In the ~6 weeks or so that BrainTalk has been off the air, there has undoubtedly been some newsworthy event occurring to some of our crew...

So, what's new among y'all?

As for me, the biggest news is that my M-I-L is now firmly ensconced in a "Memory Care Home"... a place specifically for memory-impaired people. She seems to be settling into her new digs, and has apparently forgotten all the acrimonious things she said to and about me. My mind is attempting to recover from her torture and torment of the past 8 or 9 months, and I'll start school next Monday. Fresh classwork ought to provide a welcome respite from the battle scenes... My annual "How ya doin'?" session with the OrthoSurgeon is set for the 7th of September... I'll enlighten him about my continued cervical degeneration and the progression of arthritis in both of my carpometacarpal joints (base thumb joints). The steroid injections just aren't cuttin' it any more... We spent a pleasant week in early August out in Sioux Falls visiting our son, d-i-l, and two of our grandkids... Kind of difficult to believe that our little granddaughter is approaching her first birthday next week, and her big brother is fast approaching five years old.

Okay, I've spilled my guts out; what's new among all you folks?

My sad news is that we have spent our first summer in Texas and didn't get to spent 2-3 months in NE WI The ESI I had gotten last August has worn off, but it lasted about 9 months. This is 8 months longer than any of the other have lasted. I'm getting an eye lift this Friday because my eyelids are drooping and interfering with my sight, esspecially the left one. I will be awake for this, so I can sit up so they can check on the how they're hangin'

New nerve pain running up and down the left side of my left leg. So I had a Lumbar MRI on 8/8/06 and NS is supposed to call me today with results.

FINALLY, got my SSD approved and received back pay to 10/15/04. Hubby and I are going on a 7 day cruise to the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. Marteen 10/29/06).

If MRI doesn't show significant change at L3-L4, then I will have a Cervical and Lumbar ESI on 10/20/06 hoping it will as my hubby told NS put me in a 'Comfort Zone' for the cruise. I'm trying to be positive about them; however had 1 Lumbar L5-S1 in either 8/05 or 9/05 and just caused severe muscle spasms in my back. I had a cervical ESI at C7-T1 on 4/11/06 and it took away the severe pain on the left side of my neck and shoulder blades and moved moderate pain to the other side.

On Lortab instead of Demerol w/phenegran. NS is switching my daily doses of Neurontin to Zonegran. I have RX but haven't gotten it filled yet. He wanted to put me on Lyrica, but insurance company refused to pay for it. Said it was
only for diabetic neuoropathy.

That's it Folks.

Hugs To Ya!
Claudia

I just finished a hellacious cervical MRI and am about to have cubital tunnel surgery on my left hand. Doc just wanted to make sure my neck was not contributing to the ulnar nerve problem.

joe

Hi, I am still suffering from a Cervical RF procedure on C3/4 that went wrong and partially fried C2 causing Neuralgia and Occipital nerve pain at base of the skull.
Also, had X-Rays taken of Lumbar in July and was told I had 6 Lumbar Vertebrae instead of 5, but I also had a new Lumbar MRI this month and no mention of an extra.

Seeing a new NS next month, hoping for some answers.

Jyes

I do have some news...actually quite positive news...

My pain levels have bottomed out, and I almost feel like a normal human being again. The horrible nerve pain in my legs are now completely gone...as well as the quilting patches that were on my thighs...my back feels so much stronger...

I am now on no meds besides my basics...thyroid, b-12 and folic acid. I've been eating fresh bananas instead of the potassium pills...been going to a massage therapist for quite some time now, picked up walking and pilates (sp) and kept myself busy and moving and somehow worked right through the pain I was having. My hip feels awesome and this is the best I've felt in years.

I really don't have any complaints, except for waking up at 6am to take my DD to cross country practice...LOL! I am finally able to enjoy myself for the first time in years.

Please don't take this as bragging...I honestly think that because my core was weakened that everything was compounding itself and making what should have been mildly painful....terribly painful. It wasn't an overnight type of getting better, but I told myself I was going to work through it and so far so good.

Will it last? I have no idea, but I'm happy and I finally can dance with the kids!!! It's been a real blessing.

Thanks for letting me share!

I wish you all pain free days ahead and never stop trying to get there (however that may be).

Blessings,
Kathe

Kathe:

Brag away, I'm proud of your attitude! I've been seriously considering pilates myself. It's rather expensive here though. On top of the gym membership I think it's like $100 for 7 sessions, something close to that. But I've spoken to my drs about it and they think it certainly wouldn't hurt and would probably be beneficial in stretching the muscles and ligaments out since that's a big part of my pain (tight neck/back muscles). I think I'm going to get botox in the neck, start massage and add the pilates. Maybe the combination will keep everything from locking back up. My pain dr. doesn't think anything will work. He actually told me at my last visit, that I was trying to hard and I would never get any better than I am right now. I'm setting myself up for disappointment and depression if I don't achieve what I think I should be able to achieve. How's that for confusion and dissillusion?!! If I didn't think he was a good dr. and that he truelly believes me and is willing to work with my pain meds I probably wouldn't go back. I suppose he's seen me up and down so many times he doesn't want me to see me back down again. Who knows.

Anyway, glad to hear that you're feeling so much better and the mystery patchs are gone. That had to be nerve wracking!

Linda

This past Friday the 25th I had to have both of my eyelids fixed. The left one's lid muscle was stretched and on the right the muscle had slipped off from way it should have been. The eye doc made an incision in the crease of each eye and cut away some skin and fixed the problem. It took about an hour and I was awake for the procedure. He also zapped the fat out of there and it smelled like I was the main course at a bar-b-que. The stiches come out next Friday. I know, my hair's a mess!

Attached Images

My etes.JPG (94.9 KB, 828 views)

Wow Jan that looks like it really was painful. I can't believe you were awake during that! What a brave woman you are. Was there a choice to get knocked out? Do you mind of I ask what caused the muscles to stretch the way they did? Well just think how fresh and young your eyes will look when they heal ...Sue

The doc did it in his office and injected numbing into the eyebrow. He had to inject more as he got deeper into the muscle area. I have only taken 4 pain pills, it didn't hurt that much. In 2002 I had fallen over a low bench in Iowa at a rest stop and had the biggest blackest left eye. The doc felt that the blood in there had streched the muscle. I now remember of hitting that eye on the corner of a shelf a couple of years ago also. The best part is that I failed the eye field of vision test and so the surgery was a medical necessity. thence covered by insurance.