One Step Forward.

[dodger_sister]

I just realized that it is October 10th and I haven't posted yet this month. It's not because I don't have things to say! Or because I don't have the energy to say them! It's just that my energy is getting sapped by other things, mostly Mom-stress.

I will say, I saw the pain doctor that my little brother sees for his fibromyalgia - and that he swears by - and she was A-mazing. She really listened to me and came up with a game plan and if that game plan didn't work, she came up with a backup game plan. One thing was to try a new medicine. She gave me the 'test' for fibro, after I described my pain in a way that was reminscent of her fibro patients. The 'test' is basically just pushing on various pressure points for your nerves and seeing how you react. I reacted in pain with every single pressure point. Because of my arthritis, they can't really accurately diagnose me with fibromyalgia, but that's okay, because they are going to treat it as if it is and started me on a medicine for fibro - (also that my brother takes and swears by). If you could marry a medicine, I'd marry this one. My arthritis pain is still here, obvs, but that all over 'buzzing electricity' pain is like 85% gone and my energy is way up.

We ran errands last Friday to like the bank, the store, to visit mom, to the pet store with the dog - and it was ridiculous, but I was having such a good time, because I felt good. Just running errands is such a novel idea to me these days, like doing more than one thing in a day, let alone in a row. And we were joking and laughing and being silly while we were doing it, just Sis and I enjoying each other - though we were super sad that BFF couldn't come down cuz she was sick, we lamented it all night, no, really - and idk, it just felt weird to be that energized, even though I was exhausted and hurting afterwards, it was a hundred times better than I have been in a long time.

Mom is not doing well, but we'll touch on that some other day and hopefully there'll be more time next post to talk about The Nephew! But anyways, there's the health update I've been promising you - awesome new doctor and awesome new meds!

Comments

[ceitfianna]

Yay for a new doctor! I'm glad that you've found something that's helping so much.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

The new medicine really is helping so much and it is only the first step in the game plan from the new doctor, so I am hopeful that I can keep my head up this coming winter!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

So glad you are feeling better. I'm sorry about your Mum.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

My mom's health has never been good, but this new development with her heart is unexpected. Still, I am glad I am feeling better - for lots of reasons - but also so I can help out with my mom as much as I can. It makes me feel good to be able to help someone else for a change!

[vikingprincess]

I am SO GLAD to hear that you're feeling better! And fun getting out and doing regular stuffs! Marry that med! MARRY IT!

I guess Mom must be doing about the same, huh? :(

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

I know I want to marry Oxy, but that would be such an abusive relationship - it was before, for sure - but Gabapentin, yeah, I could see myself spending forever with that guy. Provided my kidney doesn't come between us! (this metaphor is played out now, I think)

Mom is worse than when we discussed her last. She has degressed enough that they are talking of moving her from the rehab ward to the nursing home center. She had a chest cold that laid her out for like 4 days and she never came back from it. IDK, the last few days she has seemed a little more active, but her mind is still...bordering on dementia, I guess.

Sis and I are attending a meeting with the social worker on Tuesday and I'll know more then about what's next. I'll keep you informed. Thanks for the support, babe! Idk what I'd do without you to vent too.

[vikingprincess]

You might be right.

Oh, man. That's rough. Probably the more active she is, the more her mind has to do, but... both of my maternal grandparents ended up with Alzheimer's, and it's hard to handle for the rest of the family, more so than for the afflicted person.

I hope there are good possibilities for care without losing too much quality of life. It sounds as though coming home might not be in the cards for quite a while. *hugs*

Anytime, babe!

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Honestly, IDK if coming home will ever be in the cards for Mom, but we would like her to be somewhere where she is at least comfortable and well cared for and to be more proactive for herself at least in trying to help her condition not worsen quite as fast as it has been, by being more open to her PT and to doing what she can for herself as much as she can. We had to have a sit down/mini-intervention with her about sticking with her care plan and forcing herself to do things even if she was tired, etc. She was mildly receptive to it, which was something.

[vikingprincess]

Ouch. But, you have to do whatever's best, no matter how unfun the call may end up being.

That's good, that she was receptive to it.

[bugeyedmonster.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that!

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Really the bump-up in health has been amazing, even if it isn't back to where I was, it's still a step in the right direction!

[ranua.livejournal.com]

What fantastic news! I'm very happy for you, finding a new doctor and a new med that are both working out so well.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Thanks, babe! The goal with this doctor is to be discharged from her care in 6 months, as we will hopefully have found a care plan that works by then and then my regular doctor can just keep me up with that care plan. I noticed a dramatic difference in my health after only a week with this doctor, so I imagine I'll be more than ready to be discharged from her service by the time 6 months is up!

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

Look at me, commenting! Yay!

I'm so glad the pain doctor was so good. I can really feel a difference even over the internet. Your upped energy level is coming through, somehow! I'm so happy for you! <3

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Look at you, commenting like a champ, yo! ;)

I can really feel a difference even over the internet. Your upped energy level is coming through, somehow

That makes me so happy to hear. I was just so happy to report on my change in health to you guys! Honestly, I will start a daydream about some hottie or another and suddenly I'll be explaining to them in the daydream how great my new medicine is working and then I'm like, 'no, damn, we were suppose to be making out, this is not what I wanted from this daydream!' But I just am so excited about the new med that apparently I have to tell EVERYONE, even daydream peeps. ;) (that is so embarrassing, omg, I'm such a dork)

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

(that is so embarrassing, omg, I'm such a dork)
The best dork! Dorks are the best!

[denig37]

Happy that you are doing better! :-D

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Thank you! A lot of times I curse my medicine for the terrible side effects and stuff, but with this one, I will take the side effects because it is giving me so much good stuff along with them - it is really helping!

How are you? How is the situation with your sister going?

[denig37]

That's definitely something as long as the side effects aren't very bad and outweigh the actual effects.

Only in Slovakia would the police ask you to bring in the guy who tried to kill you with yourself for questioning (I really wish I was kidding).

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Only in Slovakia would the police ask you to bring in the guy who tried to kill you with yourself for questioning (I really wish I was kidding).

Holy crap. That's...idk what to say. It sounds like they don't take domestic violence serious in any way. I am so sorry, babe.

[denig37]

There are no words to describe how pissed off that made me.