blackwolf

dearest morgan, i can only say shame shame on them! hugs to you and i hope you do feel at least a little better. as a former cna/med aid, i am kind of embarrassed by the behavior of so many in the medical community. hugs, blackwolf

i'll light an candle for you and your family. blackwolf

my prayers and best wishes for a quick and easy recovery. blackwolf

dear em- thanks for the kind thoughts, i could use them right now. things are falling apart faster and faster. now i will start the process of getting a walker i can only hope that things go better than the trouble sunfish is having. dear melissa-i was sorry to read about the wheelchair troubles, i will be starting on the walker next week and then, if things get much worse, a wheelchair also. i feel like everything is frezzing up in my legs, like the signals just aren't getting thru, unfortunately, i can't weem to get thru to the docs about it either hubby is now on his trip and i really hope he has a good time, he needs it so bad. thanks for letting me whine and have a pity party blackwolf

years ago i and my family used to reenact the fur trade era(1780"s to 1810), you know, camping, trading furs, cast iron dutch ovens(humm-apple pie), more clothes than anyone in thier right miind would wear in 100 degree weather. just before i came to South Dakota to go to college, i met a really nice indian shaman(Lakota Sioux) and he told me that i should have a name for the rendevous- and he picked-you guessed it- blackwolf. he informed me the last day i was there, that my animal totem was the wolf(though a loner, smart and can work with others or alone-me to a T), and my spirit guardians were the earth(color black) and the night sky. ok, ok, i know a little out there, but living in sd, you kinda get used to that kinda of thing. that was back in 1990, it has stuck ever since. blackwolf

the pain, i should be so lucky to say mine was anywhere near controled. my TENS unit is actually making my neck/upper back pain worse, so i'm back to ice, gentle swimming(we have pools that you can just walk into the water, just like a beach). i have taken a liking to my lidoderm patches(5% lidocaine), though i have to be careful as to how often i use them, they do help. i can use up to 3 10x14 cm patches at a time for up to 12 hours, then take 12 hours off. i can repeat this up to 3 times before i have to take a nite or two off. oddly enough, just pressure helps me sometimes. i buy up to 10 wraps a year at the dollar store and wrap my self up like a mummy. i also have a cat that enjoys rubs, her fav is Watkin's brand menthol camphor. i really like Swedish Bitters rub by Natureworks, Gessy won't eat it either. now i'm also stiff more than ever best of luck, to anyone who hurts. i can only hope noone is getting as bad as me. i see the er in my future, again. blackwolf

dear melissa, sorry it took so long to reply, but i have had to just crash on the couch between getting things done. i still say i am in the poor to sh_tty catagory tonite, but i just had to see what was going on here. pt is ok, but not going the greatest, the pools we have been going to you can walk right into, it goes from 0" to 5' 8" at the very deepest. there is a railing you can hang onto to walk down in. with these last few days going from hot to nice to down right nasty-hot, i have limited my trips to just the basics, store(using a cart) and pt, even skipped church. my hubby leaves tomorrow for his trip with his dad, i'm happy and scared at the same time, all those what if's... i'll just pray and go with the flow. i will miss having a driver, but i know i can drive in an emergency. sorry, rambling alot, rather depressed. new troubles to add to the old. bladder just not working right, and now i have little "needle pricks" that are startling and painful. does it ever end? sinking deeper, but still lurking(sometimes) cyber hugs all, blackwolf

dear dizzy girl, i'm so sorry anyone has to go thru any of this. much less deal with terrible docs on top of it. as to your symptoms you are having, i have been doing the same thing for about 3 months now, just add in nasty body pain, tons of nausea, walking, talking and swallowing trouble and you are just where i am. i am also struggling with some docs, but not others, i have some info as to my troubles but i am also looking at at least 3 more mri sessions(one for my head and neck and one for my middle/low back) to figure out what is up and how to deal with it. i have had enough blood drawn to black me out and more pumped in, of course, everything was NORMAL! WHATEVER. best of luck and i hope we all get some answers, blackwolf

pain doc has me back on pt now land based and water workouts. i have last 14 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks, he was floored and unhappy that i was losing weight because of pain issues. we have decided to opt out of narcotic use for now and are hoping that the pt(ultra sound, moist heat and the new excersises will help. if not we are looking at something to stabilize my ribs(there about 6 different ways to stabilize them, mild to down right not moving, mostly done with wire to stabilize the ribs, but there is one procedure that uses heavy metal flat rods ) physically, things are getting worse, i have had to start working with my internal med doc to see about getting a walker. i have been using two canes, but took a tumble when one slipped away and the other just didn't hold me up. kinda scared about the walking thing, but what can i do. i am often nauseated, stiff and in pain. i have been back to the pool yesterday and today, thou i am regretting today, very tired and weak feeling. i get winded easy and dizzy and lightheaded so fast, it is scary also. talking and swallowing too. down to the wire now, i'm scared. what will happen next and how will i deal with it. just to make things more fun i have a wedding at the end of the month(my daughter is the flower girl and we made a dress for her) and i am so afraind of something happening, i'm scared to go. but can't stay home alone, my parents are going to the Black Hills and i will have no one in town that i trust enough to stay with. the 29th is the rehearsal and dinner and the wedding is on Saturday with a sit down supper and dance to follow. not sure what to do or say to anyone? thanks again every one for listening to me rant and rave. cyber hugs all around!! blackwolf

thank you everyone, poohbear, ernie, laura, julie, dayna and melissa- thanks, i needed that hug. roselover, i'll take the flower but pass on the food, not settling so well. mightymouse-i reciently started with a smart, kind and very understanding pain mgt. doc. i really like him and see him today at 2 pm. i'm sorry it took so long for me to get back to you, but things have been really bad. i ended up in the er monday, i got a mega dose of compazine and toradol(sp?) and morphine(huge dose). a cat scan of my brain was "normal", but my spine was "depressed" both in my neck and middle back. they had wanted a mri with contrast and a spinal tap( yuck!!!) i opted to go home and rest here, to follow up with my pain doc today. thou in a way i wish i had given in and stayed. i can hardly move without tons of pain and now it is begining to effect my walking even more, not to mention my breathing. i know, "would i like a little cheese with that whine". i am hoping for a major breakthrough today or it is back to the er. just not dealing so well. again, thank you everyone. i will write if i can, otherwise i might be "other wise occupied for a few days" if you get my drift. {{{hugs}}}}} back blackwolf

just about at my wits end. very depressed, very deep hole these last few weeks, just can't get out. finally had to tell hubby what is really happening, he was angry at me for pushing to hard and getting goofed up. have had a headach for 48 days as well as neck and middle back pain. very dizzy and weak, still trying to swim every day, but i think i will have to give up and stop for a few days. lightheaded is a major understatement, not quite hitting the floor but ssooo close. near constant naseau too, my normal drug of choice, compazine, isn't helping. trying some new meds over last few days, not really helping, but i have to try. will be giving in to internal med doc (i like her) and see if she can help. even considering trip to er, just for a few hours relief, sad isn't it. i'm sorry to be whiny when everyone else is so much worse off, but i have to do it here. i can't whine to hubby, he is having his own pain(ruptured discs at c4-5 inflammed again) and i can't say anything to my mom, she is stretched to thin also. i guess i just needed to cry myslef out and b_ _ ch and whine and moan and groan. the end, off to my nest on the couch nina, if you read this, thanks for the info(i got 6/9) blessings to all, blackwolf

i guess i can't really help, but i would also say stop the reditabs and go back to regular capsuls, or whatever you were taking. personally, i can't take any antihistamine of decongestant with out my heart rate going sky high. only under the most extreme nedd am i allowed to take antihistamines, ie. wasp sting or my lovely spider allergies, and severe allergies to meds, in any case i still ahve to go the er for treatment. best of luck and ihope you get things sorted out. blackwolf

been there so many times, kinda sad ain't it. i usually am bullheaded enough to get through short bouts, but anything over 5+ hours and i might as well pack it up and head to the er. by that time i usually do start vomiting and the only way to stop is iv drugs. i have even "heaved" my way to blackouts *whoo-hoo* and that "tipsy" feeling is so much like being drunk, yuck!!! not that i miss it or anything, but i have to feel that bad, i wish i could blame it on something that would go away after a while. i hope you aren't that bad. i also find that it runs in cycles, a couple of days to 3-4 weeks. actually just started another round. i use compazine to help witht he nausea i get. i also hate the balance trouble, even rolling over in bed can kick off the "whirly twirlies". summer heat can kick it off for me too. as of yet i have found no really good thing except to lay back and stay still. use something for nausea as needed and fluids, some electrolytes mabey and a lite snack. best of luck blackwolf

just reciently i was given a chance to reapply for my former employer's LTD program, as they "claim" that my case wasn't "completed corectly". as much as we needed the money i wasn't up to jumping through the hoops. we would have had to pay taxes on it, get one lump some for what they would have been paying out and i would have lost my SSDI for the 4 months they would be sending those lump sums, lawyer fees, taxes on the LTD and then SSDI wanted me to file with them and that would have lowered my payment from SSDI, blah ,blah ,blah.....and we still weren't sure if i would actually get it!!! one month later and minus $200 for lawyer fees, i just dropped it. i hope you have better luck then i did. blackwolf

i really help it helps, remember there are some new ones with less chances of side effects. one warning, be very careful with those "bladder control" pills, the cramps and constapation can really set you back. i have tried 6 different with results from just severe constapation to can't stand up because of pain and anything in between and including all. best of luck, blackwolf

dear jan, just thinking, one, elevate your head, back off on all the antacids, too much can also cause trouble, i found out that my self(too much can slow your digestion down to almost nothing, then you get backed up in your stomach, take an antacid, back up more...), try also "drinking" some meals(meal type shakes) i hope you feel better soon. please get some rest, sleep and eat well cyber hugs my best for jeff, and i still pray everynight. blackwolf

corina, i am also sssooo jealous. not the beach so much as Dali, i lloovveee Dali. ok, nut, i know, but anyway. have a really good time. blackwolf

dear jan and jeff, i'm sorry everything has been so hard, have you asked if someone can drive you? wish i could help. i hate to say it, but do the run on the puzzels, they sound fun and know that they will sell. many blessings blackwolf

i have to say slow and steady, start with super easy and work your way up, i started just with moving my arms and legs while sitting on my chair and have worked up to 3-5 pounds, leg lifts and stretches, along with swimming. i has taken me nearly 2 years to get here. as to cardio work, i would suggest recombant bikes, sit back and ride, slowly work your way up. i swim, but have been having trouble with it. i can't afford my own equipment or a gym so i keep pushing to swim. i admit that i mostly use my arms, but to keep up with the kids i have to kick some. i have been having tons of trouble walking and haven't been downstairs for several days and have resorted to baths and showers at the pool. best of luck, blackwolf

i also have bladder troubles, and when sick, sometimes bowels. it seems to be in cycles for me too. i have tried many meds to treat the bladder trouble, but with no luck. i have also done pelvic floor excersises for years. i am currently waiting to see if i am one of the few that can have and beneifit from surgery. when out and about i use pads for leaks, but i work very hard at using the restrooms when ever i see one. this seems to help me. i hope you get some help, blackwolf

i'll second mary's empi tens unit, i have one and on more than one occasion it has kept me on track and moving some. i use mine mostly one my back, but i have used it on my legs and arms too. i have 8 different setting for pulses and a huge range for the voltage, i mx and match for different needs and my pain, though bad some of the time is much better while using the tens unit(especially the pinched nerves in my back from ribs that won't stay in place). i have reciently started using lidoderm patches for topical treatment of pain, they are really nice for me. the have 5% lidocaine in a water based patch that stickes on rather well(sometimes i have to wrap the ones on my legs) that i can cut(they come in 10x14 cm patch) to the size i need for the area and use only what i need. they have really helped with the "skin on fire" pain i often have in my arms and legs. they also help with the pain in my neck that i can't seem to find anything else that helps. i hope you get some help and that everyting works out. blackwolf

sorry for all your pain, all my prayers, peace and calm your way blackwolf

i understand your fear of drugs, i am also sensative and getting worse about drugs i can handle. try hayfever without antihistamines and decongestants. have you tried natural things? vitamins and minerals, herbs? i prefere to use vitamins and minerals to treat some troubles, though my benifits might not be yours. vitamin b complex has helped with muscle troubles and i do think it helps my memory. mabey a placebo effect. i use a b-100 complex every day. magnesium has helped in a few ways. one, my bowels, they do "move" alot better, i have also noticed that i have less tachycardia on the dose i am using now, and i have cut back on my bb with continued benefits. i use 1200-1600 mgs of magnesium a day. i have been checked by my doc for to much in my system, but i seem to be handling it very well. and in my case the bowel help alone is worth it. it also helps with absorbtion of other vitamins and minerals. i also take a vitamin c with rosehips(500mgs) 3 times a week and 400ui of vitamin e 4 days a week. i'm not really sure if they make a differnece but i seem to be getting less cold and flu symptoms then i did last year and with two kids bring home everything from school it did help. i use ativan for sleep and anxiety, xanax didn't work out for me. and don't forget to drink plenty of fluids and salt also, i use sea salt on the reconmendation of some others on this site. compression stockings help me, especially in the heat. that is all i can think of best of luck, blackwolf

still trying to find doc willing to give it a try. best of luck blackwolf

CONGRATS!!! i'm so happy everything went well. blessings on all of you blackwolf