Hi all! I hope everyone is doing well tonight! As for me, I saw the Pain Specialist yesterday, and feel VERY OVERWHELMED! Here's the lowdown...He showed me my MRI (of my neck), after asking about my history,of course. He showed me how...
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hang in there
Chelsea
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 09:42 AMre: hang in there
CJ
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 09:52 AMThank you so much, Chelsea, for your encouragement. Some of your ideas I actually HAVEN'T tried yet, so I truly appreciate your input-it gives me even more hope. And you are right about not having a doomsday approach to life-I usually don't...I guess that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for your prayers-I definitely need them now! I'm very grateful for your thoughts and input. Thanks again,
CJ
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Hey there
Nancy Bonk
Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 03:25 PMIf any doctor, surgeon or other, tells you they can totally get rid of your pain (or cure you) with surgery, run- do not walk out of his office!
Having said that, dealing with cervical spine issues may better be handled by a neurosurgeon, rather than an ortho.....a bit close to the brain for my liking....
Hang in there. Have you tried aqua-therapy? I did for my cervial spine issues before surgery. Didn't fix anything, but felt good. I've also read that some disc issues, bulging, herniations can actually be reabsorbed into the body.
replyWhen overwhelmed, expect miracles!
CJ
Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 07:15 PMHi Nancy! Great thinking! You are right about the neurosurgeon. I hadn't thought of that-but of course I'm using THAT as an extreme LAST resort. I actually used to teach aqua-therapy, and have also tried it as a patient as well...it aggravated my lumbar spinal fusion (a result of my car accident-ugh!).
I actually had a small miracle today! I was on my way to visit a friend of mine (she works at a car dealership), and as I pulled in, my car DIED. Turns out my battery and alternator, for starts, are gone, gone, gone. The miracle is that just last night I was driving my older son to his youth group-it could have happened THEN, but it didn't. I can't afford a cell phone anymore, so that would have been REALLY BAD.
Even better...my friend's husband heads up the labor dept. where he works at HIS car dealership, and he's going to help me out! Can you believe my miracle? I'm so amazed!
Thanks for the info and feedback!
CJ
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overwhelmed
ERFLTRN
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 at 07:31 PMHi CJ,
Please remember that this is just my opinion but I have been a nurse for 17 years and would have a neurosurgeon operate on my neck long before and orthopedic. The neurosurgeon are specially trained to deal with the complex nerves and vessels in your neck and the ortho doctors really just deal with the bone. I can tell you from spending 16 years in the ER setting that most hospitals have programs no one knows about because they are not advertised. Ask for an appt with the hospital social or case worker and explain your situation and if they do not have the info they can usually steer you in the right direction. I had to have a chiari decompression which involved them going in at C1 and it was done by a neurosurgeon whom I love but he was very clear that it would not cure my headaches but may reduce the neuro effects and frequency of them. Keep your head up.
Kathy
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CJ
Wednesday, March 05, 2008 at 08:54 PMI want to thank you for your input-it's very valuable information indeed! I do not know what a chiari procedure is, but I'm sure I could find out-or maybe you could explain it to me. I will definitely have a neurosurgeon work on me as opposed to an ortho doc. What would you suggest for the following?
Unfortunately, for me, I have severly injured my back again. I was warned, before my lumbar fusion, that the segments above and below the fused joints might become hyper-mobile after many years, especially if I am active. On Sunday, Mar 2, I was horsing around with my 8 yr old and I immediately felt screaming left sided back pain near the site of my fusion. In the 3 1/2 days that have passed, the pain has localized, is worse when I laugh or go to the bathroom, do a pelvic tilt, move or walk, or anything that involves tightening my abdominals...
Anyhow, for anyone else that knows me, my boyfriend and I broke up back in January-so I don't have any help around here except for the kids. He turned into an angry, insecure and jealous guy. It was completely for the best. He'd actually bought me a cell phone so I would always answer it. It was very controlling and I had to end it. That last day he actually told me that it's normal for men to yell at women and if I thought otherwise I'd be alone a long time.
Believe me, I've been in an abusive marriage before, and I deserve much much better. My car is better now thanks to my friend and her husband-they charged me very little for fixing my car so that the 4 wheel drive works again, along with the alternator, the battery, and the transmission. It's just everything else in life that doesn't feel so certain; except for my faith-that's as strong as ever!
CJ
replyre: re: overwhelmed
ERFLTRN
Thursday, March 06, 2008 at 10:39 AMCJ,
I am so happy you got out of an abusive relationship because you are very right no one deserves that. I can completely relate though as my first husband was an alcholic and abusive as well. I can now say though that God has truly brought me my soul mate. He is the most wonderful compassionate and caring man I have ever known. He even adopted my children from my first marriage. A simple explanation of a Chiari malformation is that a piece of my cerebellum (brain tissue) was stuck in the opening your spinal cord enters your skull. Some people are born with them but my was from a traumatic brain injury while in the Army. It created some pretty serious neuro problems which thankfully were releived by the surgery. It however has not really done much for the migraines (which I was told was a possibility). Like any doctor when choosing one that is going to be doing such a delicate procedure check them out with your state board of licensing. I will keep you in my prayers and please feel free to email me or chat anytime.
Be well,
Kathy
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HANG IN THERE!!
that is excellent that you got so much success/info from the pain specialist........that is a good step!!! now with life, bills, single mom, insurance, etc----one day at a time. Now Im sure youve exhausted all of your options with local/state medical help, or low income for single family help, etc....but I found some nifty programs going to our hospital's social/human services and explained our situation. sometimes you have to be persistant and ask specifically before options are presented to you.
I hope you hang in there and keep your head up. I have very high anxiety, and sometimes my headaches get the best of me putting a "panic point of view" on everything going on in my life. I have to stop my mind from reeling somehow, whether its deep breathing, saying a prayer, or dancing your butt off to some music to get some adrenaline going (which i know is out of the question if your working with a headache). But I just wanted you to know that I will say a prayer for you and I hope things work out.
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