Yes Vic,
I agree we can do quite a bit while we're stoned! Sometimes I feel so drugged up from my meds I slur....quite a bit actually!

Luckily everyone in my life knows it's from medication to control pain, but then again I might get different feedback from others if I was in the spotlight like Paula. The media tends to pick on people as well...I never support that and never take to much of what the media wants me to see! I suggest we all not take the media to seriously!!!!!

I won't judge Paula because I don't know her. She may have different symptoms and handle her meds differently. Lack of clear thinking is also associated with this illness...

I take my medication when I get to work, because I know I won't be driving for the next 12 hours. I take it periodically, at the appropriate times throughout the day. I take my last dose when I'm already home, again to avoid the driving. It's strong stuff and if I were to drive like that it would be like driving drunk which I'm firmly against.

Hi GHL,

I agree that most of us know that we may need drugs in order to survive, but we’re too afraid of becoming addicted to take more than the minimum amount necessary. We don’t like the side-effects and we may have to take them for a long time; more reasons to take as little as possible.

I think Paula Abdul chose to take high-dose ketamine in order to continue her career. I don’t think I’d have made that choice, but I didn’t know that the next 28 years of my life would be filled with pain. Had I seen my future, well, I dunno.

Finally, while I was taking five 7.5mg hydrocodone daily, I got into two slow-speed accidents in one week. Until then, I thought I was a safe driver, but safe drivers don’t cause accidents. I paid for the repairs (less than $500.00 for both cars – very minor), and I never got behind the wheel again…Vic

I too do not drive now. I can get dressed most days and my pain meds usually or initially you couldnt really notice but now you can mostly memory lossing my place altogether in big ways. And when tired i am wobbly but i belive that is the rsd in my legs. I have never felt high from meds and always have a level of pain even with them. I would be bedridden if it werent for the high dose ketamine i did and would have collasped mentally long ago i was on the verge. I was bedridden prior to my coma.I too can not judge Paula- I watched her show , reality show and half her spine is metal. Also the poor girl apparently never gets to eat.! She is driven and she would have to be on around the clock pain meds and then some-as I belivie she is- to keep going. She seems to be hoping to get her life back to where it once was I too still pray for that as unrealistic as it seems to be as I approach year 5. take care, cz