9 weeks and still (sadly) counting

Well I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm at a complete loss. Did the epidural injection work? It might have helped a little with the inflammation in the nerve in my spine, but I still have pain in my shoulder and down my arm, as well as pins and needles. My trapezius muscles are v. v. tight. I asked Dr. P what to do and he said I could try at home traction (don't have one), muscle relaxers, or dry needling. So I tried the muscle relaxers. Of course the next day when he got back to me he said which ones to try, and the one I used was left over from my hip surgery. All it did was give me restless leg syndrome and I was up all night from it, dry as a bone, eyes hurting from being so dry and dehydrated. Must remember to toss out any remaining pills. It was something w/ at T. Anyway then I rang my acupuncturist. He said that he could try some treatment that wouldn't increase the inflammation. I went last night, and felt a little better after, even though the needles hurt like hell - surprising because they don't really normally hurt. But today my neck /spine hurts and the shoulder hurts and the pins and needles are still the same. I'm am going to lose what is left of my mind. Mark did notice last night that my right side seemed weaker - I told him I'm not surprised b/c I've been guarding it and using my left side - which explained why when he touched my left trapezius muscle I screamed - it's been working overtime. Thank goodness it is Friday and I don't have to sit for two days at a computer. I am getting very worried though because time is running out to sort this before October and Italy. There is no way I'll survive that trip like this. Something must be done! Two weeks until I see the anesthesiologist again, perhaps I should see if I can get an appointment sooner. He might have to do another epidural. I also definitely need an MRI of my shoulder, so wondering if I should have that arranged because perhaps this is coming from there as well and a shot in there would be good? I don't mean the one Dr. P. did a month ago, I mean like they did with my hip where they really get into the joint. I have to ask someone and hopefully get some information because I am so worn out I could just give up at this point - and I'm sadly not even trying to be dramatic.

Bit of a roller coaster

Yesterday I had an appointment with Dr. Ahmed, the anesthesia pain doctor. First I met with his assistant/resident and was asked a million questions and then examined. More agony. Then the doctor came in, he was very nice, but of course had to do his own exam, so more torture. I was a wreck yesterday with pain from all the twisting and moving and bending.

Anyway, first the resident mentioned something about having an electric stim implanted in my neck with a battery pack under my skin on my hips. My hips are big enough and I don't really like the thought of having things implanted in me that shouldn't be there. I said that sounds a bit too permanent for me. I was quite surprised he mentioned it even before mentioning the epidural. A bit fishy, perhaps he's doing some sort of study with it. He also told me he thinks I have a rotator cuff problem and wants me to have an MRI. I said fine, I've been trying to get the doctors to give me one for 3 years, but I can't do it until my neck is sorted because I can't lie down on my back flat. Then he asks if I've had an X-ray study of my neck to see if it's lax. I was like - dude! seriously? My whole body is lax - that is why I was diagnosed with HEDS/ hypermobility disorder! I told him I wasn't going to waste my time and money (and I don't need the extra radiation, Lord knows I've had more than my fair share) on something that we all know is a fact already. It's not like it's going to prove something and give us a magical solution to fix this. I passed along this info to Dr. Panagos who said, and I quote, "The name of the game is strengthening. Of course you are lax because of the EDS. There is a rotator cuff component to everything, but I think it is related to your neck versus a separate problem. Once your neck feels better, we will see how much pain is originating from the rotator cuff." I'm going with my trust in him, he knows my body slightly better.

Anyway, Dr. Ahmed was very nice and at said I could have the epidural. I asked him how soon and he said he'd check the calender. First he came back and said the earliest was the 20th! I looked right at him and said there was no way I was going to make it that long. (Today is 7 weeks of this crap!). He went back and then a few minutes later returned saying he could ask some other doctors to shuffle around so he could get the OR on Tuesday afternoon (not his usually scheduled time). I was so so grateful.

Then of course something had to happen. Right before I left work last night I received a message from Dr. Wu's office that he wanted to do one more test. I flipped, especially since I tried to ring back directly and they had the service on already. I spoke to his office this morning and the assistant knew nothing and said I could ring Dr. Wu in Queens after 11am. I have to find out what this is about because now that I'm scheduled for Monday morning (oh - did I forget to mention that? Dr. Ahmed's office just rang and said they had a cancellation for Monday am so they gave it to me!) I am not wanting to delay the procedure for some blood test when everything else has come back perfectly normal.

The stress is killing me! Fingers crossed it all works out and I can have this sorted on Monday!

Humpty Dumpty strikes again

ARGH! I just want to scream! Or jump off a roof, or in front of moving bus, but there's that daft thing in my head called a conscience that won't let me. I CAN NOT TAKE THE PAIN ANYMORE.
Tomorrow will be FIVE WEEKS of agony with this neck thing. And it's bad. I can handle "normal" pain, after all I've been through I definitely have a very high tolerance, G-d knows, but this is slowly driving me delirious.

I am sad to report that the shoulder cortisone injection and the trigger point injection did absolutely NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. I emailed Dr. Panagos on Monday and didn't hear back, he's busy I get it but I'm being a selfish person for once and need help. Tuesday I rang his office, and his assistant said he was on the phone but would ring me back directly. Unfortunately he didn't get to until Wednesday am. He did leave a message apologising and I rang him back as soon as I received it. He asked me a bunch of questions and agreed that something needs to be done. I have no life, I get to work, by about 16.00 I'm dying in agony, then I go home directly after work and lay on the couch until bedtime, and in the middle drink wine and take klonopin hoping it will help me sleep. I still can't even lie flat on my back. Anyway I digress. Dr. P said he had put a call into Cornell for a consult as he wants me to have the spinal epidural in a hospital setting. I'm ok with waiting an extra day or two so it's done correctly but I need to know that it's going to be done soon. He said he'd ring me back and I told him I'd be in the office until 16.00 and then had a hand dr appointment and he could ring me on my mobile. Sadly I did not hear from him at all. I ended up sending him an email around 20.30 asking if he had "any news at all???". My mother laughed at that. Hey, I'm desperate. I did ring his office about 20 minutes ago and spoke to his assistant. She said he was doing a procedure and would get to him as soon as possible. I said even if he just has a message and she rings me back, I just need to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel because I'm in misery. I did apologise for being completely brain dead as all this pain has made my brain turn to mush, even more than normal!

On another note, I saw Dr. Melone yesterday. I've been putting off this appointment because last year he said if the cortisone injection didn't work I'd have to have surgery. After my trip to London though and only using my big camera for 3 days, then suffering for a week after, I had to sort something out. At least the surgery is much more minor that the last 4, and the recovery seems to be quicker. I will have a splint on but will be able to use my fingers and go back to work in a day or so. I need to find out how long it will take for my hand to be in "working order" as well as if I will need PT after. Both from a time and health insurance perspective, since they only give you a very limited number of PT visits TOTAL per year. That might work for regular people but not the special ones! I also can't schedule it till I have this back thing sorted out. I can't believe I have to have another hand surgery. It didn't really sink in until today.

Anyway that is where I am at the moment. At least I have a gorgeous new niece and brilliant nephew to divert me on occasion.

Needles

Saw Dr. Panagos yesterday and he feels it's a shoulder & a neck issue. Of course, why should it only be one? Anyway, we agreed to do a cortisone injection into my shoulder and a trigger point injection into the muscle near my neck. He said one of his patients had a similiarish situation and they did this and it worked. He's quite weary about an epidural for my spine because of the HEDS (Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) as he says that the tissues in the body have easy friability and he doesn't want to make things worse in the long run.

I asked him what we could do if this works to prevent it from happening again. He said that he wants me to strengthen but no flexibility. He suggested Pilates, and I told him my hip surgeon told me not do that, but he said just do the strenghthening bits. When I feel better I will get out my old Pilates disc and see what's there to work with. I also asked him that what if the injection helps my shoulder but not my neck, and he said last resort would be the spine injection if I am still in agony. Fun stuff!

Dr. P also asked if I have been able to find out any biological information on my birth family. He said it would be very good to know what their health situations are. I told him that there is a group in NY fighting for our records to be open, and G-d willing it will pass on the floor this year, so perhaps in a year I will have some information. If you care to help, please get the information here, and help contact the key reps and senators in NY and say you support senate bill S5269. We need our bio/medical info - especially people like me!

Today I rang my chiro to update him and I will be going to see him next Thursday. He wants me to give everything a chance to work in and settle down. I am praying SO hard that this will work. Next Wednesday I have an appointment with my hand surgeon to see about my right hand/wrist. ARGH! It never ends!

And I was right again, unfortunately...

I didn't have a chance to write more after the last update because when I went to see the doctor he told me I had to have surgery again for yet another peri rectal abscess! He was in shock and couldn't suss it out, which made me feel even more worried. Two in one week is a bit bizarre. He asked if I had eaten when I was at his office and I said yes, so he said he could do it with local anesthetic. Anyone who has read my ER visit last year will know that there was NO WAY IN HELL that I would let anyone ever cut me without being unconscious again. I was quite happy to wait one more day with some pain than to have that happen again. So, that night my mother came in so she could go to the doctors with me. This time they had the demerol ready afterwards. Last time even though I told them I would need it they tried to fob me off with some percaset - which makes me puke my brains out.

I was out from work the day of surgery and the next day. I saw the doctor the day after and he was still perplexed, though happily this time he said that there was a lot of puss and not just blood. Of course I was told that I have to have a colonoscopy for sure, no getting out of this time. It's probably for the best as I've been so bloated the last few months and my insides are schizophrenic. The dr still doesn't think it's Crohn's, and I've done a bit of research myself. I suppose it could be but I don't think so. Not that I'm hoping for any one of these, but for all the symptoms I have I've narrowed it down to a few possibilities. Hopefully (touch wood) it's just IBS, and we shall find out in a few weeks when I have the colonoscopy.

The main problem was with timing as I was off to London on the 1st of May, just four days after the second surgery! I rang the airlines and asked if I could upgrade one way, and they kept saying nope, because you used miles for the ticket, but to ask at the airport. You'd think they'd be nicer to loyal customers! When I got to the airport I asked the check-in man, and he said he couldn't, but was at least nice enough to block the seat next to me. Only problem was that it was a bulkhead which was good, but not when you want to spread out as you can't lift the armrest. Oh well. When I got to the gate I asked again, and I have to say the woman working there was such a nasty cow! No sympathy let alone any assistance and such a bitch! I hope she has to have this surgery and then sit on her arse for 8 hours and see how she likes it! I normally wouldn't say that but she truly was an horrible person! So I get on the plane and ask one of the flight attendants if they could help me, and of course, she checks w/ her head person and no result. At this point I'm getting beyond desperate. I try to get myself sorted in the seat and have my legs over the arm rest onto the other seat, but of course I'm leaning on my right hip at this point and well, that hip was not happy even w/ the lido patch on it. After we took off I couldn't sit anymore so I made a little spot on the floor with blankets and pillows and curled up. Of course then another flight attendant comes over and tells me I can't do that in case we hit turbulence, blah blah blah. I looked at him and was about to cry. I told him the situation and he was kind, and said he'd see if he could get someone in the back w/ extra seats to switch. I didn't think he could because if I had three seats to lay down on I wouldn't switch either to a bulkhead. He came back to collect the rubbish from everyone and said he was still working on it. Fair enough - I held out as much as possible. Then he ran up to the front, leaving his cart just sitting there, and came back a few mins later saying he'd sorted out something and would be back when he was done. Miracle of miracles, he had told the first class purser my situation and that I didn't need any extra attention, just a place to lay down and the bloke had agreed. Thank G-d! This very nice man took me up front, showed me how to recline the seat into a bed and for the remaining few hours I was able to lie on my stomach. I would not have made it otherwise, that's for sure.

The first few days in London were a little rough but I managed okay. By the end of the week I think the cut was healed up for the most part. The flight back wasn't bad for the bum at least. The rest of me was not happy and I am so so glad I now order the wheelchair assistance because there is no way I would have been able to walk off that plane and through the terminal. My whole body was in pain from the pressure on the flight, plus all the walking I had done during my visit.

So now I'm back and have the colonoscopy scheduled in a few weeks. Yesterday I caved and rang my hand/wrist doctor because my right hand has been getting worse and worse and the last week with the camera threw it into pain overdrive. I believe it was over a year ago that I saw Dr. Melone and he gave me an injection. He said if it didn't work I'd need surgery. It lasted maybe a month or so and then, well, I had the whole ER and one surgery after another to deal with on the opposite end, so ignored it as much as possible. Lately though I've taken to rubbing my wrist in with lidocaine cream which seems to be the only way to get through the day. I am still wearing the splint at night, mostly, and it's not doing much of anything. Therefore, I caved and made an appointment to go see him. Trust me, I really don't want to. I don't even have many days off left for this crap, but I don't know if I can wait with the pain for another 7 months to have it sorted. I will hear what he says about the surgery and if it is a quick recovery or not and then will make a decision.

Also because of all that's been going on I've been quite remiss on my PT and the neck and jaw are acting up quite a lot. Started doing some PT last night and will be going to see the acupuncturist this week as well. Praying for some pain relief.

Like I always say, never a dull moment.

miserable day

I feel like crap. Yesterday I started getting v. crampy - that time of the month - and I just wanted to curl up somewhere comfy. But no, I had PT after work. It was okay for the most part, other than my right shoulder subluxating when I was done doing some core work lying on a foam tube. The things these people come up with! Anyway, I started to spasm a bit on my walk home, so used more heat when I arrived. I was knackered and though I slept well but when I woke up this morning, everything started to hurt. Cramps again, then whole body ache (must be the low pressure, I feel like I've got a vice on my whole body), then headache, then the never-ending jaw ache, then my back and now my neck. I really should have just stayed in today. I didn't go make it to the pool on Tuesday because of transport issues, though I did go last Friday and Sunday, so I really am hoping to go tonight, but I think I'll have to wait and see. The wind is so strong out there it takes at least twice the effort to walk and now my hip is not happy either.
Yes it's a whinging day but trust me, if you ever felt like this, and I hope to G-d you never do, you'd be happy to indulge me this time.

the last couple of weeks

I've been going to PT every Monday and Wednesday, swimming in between, and last night I had another acupuncture session.

PT is going slowly, but I believe forward. I've been working on strengthening my core, and doing a couple of stretches, but not too many. Originally the PT was icing my neck after but that seemed to make my muscles spasm a lot. We tried heat a couple of visits ago and that seemed to not irritate the muscles nearly as much.

The acupuncture hurt more than usual last night, not sure why. I am sore and a bit stiff today but not too bad. I am planning on going swimming after work, that usually helps a bit.

A couple of Saturdays ago I went out dancing. I know, I'm totally not supposed to do that. I was feeling pretty good, and we went to a place that was having an 80's dance night. That's my favourite kind of music, especially when they started playing all of the Brit 80's. I went a bit wild for about an hour or so and just let loose. It was a great feeling, though at a certain point my body told me that it was time to go home. I did pay for it pretty bad the next few days, and I know the long term effects are bad, but it was worth it. I can't see myself doing that on a frequent basis, but it was definitely good for the psyche!

first PT session

I am pretty sore from last nights session, and my neck on the right is in pain. It's amazing that even though we didn't do too much, it really made muscles that forgot they were there react. Iced for ten minutes after as well. I've been given four exercises to do every day:

1)on back w/ towel roll at base of skull, tuck chin and hold for 3 seconds. 10 reps/2x day
2)sit w/ good posture, keep face forward, tip ear toward shoulder and hold for 20 seconds. 2 reps/2-3x day
3)stand w/ arms at side, pinch shoulder blades together and hold for 5 seconds. 10 reps/2x day
4)lie on belly w/ arms in diamond shape above head, thumbs to ceiling, lift one elbow up and slowly lower down, repeat on other side. 10 reps/ 2x day

I sure felt them even though it doesn't seem like much. Not happy about the pain today but I have to start somewhere. The PT person said it was a good thing to do the acupuncture and strengthening at the same time. I have to be careful though and just do minimal stretching and no heavy weights for strengthening. At present I am set to go twice a week until the end of February. We shall see how it goes.

PT starts

Tonight that is. We shall see, it's a new place and I don't know anything about them. A bit nervous as I get so many mixed reactions when I try to explain what is going on with my body. Thankfully the prescription Dr. Panagos wrote is very specific, so that should help, I think?!?

My neck is still doing this weird spraining thing when I turn it. Not 100% of the time but enough to drive me nuts. The trigger points do seem to feel a bit better though, so (touch wood) that lasts. I can't tell if my right hand is better from the acupuncture last week as this weekend I was playing with my nephew and whacked my right hand into a huge picture frame so now it's a funny yellow colour and very sore. Never a dull moment.

I've had a very stressful last two weekends and since this past Saturday a massive headache. I can't tell if it's tension, the return of a head cold or some combination. I just wish it would go away! And I wish it would get warmer, the ice is so scary. But at least we have a president with an high IQ and he's ready to get to work! So that makes it almost completely better!

I will let you know how the PT goes.

Acupuncture update

Last Thursday, the 8th, was my third appointment with Mark Seem. He said after the third to take a month off and see how I am doing. He does this with all patients but especially with those that have my issues, as your body needs to recover from the trauma of the needles.
The session was pretty intense, he did two smaller needles in my jaw on both sides, and the dry needles he did in my back and shoulder and neck hit the spot. I won't say it was very painful, but I won't say you didn't notice it straight away. It's a strange feeling when the needle hits exactly the trigger point, and your muscle starts spasming. After the treatment I felt sore immediately. He said to go home and use heat, so I did, which definitely helped a bit. I was still pretty sore the next day. He also did another needle in my right index finger which unfortunately seemed to undo the numbing affect from the previous week. Right now it's sort of numb and sort of not, it keeps flip flopping.
As for my neck it is feeling a bit better but when I just turn it sometimes it feels as if it's being sprained and is painful. Other times it is fine.
Since our benefits at work have changed and they finally (almost) sorted the new insurance completely, I was able to locate a PT facility on Dr. Panagos' list that is on the new insurance and make an appointment for next week. I know that will not fix the stenosis but it should help strengthen my neck and I am hoping it won't hurt when I turn it anymore. Trying to be optimistic here!
On the exercise front, I'm still trying to go swimming three times a week but my right knee is not enjoying it at all. It has been killing me after I do some laps and then when I walk home it feels all loose and wonky. I am going to see if there is anything I can do that will not hurt me but will strengthen my quads. Should be quite a challenge. I am also wondering if I could get some sort of knee brace to wear in the water? Don't know if that exists but will check it out.
It's snowing so that always makes me nervous as it's quite slippery outside. I am missing the warm weather today!

Slightly overdue

but it's been a v. busy few weeks.

I left off on my way to see Mark Seem. He was v. nice and patient and took the time to get my history, as well as review all the reports I brought with me. He has a lot of insight into hypermobility and told me some very interesting things about it. One being that the Dutch have a v. high rate because there was a lot of relationships with the Asians when they were a "superpower", and whilst the Asians hypermobility does not affect them in a negative way because they are shorter, when the genes were mixed with the taller Dutch, then it became a problem because size and proportions were all different. Perhaps I'm Dutch??? He also feels that my fibromyalgia is relatively mild and that the polyenthsopathy plays a much larger role. I was impressed he knew what enthosopathy was as most doctors ask me what it means. Poly=many and Enthesitis is an inflammation of the entheses, the location where a bone has an insertion to a tendon or a ligament. It is also called enthesopathy, or any pathologic condition involving the entheses. The entheses are any point of attachment of skeletal muscles to bone, where recurring stress or inflammatory autoimmune disease can cause inflammation or occasionally fibrosis and calcification. (Also see: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/enthesitis ) He suggested because of the hypermobility and fibromyalgia we would work relatively slowly and not leave the needles in for more that 10-15 minutes. The idea was to not trigger my fibro. He used a combination of TCM needles as well as slightly longer needles for the dry needling/trigger point release. Afterwards I was v. tired and thankfully just went home and to bed. I felt a bit worse the first few days but then the pain in the neck and shoulder/upper back area became more localized, which I was told was a good thing.

Unfortunately he had to cancel the next weeks appointment as he was ill, and then last week scheduling didn't work because it was a short week. I went this morning for my second appointment. This time I definitely felt more when the needles were going in. It's hard to describe, originally I wouldn't have used the word painful, more like pressure and a pulling on the muscle - you can kind of feel the muscle "grip" the needle. This time he really got into some trigger points directly which is good, but it definitely felt more intense. He also put some needles in my hand and one in my right index finger. I accidentally moved the finger and that woke me up! It was in a v. sensitive place and even hurt when he took it out. After we finished with my back, he released two trigger points in my TMJ as it's been killing me lately. It still feels like there is a needle in there about an hour later, though not as intense. I was told to not chew or talk a lot. If it brings relief it will be worth it.

Yesterday I went to see a physiatrist as I am meant to get PT to strengthen my neck, but didn't trust anything that daft neurologist said. I went to see Dr. Panagos as Weill/Cornell. He and his resident were very nice and knowledgeable about my various conditions. They told me a horror story about a woman with EDS that can barely function after giving birth, and suggested that I don't do that. Lovely. Although we knew that already, especially as EDS is a 50/50 chance for the kid. I would hate to give this crap to someone else. The doctor said he's sorry there isn't much he can do but the goal is to get me to learn how to help myself, so I don't have to constantly go to PT and such. He wrote out a very thorough and specific prescription for neck PT, saying that I need strengthening but no stretching. I have to say it's so nice to meet doctors that know what is going on, not daft ones like Fatimi who dismiss everything you say and think they know more, when, in reality, they do not have any experience whatsoever. Even Dr. Panagos' resident knew a lot, she said she was surprised I wasn't a doctor. I think I should be given an honorary doctor's degree after all I've been through! Unfortunately our insurance is changing in the New Year, so I will wait to start PT then, so it's less of a hassle.

I think that's about it for now. Happy New Years!

post Holland

The flight to Holland was pretty uncomfortable. I used my neck pillow to keep my head up so I wouldn't lean it in any funky position if I fell asleep. It was quite a bumpy flight over there as well. Thank goodness I had the wheelchair pick me up when we landed. There was no way after that long flight I would have been able to walk to miles to the bus transfer for the other terminal. I'm not exaggerating, if you've never been to Heathrow - it is HUGE and it can take you ages to get from one part to another, and that's just in one terminal. They have 5 now, so there's a whole system of transferring and buses and walking down endless corridors.
Terminal 5 is the newest though and quite nice actually.

When I arrived at AMS thankfully my friend picked me up - saved me a lot of pain. The next few days I was a bit of a pretzel and T suggested I see her physio. Thankfully he was able to squeeze me in, and I went on Tuesday afternoon. His name is Remco and I am madly in love with him. He made me feel better than any other person has since I can remember. No miraculous healing or cure, but after what he did, I didn't have pins and needles down my arm for 4 days, and now it's only just starting to get constant again. After having a lengthy discussion with me about my various bodily messes and asking me lots of v. good questions, he examined me. He made some v. interesting insights, like EDS and the neck disc issues are closely related, my C2 is super tight because it's over-compensating for my TMJ on my right side (said that looseness in tmj on right side affects tightness around c2/c3), which is beyond loose and constantly clicky. He asked if my neck cracks when I wake up in the morning, which was funny because it's usually the first thing I have to do before I can get moving. He also said to stay away from surgery and do pt/chiro and keep swimming.

This is what he did:
*adjusted c2/c3
*used manual traction on neck
*adjusted middle back
*three dry acupuncture treatments in right shoulder muscle -said needles would take 2-3 days to really have an affect

He didn't want to do too much work as everything was so irritated already. He also said he wished I lived over there - and I said of course, you want me for your guinea pig - to which he laughed and admitted it. He said that my case was so interesting and I wish the doctors over here looked at it like that. He seemed to really want to help, not fob me off on someone else, which seems mostly the case over here, with a few exceptions.

Since I've been back I spoke to Dr. Rosen and she thinks I should look into the dry needling, although she cautioned nothing is a cure-all, which I know, but heck - I'll take any relief I can get, especially if it's not drug related. I also spoke to my rheumatologist, Dr. Meng and whilst she does basic acupuncture, she's not familiar with dry needling, but also agreed that it was something interesting to look into.

I am going to my chiro shortly and will tell him what the physio said and see what he thinks as well. I did come across a name of a doctor at NY Presbyterian that does dry needling in one of the articles I printed out, so may ring him later and see what his office says.

I definitely am back to bad pain in my neck now and the pins and needles are not 24/7 yet but they are getting back to that level. My TMJ is a mess, and I get my night guard next weekend. I really hope that helps.

Wiped out

It's been 44 weeks since my hip surgery. I thought I was doing pretty well but the last two weeks made me feel otherwise. I have been running around more in the last two weeks than I had done since having my hip surgery, and with all that running around, my right hip has not been a happy camper. It may also be a combination of that and the fact that I've been leaning more on my right side when sitting because of the fistulotomy. Either way, the hip is not happy. Because I was going to be running around so much this weekend and it had already been hurting me, I used lidocaine patches on Saturday and Sunday. I would not have made it through without. Last night when I was able to just relax my hip was so tight. Actually they both were and my legs were very achy as well. I even iced my left hip to try to calm that side down. There were also a lot of stairs involved over the weekend, much more than what is "normal" for me.

To add to this loveliness, my right hand/wrist is acting up again and really hurting. I had stopped using the splint but really have to start again as I am not even going to contemplate another surgery right now. My neck is so messed up that I'm having tingling down my right arm and hand. Thankfully I have the chiropractor on Wednesday, though I wish it was today. On Thursday I have a check up with Dr. A for the bum. I finally had the courage to look at it a couple of weeks ago as it was really hurting and I wanted to make sure it didn't look infected or anything. All I can say is it was pretty disgusting, and big. The doctor definitely did lie when he said how big and deep it would be. I checked it again yesterday and it seems like the upper part of the incision has started to or closed up a bit, which I'd like to think is a good sign. It's hard to tell though and I don't really like looking so it's good the doctor can check this week. I've been going to the pool about twice a week and it feels fine so that is a very good thing. It still hurts to sit, especially on hard chairs, and I can't wait for that to stop, along with having to take sitz baths every day. I will definitely not miss that!

BTW - Natalie Douglas was completely brilliant with her "Cafe Society" show! If you ever get a chance to see her you should.