As some of you may remember, just when we were prepared to begin the trials for the spinal cord stimulator (had gotten approval & all), my medical team instead decided to perform surgery to remove the neuroma that was pressing on my femoral nerve. The surgery itself went wonderfully. By day 2, I was up on a walker and walking. After less than 3 weeks in the hospital, I was sent to a rehab hospital, and only spent a few days there, I was doing so well. I progressed so quickly. I was walking anywhere and everywhere. To be honest, deep down inside, I felt so good that I couldn't help but wonder whether I'd been improperly diagnosed with CRPS initially.
By Thanksgiving, things were continuing to do well. I remember being on my feet much of the day Thanksgiving day, helping with the cooking and such. Then we were up early on Black Friday to shop, although I did take my wheelchair. By the time we got home, I could tell I wasn't feeling "right" but quickly fell asleep. By the time I woke up, I could tell something wasn't right, and down it went.
By Christmas day, I was totally confined to the wheelchair again, and have been ever since. I've since had several more lumbar sympathetic blocks, started Ultram around the clock, added Topamax to my cocktail, started experiencing panic attacks, and tried just about everything possible to get any semblance of sleep possible.
In addition to my regular therapist, I've started seeing another psychologist in the Health Psychology department at the hospital as well who specializes in Pain Management. They are working with me on guided imagery for times when the pain gets out of control.
As for therapy, right now all I can do is aquatic, of course. Hopefully one day I'll be able to work back up to the "real" stuff. When I got a new eval the other day, I asked my therapist how much I'd lost. He told me definitely everything I'd gained since the surgery (which was a significant amount) and perhaps more. That was probably the most heartbreaking part of it all. All that work, all those hours of tears and sweat, for nothing.
So for now, it would appear that I've been handed over to the Pain Management team. Kinda like the end-of-the-road docs, aren't they? Not really, but y'all get what I mean....
Anyway, the plan right now is to finish this course of the LSBs, along with the changes in the medication regime along with the pain psychology to see if we can make any progress. Then, if nothing, we may end up trying the ketamine next rather than the SCS. I'm not sure why yet, I need to ask. I was too busy processing everything to ask, but I will next time around.
Sorry for all the rambling, I just felt like I owed you all an explanation for my sudden disappearance then reappearance months later. Thank you for welcoming me back with open ams.
And welcome to all the new faces.
