medicaid/pillows/recovering

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

Someone asked about medicaid. The Social Security people don't handle

medicaid, so they have to refer you to the office that handles this.

Although medicaid isn't welfare, this is usually the welfare office. There

are income limits to receive medicaid, and this varies from state to state.

(I work for Social Security) Although it is frustrating to have to call yet

another office, you do need to contact the state agency for medicaid.

I have a water pillow - mediflow. It is absolutely wonderful. I took it

with me to the hospital, and was very glad I did. I was laying on that as

soon as I was out of recovery. You do want to put an old pillowcase on it,

as the pillowcase could (and did) get soiled.

I got this pillow about 4 years ago, after my first surgery. That night was

the best night's sleep I had in a month. It seemed expensive at the time,

but it has lasted over 4 years. I do have it on top of another pillow, as I

like the height. I usually sleep on my side, and have the pillow situated

so it is not under my shoulder but is supporting my neck.

I sent a message earlier this week about pain from my hip going down my leg.

I didn't know if it could be the soft tissue irritation from surgery or

something else. I saw my primary doctor (who says that Dr. Oro is her hero

too). She thought it was a sciatica pain. She gave me a B-12 shot and

showed me some easy resistance type movements to try. That helped some.

She also recommended a massage.

The massage therapist works in her office and I went today for the massage.

The therapist found some muscles that were very knotted up, on my right

side, and worked on getting them smoothed out. There were some in my back,

shoulder, hip and leg. It is feeling much better. There are some

massage-like things I can do at home, and I have some of the essential oils

that she uses.

The therapist thought it could be a combination of things. Sciatica pain,

my body adjusting to walking straighter instead of having a cane, and the

muscle/tissue irritation from laying prone during surgery. The good news is

that all of those are temporary.

So...recovery continues. This is 15 days after surgery with Dr. Oro. My

back-of-the-head headaches are gone. I haven't used my cane since surgery

(I did lean on the IV pole for the first few walks). My staples were

removed Monday, and that wasn't bad at all. I kept the staple puller, as

someone told me it works for taking staples out of fabric.

I have been reading, sleeping, sewing, sleeping, watching tv, sleeping. I

have taken a couple short walks. I'm craving salads (I asked Dr. Diane to

put in a post surgery suggestion that 'salads are my friend') I weighed

Monday at the doctor, and found I had lost 5 pounds. I have quite a few

more to lose. I'm off the pain meds during the day. Progress continues!

Take care (sorry this got so long),

Marci

surgery 5/29/02 with Dr. Oro!