Re: Kate, and Kristy new members

[Guest guest]

--- Kristy - Glenn

wrote:

> Hey Kate, I am also new to this group and like you

it is nice to have a place to go where people really

understand what your feeling. The only thing is it is

hard to navigate, and find someonw to start talking

too.

Good morning

Welcome to the group, Kate, Kristy, and all of the

other newbies. What kind of problem are you having?

It is difficult to talk to strangers at first. It took

me a week, or two to write to the group after I first

joined.

I hope we have earned your trust, so that you will

feel welcome here.

Kaylene

Moderator

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.

http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

[Guest guest]

I would also like to welcome the new members as well! This is a great

group of people that are here to listen whenever you need us! Cry,

vent, share happy news, doctor's visits, etc. whatever you feel like

talking about. We understand what you are going through.

I agree that sometimes it can seem difficult to start " talking " to

people you don't know, but believe me when I say that everyone here is

very friendly and understanding of any condition that you are dealing

with.

Welcome!!!!

[Guest guest]

Kaylene wrote: " Welcome to the group, Kate, Kristy, and all of the

other newbies. What kind of problem are you having? "

Hi,

I've posted a few things, but thanks to memory problems from chronic migraines,

I don't

know if I actually posted the problems I'm having, so here goes. I just hope

I'm not

repeating myself too much.

My main problem is repeated work injuries to the L5-S1 area of my spine. A week

after

the first injury, I had a discectomy because the ruptured disc was pressing

against my

sciatic nerve and my left foot was dropping. I went right back to work and

injured it

numerous times until my foot stayed dropped and I had to stop working until I

somehow

got it to stop dropping with a lot of intense PT.

I went back to work again and finally injured that same disc so badly that I was

pretty

much bedridden for a year until I had a fusion (using a cage filled with bone

form my hip).

Until that injury, all the damage was down my left side, but the rest of the

disc ruptured

on the right side, so now I have permanent nerve damage and pain down both legs.

After the fusion, I found that I couldn't sit or stand for more than ten minutes

without a

lot of pain. I still tried to work at a desk job, but every time I tried to ask

for equipment

that might make it easier, they took their sweet time getting it for me -- if

they got it at

all. I later found out that the guy who was supposed to be getting this

equipment was

taking his time on purpose because he thought I was being a " pain in the a--. "

After I told my doctor this, he took me out of work permanently. I was furious

with this

" ergonomic expert " who was withholding equipment because I was killing myself

trying to

remain employed and he didn't care about that at all. Before I was injured, I

was the type

of person who didn't sit still all day. I couldn't even understand why people

needed

breaks, now all I could do was move around occasionally.

After my first surgery, I started getting severe migraines. The first one

lasted six weeks

and now I get about one a week. Sometimes, I can still get some things done,

but other

times, I'm completely out of it for one to three days. I usually have quite a

bit of memory

loss during them and even if I can function, I get very confused and can't even

make sense

of basic math. I also get a lot of numbness and tingling in my hands and face,

and now

my hands are pretty weak and shaky all the time. (I used to draw, but can't

even hold a

cup of tea with one hand anymore.)

I also have some pretty severe mystery neck pain. It's mostly on the right

front of my

neck, but I can't pinpoint it by touching the area. It feels like it's really

deep inside. There

is swelling and a lump in the muscle, but it doesn't show on x-rays, ultrasound,

or CAT

scans. The pain is right up there with the pain in my back, but it doesn't hurt

to move my

head, so I don't consider it as debilitating. It's just icing on the cake,

really.

I do have to take medication for the pain, but I don't think I'm taking the

right stuff. I take

about four vicoprofen a day (vicodin with ibuprofen instead of Tylenol), but it

only takes

the edge off the severe pain, allowing me to maybe go out and get one or two

errands

done, and get a few hours of sleep. I have to be careful because my right leg

sometimes

gets too weak to work the gas and brake pedals. I feel overwhelmed by just

getting the

basics done. I also take a light muscle relaxer at night which works wonders

for stopping

my lower body from jolting and twitching at night.

Right now, I've been going to the pain clinic to try to get some relief. I just

had a steroid

shot that helped a tiny bit, so I'm sure I'll have to go back. I think they

want to do an MRI,

which hasn't been done since before the fusion. Maybe that will show what's

going on.

As for what I do to keep sane, I'm lucky enough to be able to write fiction. I

have a lap

top, so I can do that lying down if I have to (which I do have to). If I could

only make a

living writing short stories, I'd be all set. I also read a lot and try to

avoid too much TV.

(Since most programs aren't very good, this isn't too hard for me.) I also have

a few low-

maintenance pets that keep me company.

Kate

>

> > Hey Kate, I am also new to this group and like you

> it is nice to have a place to go where people really

> understand what your feeling. The only thing is it is

> hard to navigate, and find someonw to start talking

> too.

>

> Good morning

>

> Welcome to the group, Kate, Kristy, and all of the

> other newbies. What kind of problem are you having?

>

> It is difficult to talk to strangers at first. It took

> me a week, or two to write to the group after I first

> joined.

>

> I hope we have earned your trust, so that you will

> feel welcome here.

> Kaylene

> Moderator

>

>

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.

> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

>

[Guest guest]

This is my first post (I think) but I've been around for five-six months,

reading the digest every day. I'm 73 and have had Fibromyalgia and ME (Myalgic

Encephalomyelitis, which is what a lot of us who were diagnosed with Chronic

Fatigue Syndrome actually do have) for eighteen years.

My pain has increased over the years from four doses of ibuprofen (1990) to six

doses of tramadol (1994) to four doses of 10mg hydrocodeine (now). I am taking

part in a FDA test trial for Fibromyalgia pain and I think it is going to do

wonders for me. I'll keep everyone posted.

What triggered this post is the subject line, welcoming two new members, Kate

and Kristy (I welcome you, too, by the way). I have three daughters: Kate,

Kristy, and , so you can see why the subject line caught my eye.

The pain is my main problem, yes, but I have had to work hard not to be cranky

when I'm in a lot of pain. That has been the biggest struggle for me. It took

a long time but now my girls are very understanding, and I want to keep that

acceptance, so I am very honest with them that my pain is bad and it's best if

they stay away from me. I've told them why, and it seems to be working.

I feel so badly for those of you who are in such pain, far worse than mine. I'm

usually at a 6 or a 7 with the hydrocodeine, but some of you have such severe

pain and little or no help from your doctors.

My girls call me, " Our mother -- the barometer " because I always know when

there's a storm a-coming. They talk about sending for the Three Stooges

ambulance service to take me to the hospital where the Marx Brothers run the

emergency room. Laughter, it always helps.

Best wishes to everyone here,

Nina in Maine

[Guest guest]

Hi Nina,

I would love any tips you have on helping

your kids understand your mood with the pain. I have

a 13 year old, 11 year old, 9 year old step kids who

are with me 95% of the time, and a 1 year old. I have

severe migraines and seem to just drop out of life for

days at a time.

I am barely a walking zombie as I drive them to school, sports practices, etc.

I wantmy issues with pain to have as little effect on theirlives as possible.

How have you helped your family to

deal with your pain? I appreciate suggestions from

everyone. I love this group. I finally feel like I

am reading posts from others who understand where I am

very frequently.

Thanks,

bren

--- Nina Koch wrote:

My girls call me, " Our mother -- the barometer "

> because I always know when there's a storm a-coming.

> They talk about sending for the Three Stooges

> ambulance service to take me to the hospital where

> the Marx Brothers run the emergency room. Laughter,

> it always helps.

>