost all patience with this toad as well. The atty is leaving Vaccine Court for a year's assignment elsewhere within the Justice Dept starting Sept 10, but says since we are so close he will try to finish our case himself. I HOPE so - if not, we will be on atty #3 since this began July of '04. It is now almost 14 months since we were notified that the decision was in my favor. I wd be beside myself with joy if we could get this done before 2008 - but not holding my breath!!

Am to get blood levels checked as I'm "looking anemic" - no surprise there, but mighty tired of getting poked. And on the hunt for a pain psych/counselor who understands NEUROPATHIC pain as opposed to only muscular or a general counselor who deals with multiple issues. I find it too easy to wear a mask and say whatever they want to hear if the person has no understanding of the complete nightmare of chronic neuropathic pain - waste of our time and doesn't help me a bit.

That's it for me - good luck to all going in for surgery! And Anne dear, my very best to you on the L-U-V situation!!

beth