I know the answer for me is fusion but I am loath to go for it. When I first found out what was causing my sciatica I saw two surgeons, one who said “get it done now” and the other who said “wait until you are in so much pain you can’t sleep then get it done”…so far I’ve stuck with the second option. I have a degree in medical science, I think it’s a case of knowing a little too much about what’s involved and the risks associated with it (scale of results being: fully functional - slight improvement - no improvement - worse - much worse/complications) that keeps me away from the surgery until it hits that second option On the other hand, my aversion to walking (for the obvious reasons) is starting to seriously mess with my quality of life…decisions, decisions.
My chronic pain, and I deal with them with what feels like a minute-to-minute approach daily:
I have a terrible tendinitis/arthritis and sometimes impingement in my shoulder that results in my hand/arm going numb every night no matter how I sleep and I cannot throw a ball.
I have a degenerating disk in my lower back. I’ve mostly got this one licked through a regiment of serious exercise/strengthening, but I cannot sleep comfortably. I. Just. Can’t.
I have a degenerative hip disease.
I keep myself as fit as possible, eat right and feel lucky to be as healthy as I am. I am posting… not complaining.
I think this is a good thing to look at. One of the reasons why I’ve tried to do as much as I can despite pain is that I finally saw my way clear to thinking about what I wanted to be like. I didn’t/don’t want to be the bitter, complaining chronic pain patient. I especially don’t want to be the bitter, complaining mom to my children. I want to affect their lives as little as possible with this. Yes, there are nights when I just can’t read stories because my jaw hurts too much. There are times when I’m lying on my icepack on the couch trying to get my back under control, and therefore I can’t do <whatever> right now. But I really want those times to be few and far between.
You’re right that loving someone who lives with chronic pain is difficult. You can’t make the pain go away, nor can you speed your GF to the point where she is emotionally ready to do some of the psychological healing work. It sounds like you are good and supportive without being enabling, though, and I think that’s important.
Yes, and it works. I can not wait until the jackasses who feel a medical plant used for thousands of years, and that already has non druggie advocates stating it needs to be moved to a different schedule get their respective heads out of their asses and actually legalize it for medical use. Recreational users are on their own. [I don’t care if you want to use it recreationally, as far as I am concerned it is as evil as a beer and a cigarette] I just want to be able to get it at a dispensary as a bud, or in the form of hash or as an edible. I do not want to pay criminals in Mexico to obtain it, and I would like the option to grow my own. I would personally love to open a proper dispensary here in CT, and to have space in the building to grow a good indica and a good sativa to supply my dispensary. I would also like to not have to worry about being raided, my home confiscated and my ass sent to prison for using a plant that grows wild everywhere but the north pole and antarctica.
True that. I do get depressed, and I don’t bother with any sort of counseling because I have reached an accommodation with my body. It fucks me over and I deal with the pain and inability to do what I used to. I also understand that I will end up in a care facility with any resources I have being confiscated for my care, so i will spend interminable years stuck in a bed with Nurse Ratchett caring for me, and no money to spend on jack shit for myself. mrAru dying will suck for me. I also understand that alzheimers and parkinsons are distinct possibilities. I have decided to off myself before this happens to me.
I love socializing, but it works best if we have people over to visit - I have my comfy chair, and the computer if it turns out I want to show someone something like a link or image. We decided next summer’s vacation we will rent a flat in Amsterdam because we can cook at “home”, and have my euro gaming buddies over to visit. Staying in and socializing is way more restful than trying to go out into a crowd. Plus we always discuss foods, and we want to have a cook-off
In a cruel twist of fate, after all of the things I wrote about acceptance, etc…yesterday turned into one of those unbearable pain days for me. It astounds me that we have such advanced medical technology in this world, and technology and science in general has advanced so much, but my stupid jaw pain cannot be cured.
I spent over an hour combing sites on the internet about TMJ, even though I know full well that there is nothing new out there. I don’t know what I expect, that I’m going to stumble across something I haven’t seen or tried before?
Yesterday was a 4 Aleve and 8 Advil day, and I skipped dinner because I just couldn’t open my mouth. Luckily, today seems better.
On the other hand, my aversion to walking (for the obvious reasons) is starting to seriously mess with my quality of life…decisions, decisions.
Luckily, today seems better.