Coleen's update

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have been using the lidocaine patch on my L4-5 (since 1/14) and it seems to be

helping me a little with my pain from there and radiating down my legs.  My

lower legs were really kicking my butt while laying on my bed before I put the

lidocaine patch on L4-5, so I am happy about that.  It says to put it on at

bedtime and then take off 12 hours later. 

My question is why should I need to take it off, maybe there is a little left in

it so I leave it on till my next one that evening.  Why not?  Any ideas on that?

My fentanyl patch got upped to 25% I believe it said.  I have not used the

higher dose yet.

I am waiting until my guy is awake so he knows I am taking more meds.  We made a

pact that whenever one of us takes new or more meds to tell each other in case

something happens to us, like if I have a reaction to too much meds, he will

know what to tell the dr.

I am happy about this as it will get me slowly cut down on my oral meds which I

take every few hours, plus or minus according to what I am doing. 

To me, in my mind, I can only imagine my nerves being pinched off and causing

this pain and here I am doing my best to numb it so I can be as active as I

can.  I am still injuring those nerves.  It says right on the MRI that the nerve

is being impinged on.  That is damage to the nerve.  How can they correct it?  I

don't see a silver lining.  I only see a wheelchair.

I just can not walk hardly. Period.

I asked my doctor about wheelchairs and she wants me to see a physical

therapist.  That's fine, no problem.  I will call the one my doctor located in

the same town she is and make an appt, first I will make sure they take my

Oregon Health Plan Plus.  I am looking forward to seeing a physical therapist

actually.  They will be able to understand, I hope, my pain and where it is

coming from.  I will show them both my MRI's and my exrays.  I guess they can

show me excercizes to help alleviate the pain and stretch that muscle out a

little.  It's like my leg muscles are aching to be used but when I go to use

them they hurt even more! 

My guy  is also in chronic pain and says I complain to much, I didn't think I

did.  He complains or groans but I don't say anything.  I know he is just really

tired of living in pain and so am I.  Two people in chronic pain, just getting

worse, living 24/7 in a trailer.  Luckily one of us can go up into the bedroom

and one can stay downstairs (3 stairs). 

He is like a sick dog right now and wants to be left alone.   I feel for him. 

How can you fix something that is broken without going in there and rewiring

it?  I don't even think that is possible.  I don't see how they are going to fix

my back.  I only see that

more movement on those damaged nerves just makes them worse.  That is why I am

losing control of my legs.  

My guy is having his nose surgery next month and he is very nervous about that. 

I  am becoming his sounding board if you know what I mean.  He is really on edge

and I am always doing something wrong.  He is really sick right now and like a

sick dog he  doesn't want to be around anyone including me.  It is horrible.  He

says I don't understand sick people and is getting mad at me at every turn.  No

matter what I say it isn't right.  I sure hope he feels better soon. 

He also does not do well when the sun is not out so there is no talking to him. 

I can't even talk to myself without driving him crazy.  I am going crazy not

being able to use my voice.

This year better be better as I need to do something so simple as talking and I

can't. 

Maybe with this better pain relief I can go to physical therapy and from there

talk to them and somehow find a group of people who like to chat or something. 

I love to talk, I can't help it.   My guy likes to make small talk sometimes in

the car and that can drive me crazy.  I like real conversation.  I don't know. 

I guess we are both going crazy.  He can just sit in his lazy boy recliner for

hours with the tv and surf on the computer about our galaxies and stars for

hours on end without talking to me.  I want attention. 

All I can say is I hope he feels better soon.  His surgery is on the 10th of

next month.

Rhino something surgery.   Open up his nose so he can breathe better.  He has

infections in there right now.  He has green yellow sputum.  We both got all the

flu shots.

It is raining and windy here and I think I will take a nap. lol.

Life has got to get better.

for now, Coleen

Question......

ps.  With the fentanyl patch it is for 72 hours, which is 3 days.  I like to

shower every other day.  Any suggestions on how to keep the fentanyl patch from

getting wet and falling off?

I have been using that breathable tape on my lidocaine patch as it is right

where my underwear goes and it gets messed up with my underwear elastic so I

tape it on.  Besides, the lidocaine goes on at bedtime so I just shower in the

afternoon and put the patch on later so it never gets wet.  Jeesh, the things we

have to go through. 

After surgery my guy is going to have to have his nose stuffed with gauze and

will be miserable.  We will use walkie talkies for when he wants to call me to

come upstairs to help him with something or whatever.  He will stay a nite or 2

in the hospital in case of hemoraging.  He is obese so he has to see an interist

before his surgery for EKG ect.

I just can't wait for him to feel better and then he will get back to his nicer

self.  piffle...it is crap to feel sickly isn't it?!       thanks for

listening.  I am looking like a raccoon with black between my eyes and nose from

lack of sleep.  just shoot me will ya! lol! j/k