Happy and Healthier New Year Wishes!
 

I hope it is ok I started this thread because may be we are not doing off topic threads. I will live on the wild side though cause I want to wish everyone here a better New Year and years to come. I'm so thankful to have the support and guidence of you all. Really I think of you all through the days and especially at doctor apts. That you can't give up and have to hold to hope. So thank you. So does anyone do New Years resoultions? Do people usually keep them?

I wouldn't do a resolution at 60 years old if my life depended on it.

I'm just happy to get up in the morning, be able to walk to the bathroom without my right hip killing me, and hopefully my feet won't buzz.

When that happens, all is right with the world.

We settle for the little things after 60. At least I do. I remember saying to Alan last night as I was limping around with my knee and my hip. I remember saying "Alan, I have a 20 year old brain in a 60 year old body". He burst out laughing and said 'well, so do I".

Better times ahead. I know this!!!!

You take care,

Melody

I agree with Mel,,at 61 wll 20 yrs. ago I relized there was to much to ask for
and some of us were drunk,i'm losing 40 ils. by tommorow,i'm going to do a 100 more situps by tommorow,so on. Now i'm happy to hear a funny joke that
doesn't hurt my tummy or any body part.

Mel if you didn't see it any were else how much did Alan take before he stopped Fantanyl Patch My Dr. is trying me on 25 every 3 days.

D this is a good idea,we will heal,yes we will.ouch darn-it..Hugs to all

Sue:

didn't understand the first part of your fentanyl question, but you ask how much Fentanyl Alan was on??

They started him on 25 every 3 days. 'Then after a while, he went to 50 every 3 days. The fentanyl completely takes away the pain, but in Alan's case, he went to the bathroom only once every 5 days.

Soon, they had him on 75 and then 100, and then it was 100 every 2 days. You should have seen the face on the pharmacist when Alan went to fill the prescription for Fentanyl every two days. The pharmacist went nuts trying to tell him 'you can't take this every two days, it's a 3 day patch". Then Alan calmly explained that he went to a pain management clinic and it's different when it's prescribed for a chronic pain condition. The pharmacist actually contacted the pain management clinic and made a face when he had to fill the prescription.

Then Alan went up to 125.

Oh, here's a story for you. When Alan was on the 100 (I had some left over 25 patches in the closet). Well, one night, he had pain in his toes and said "rub the capcaicin cream on them. We didn't know that Alan had a scratch on his foot. I rubbed in the capcaicin creme and I thought he would have a heart attack. He started screaming (it was 1 a.m.).

I just looked at him and he was moaning from the burning from the creme. I just went and got the .25 of the patch and slapped it next to his 100 patch.

He just looked at me and said "whoa". I then got cold water and completely washed all the capcaicin creme on his feet and that's when I saw the long scratch on his foot. Seems he scratched one foot with the toenail of the other foot. Since that night, he is NEVER without a pair of socks on.

Then soon after he went to 125 of the patch (can't remember if this was still every two days or whatever).

I know that his doctor would not prescribe any higher dosage of the patch. He had changed primary care doctors by that time and was on a medicare HMO plan.

Then we found Dr. Theirl and in a few months he was able to completely go down to 25 but had to detox to get off of the 25. That was murder but he did it.

He has taken no pain meds ever since.

I guess when you need Fentanyl, well, you need it. Just be sure to watch the digestive system. That's the really bad side effect of the patch. The constipation, I mean.

Mel

Hi alll.

D i for one am glad you went on the wild side..I will use a eample there
is a fun group on MS,that does a very funny forum. I'm not saying
we should do away with the very serious threads.. Well that's why I
came here for help. But I don't think this type of thread is wrong.

Many years ago I learned as a nurse if you didn't stop and chat or laugh
not at people just laugh or you would not be able to wipe away the tears.
It seems like all of a sudden,people are afraid to speak up,for fear
of upsetting others...Just like D. did,Well we did start one thread but
that was one. There I'm done and yes D I' hope we all have a good yr.
Even in small ways.

Thank you Mel for answering my question, the Dr. said I could try Fentayl 25
mcg patch every 3 days. But I got a fever feeling I just don't know.
But i'm glad it helped Alan when he needed it. My son put Capacacian
Cream,on my feet once with no sore holy moly,I couldn't sit down for
days wow!! That was a good thing you did poor Alan.

I was hoping we were going to get a New Year's video from you your
laugh is contagious like my mom's which makes us all feel good
Hugs to all your all the best...Sue
3 very painful years to agree to 30 mg of Morphine 3 times a day.
Now my Dr. has offered 25mg of Fen

This new computer is annoying,anybody have any exercises that
won't put me in the hospital? :D Sue

Thank you Daniella & i wish the same to you and everyone else here on this board.
Brian :)

I'm ready for 2008.........it HAS to be better than 2007 was for me healthwise! I guess my resolution is just to be healthier. Happy New Year Y'all!!

Okay, get ready to laugh.
 

It took me MANY attempts to get this one up on youtube. It's Alan's New Year's song from the film Lilies of the Field. Remember when Sidney Poitier was singing the song AMEN to all the nuns.

Well Alan decided to make a video. When you finish, go down to the right of the screen and you can see all the other videos that Alan has made.

When we laugh, it must release endophins or something because for that few minutes, he doesn't have pain. Hey, whatever works.

So I now give you Alan singing AMEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8qngHxdTrU

Alan and Mel
 

That was a joy,you had Bob choking with laughter and the last of
pneumonia..And Mel along with the laughter you got a pretty good
voice. And Alan you know how I feel about you.ha!!! Just Played it for
Bob again. Suppose to 10 below tomorrow but I know he will make
me place it for the girls. Hugs to both and Sue

Sue,

scroll down and go to the right and click on our other videos. and you'll see Alan singing to his brother in law for his birthday. It's the video named "happy birthday 'Carl".

Alan is a hoot isn't he??

mel

Hey Mel and Alan! Loved the videos! Laughter is a great pain medication......so thanks for making us smile! Happy 2008!!!!

Thanks, Daniella, for the topic. I am praying that everyone has improvment this year. I do have a little resolution. I am giving improved diet and exercise a fair try for 2008. Pray that I can sustain this!

My dear Shiney Sue.... I had a better experience with fentanyl than Alan -- we are all different, aren't we? I started on 25 micrograms over 6 years ago. I had very good pain relief with it: it did not remove my pain, but simmered it down to the point that I quit thinking about suicide and I regained some function. It did tend to wear off during the 3rd day, so I started changing the patch every other day. I had no trouble with my pharmacy over this. I am still on it, still on the same dose. I have had no accomodation to it or need to increase the dose, no addiction, and still get the same good results. So, it might be worth a try for you. I know some have problems with it. I do get constipated, but I handle that with MIralax. A small price to pay with the relief I get. I just wanted you to know that it does work miracles for some. I would hope with all my heart that it would work as well for you. You don't know if you don't try! You can always discontinue..... Good luck whatever you decide.

You know even at 29 I am happy now with the small things. I take such pleasure in being just in less pain or issues with that. A happy day is one where I can do small things and not be uncomfortable or crying. I do want to try though to not be so anxious around my health since so much is unknown. I go from a to z.
I wish someone would try the patch on me. I have asked but it seems that they would rather do there big stuff like stimulators or on the other side do small stuff like neurontin. I am beyond frustrated with doctors I told the one on Mon how I feel unheard and rushed. Also I am always pushed off to the next doc. I spend more time being refered. I am like poison to docs.

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
 

Sorry I missed this thread but I think I posted in one of the forums. duh!!

Daniella,
Ihope the new doctors have some answers for you.

Melody...thanks for the laugh.

Billye

If you really want to have a laugh, just imagine me on the phone with various insurance companies and IVIG companies trying to figure out what Alan will be getting for 2008. I've been doing this for 3 hours so far.

I wish Alan would get more involved. But he says 'you do a great job, I don't know what to say to these people".

Sigh!!!!

mel

I do make resolutions every year. I like having goals. The trick is to not berate yourself for breaking a resolution or give up too easily; no one says your resolution has to be accomplished on January 1st. :)

Most of mine are fairly straightforward, like doing daily mild exercise, trying new recipes, paying down debt, etc. I make them easy to keep and make allowances for being less than perfect. :D For example, it would be difficult for me to commit to reading a certain number of books a year, but I can definitely commit to setting aside enough time per day to read a single chapter.

I put my resolutions in my blog. I find that if the general public knows what I've promised myself, I'm more likely to try harder. And I look up the resolutions from previous years to see what I've accomplished, what I might want to do differently and what resolutions I simply need to try again.

And I try not to take them TOO seriously. I am the queen of 'do-overs'. :D

fanfaire
:cool:

I do have New Years Resolutions. They are too many so i won't mention them. But i have a little personal tradition. Every year when New Year is coming i write my resolutions on a sheet of paper. I also check last years resolutions and see how well i did on them. Generally i get to do half of them. Excercise has always been on my list and i have never been able to sustain an excersice habit. I am going to tr harder for 2008. Happy and Healthy New Year! Thanks for all your information, caring words and help!! Feliz Año Nuevo!!