The Past Year

A year gone by......a whole year since my last blog. I had no intention of just dropping the whole blog, but so many things came up that kept pushing me away from my computer. Can you guess the first main reason? If you said my illness, FIBRO, or even the new back pain issue, you are correct. My back pain escalated. I was being sent from one specialist to the next, then a terrible thing happened, my husband lost his job. We were new to the city and he lost his job which means insurance too! I was in the middle of getting those expensive epidural shots in my back. BUT, life goes on, we couldn't stay in the city with no money and no new job leads, so we had to hurry and pack up and move back home. To my brother's house and family. Our grown children were very glad to see us but we were sad we could not make a new start there. Hot Springs is a beautiful inspiring city with so much scenery to help anyone heal through chronic pain and depression. But my granddaughter was here and family wanted to help.

So we moved in and my back pain continued. I eventually sat in a wheelchair most of time and did my own research on anything I could find on my condition. Internet connection was sketchy at my brother's house so again the pain and not much computer connection kept me from blogging. Then of course depression sets in with both me and husband worrying over job loss, insurance, no home, no money. Kept praying, keep looking, kept dealing with all my pain. Summer came and went and in the fall I reached a break in my back pain. I am not sure why, but I suddenly had a big relief of pain. What did I do?? I got out of the house, I went to town, I tried doing a little more, walking a little more, seeing sights and people. And then it began to come back. But my husband found a job, and we found a house and in the fall, right before Thanksgiving, we began to move in our new rent home. Of course I did not do much at all. I did unpack some things but I remained in pain. We waited the 3 month time frame for our new insurance to kick in.

Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went and the New Year. And first week in February I finally seen my good ole small town family doctor and told him my long sob story of  doctors in the city, then no insurance, no relief with pain and bladder issues. After we talked, we decided to try Chiropractor help, then physical therapy, some pain medications as needed, and then a little further down the road, pain management, but I needed steroids for inflammation. Of course I realize pain medication masks the real problem but I needed a break from the pain. The steroids and chiropractor visits begin to help some. Then another major bad break, my husband got very sick. He developed some chronic bleeding from his colon that hid from the doctors. He went through several transfusions and tests to find the source of the bleeding. In and out of 3 hospitals. This whole time I do not know how, other than by God's hand, did I make it staying at the hospital, running here and there and waiting on him. You know what our energy and pain levels are with FM and it was so stressing on me but I did it. So whatever relief I received from the steroids and chiropractor came back with a vengeance. Now my husband lost the new job and I could not return to doctor or chiropractor.  Which brings me to present day.

My official diagnosis from the rude Neurologist was Spinal Stenosis with my bladder issue, being a separate problem. I disagreed and still do. When my inflammation is at it's worse, the nerves to my bladder are more pinched and I loose function. I cannot sit at computer very long. I cannot lay very long. I cannot stand very long. I cannot walk very long. I cannot bend, or lift. The pain is horrible. Sometimes it is a shocking pain, from the pinched nerves. Sometimes it is a burning and bruised feeling. Now it is not only in lower back, but all in buttock, sacroiliac area, hips and upper legs. I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss the days where I just complained about the aches and pains of FM. Anyway, I did manage to get another regular steroid shot and went back to taking pain medications daily and muscle relaxers. Yes, I worry about addiction. This is day 3 after shot and I have some relief. So therefore I am blogging, and on Pinterest and Facebook. I have not sat at computer this long in a year.

My goal is to go back to my family doctor and have him send me to some specialist that will really discuss my problem and take action. My FM has pretty much remained the same. Still no energy and aching muscles, very sensitive to touch, noise, etc....not sleeping well. I still cannot shop or do housework much at all. I still am mostly housebound. Some days it bothers me that it has taken so much from me and some days it doesn't. Mostly I am still trying to take it one day at time and keep moving forward.