Hi Patty!

I was just reading through your thread and wanted to say hello!

I am glad you feel very good about your relationship with your primary care doctor! This is a huge plus! A good primary care doc is also a good advocate and it's vitally important to have a healthy and helpful relationship with a p.c. doc!

This fact, alone, makes me feel hopeful for you. While "specialists" come and "specialists" go, our pcp's generally stick around! They know the history of trying to get diagnoses "nailed down," etc. I think they tend to think more of the whole person and can truly appreciate who you are!

It sounds like you do have your hands full and PT might be difficult to fit into your schedule?

While I would recommend the PT, I also understand your predicament. If it is truly not feasible to attend PT, I am wondering if you'd consider trying some of the home programs ...starting with the basics that help with stretching and mild strengthening, etc.? I don't have any specific program in mind, but I , too, have a hard time getting to PT and... I often will commit to a program I can do on my own, even with a DVD or something. This allows me to do this whenever I can fit it into my schedule!

Sometimes, in the past, I have gone to PT for the initial evaluation and have gotten "direction" about exactly what needs to be worked on and then...I gradually take on doing the work at home. I make appointments with PT then...just one every few weeks, so the PT can help me to evaluate whether I have focused on the right areas and she can also measure any progress and/or show me if I am not gaining progress. She can also help me with suggestions for any additional problems I might be encountering.

This way, she does help to identify the "problem areas" and gives me a "program." I take on the program and we meet up at intervals to se how things are progressing for me. It's much less of a time commitment to actually being at th PT center. Yet, the time is still invested...just whenever you are able to do it! (You might not have the option of going to PT at 8 p.m.; yet, that might be a good time for you to do your PT!!! You can do it then..if you do it on your own!)

Just some ideas!

Keep an eye on the PN. I have this feeling you and your primary care doc are both going to look after that very well! (If you feel unsettled about the neuro's opinion, is it possible to obtain another opinion?)

Please do keep us up-to-date! I'd be interested in how things are going for you!

Hope you achieve complete healing!