I have continued to just do the two treatments a day at 20 minutes each. I don't alter that in any way when I have a flare up...just continue as usual. Every once in a while I may miss a session because of my schedule or if my boyfriend is off for the day...but that is a VERY rare occurance. Otherwise it's twice a day every day...which is why I think I continue to see the improvements with the sleep and the reduced sensitivity continues to travel up my arms (sort of in the reverse path of the way it spread).

It's easy to give in the pain and not do anything but harder to suck it up and do what I need to to address the flare ups of pain...but I know I need to do it. If I let myself get away with not doing it once, it will be easier to not do it the next time. The results I think show that this is all worth it...but I admit that sometimes in those moments of pain where it is so bad you can't see straight that it takes a LOT to make myself do what I have to. I try, in those moments, to remember the wheelchair and how helpless I was...that's usually the best motivation to push through the pain because as I recall even when I was useless and not able to move I wasn't in any LESS pain.

Good news is that the pain is definitely returning to its normal levels right now...which is a relief. The swelling all seems to have gone down and the burning pain is MUCH better. Thanks for your kind words Hampster...but I wouldn't want anyone to have to take on any of my pain. We all have our own to deal with and I am so grateful that this is no longer an all day every day occurance with the level 10 pain...because it was for a really long time. Slowly but surely...things are getting better.