Monday, June 27, 2011

Already Next Friday...

Since my last post, I went back to the medication that was working for me and thankfully have been feeling fine again. I'm unfortunately lacking sleep because John and I are on opposite schedules...he's on the 4pm to midnight shift so the only way we can actually see each other are my days off or if I wait up for him...and it just sucks living with someone and not seeing them. So besides being sleep deprived, all else is good. I've been exercising on my bike about 5-6 times a week for 15 minutes...enough to get some movement in my body.

Today I went to the hospital for my pre-testing for the surgery next week. I cannot believe how quickly the time went by. Once again, I'm ready and excited to get this over with. The great thing about this surgery is how much simpler it will be compared to the last one: no hospital stay needed, only local anesthesia, no hard cast, and should be moving fine within just a couple of days. I really hope this procedure does the trick and my stubborn callus goes away. I guess only time will tell....

I'm also looking forward to slowing down to recover for a week or two, spend some time with my parents, see some of my Jersey friends again, and enjoy lots of mom-made meals...those are the BEST kind! I'll keep ya'll posted!!! All prayers and good wishes are welcome :)

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Change of Meds...NOT a Good Idea!!!!

I had a follow up call with my pain management doc on Wednesday and told him the amazing news of how I've been feeling so great, that I finally figured out how to take the pain meds in just the right dosage for me, how I'm so happy to be waking up and feeling so well. And I also had to tell him that I stopped taking all supplements because I started having some freak rashes all over my body and I wasn't sure what it was...it turns out they were bug bites, not supplements.

While he was obviously happy for me, he was a bit concerned about the blood test results that he received for some tests I did a couple of weeks ago. The levels for my energy are extremely low...scary low, as he put it. And even though I've been feeling so great, it really is just the Tramadol getting me through the day. Some of my other levels are also really really low so he recommended that I continue to take some of the supplements, which was fine by me. I just didn't wanna go back to taking 33 pills a day.

Initially, he prescribed me the short-acting type of Tramadol, the type you have to take every 4 to 6 hours. He explained that if that worked, we could try the long-acting form so I would only have to take 1 pill a day instead of 4. Sounds great in theory! When we spoke on Wednesday, he asked me to try the long-acting form and I noticed right away on Thursday that I did not feel the same, it did not give me the same relief. But I do try to give all these meds I try the benefit of a doubt, so I tried taking it again on Thursday night...and was unable to go to work on Friday :(

I just woke up so weak and in SO MUCH pain, that it took all the energy in me just to shower. I hate calling out sick, especially when I need my sick days next month for my surgery! I didn't have any energy all day long to do anything but sit/sleep on the couch. I felt better as the day went along but got worse again at night. I called his office and pretty much told them I would take 2 long-acting pills tonight and if I wake up a mess again tomorrow I'm going back to what I was doing before because it was clearly working.

It's so crazy that I've been feeling relief for such a short period of time, and yet, it's almost like I forgot all about how things used to be "before." I honestly can't even tell you if today's "episode" was better or worse than my every day life before I figured out my Tramadol dosage. And I used to get up in the morning every day feeling a mess and manage getting out the door and today it literally got the best of me.

I am just so THANKFUL for medicine and all its advances because here I am today reeling but hopefully this will be figured out soon and I'll have the relief that I need. I have to admit that it was a scary day to feel so debilitated, to be in so much pain and to be unable to do anything for myself. Hopefully this won't last!!!