Hello to my beloved neglected readers!  I so appreciate you reading my last CRAZY blog.  I still kind of can’t believe the ordeal I went through… FUN FUN. Anyway, I just thought I would post a quick update!

So after my fantabulously awful hospital stay, I saw my friend from high school who is now a neurologist.  PT and drugs were her prescription for getting me back to normal. It was so great to see her but also a relief to see a familiar face that could help me out when I was so distraught.  I literally wanted to kiss her for all of her immediate help.   She was a bigger comfort than she will ever know.

I had to take off from work for a week.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing but not when you are damaged goods. Luckily I used the week off from work to recoop as much as I could.  I’m not good at relaxing or staying put but I did okay.  I didn’t move any furniture or paint the walls but rest had to be on the agenda. I’ve never listened to my body before.  I’ve never heard it when it told me enough was enough.  That week, my body didn’t give me a choice.  I could barely stand up on my own.  I was loopy from meds. The pain was blinding and awful.  I couldn’t put my hair in a ponytail without crying or screaming. I made dinner one night and crumpled into a giant heap of pain. I watched a lot of Lifetime, wishing I had saved some Gilmore Girls episodes for these moments.  I wrote weddings. I took client calls.  I stayed in the recliner my kind husband and his family brought to our place for me to convalesce in. I couldn’t even crochet or do crafts.  What I wouldn’t give to have had a quiet week like that with nothing to do but play. I’m so lucky to have my mom and my husband.  They double-teamed taking care of me and I’m not an easy patient.

Physical therapy was next on the agenda.  I went to a place near our home that lied about being covered by my insurance.  So I started with them and then found out from my insurance company that I couldn’t continue or I’d be paying out-of-pocket.  I was PANGRY (pained and angry? It works.) because I had specifically asked.  I called, I cancelled, I scolded them for treating a person who is obviously in pain with such disregard.  They practically stalked me and made it impossible for me to cancel my appointments.  What a hot mess PLUS they had like 4 parking spots.  I need to review them— do I do that on Yelp? Anyway, it wasn’t a good fit so when I found my current PT place I was already hesitant going in.   I had to start all over and not until the following week. I’ve never done this before.  Luckily, I was blessed by the Gods and given Aimee.  My physical therapist Aimee ROCKS.  Not only can she literally make me smile through all the pain BUT she can literally put her finger on where she knows my pain is.  She massages my back, neck, and shoulder-blade until she can see me get some relief.  I’m so glad to have met her, and I know I’m in excellent hands, literally.  I’ve been going anywhere from 1-3 times a week depending on how crazy life gets.  I like getting up to go too.  It’s nice to have an appointment on my day off and get started early.  I’m trying not to overdo it. I always feel better when I go and feel myself getting stronger. I have my work cut out for me though.  My fingers are delayed and still puffy.  My arm still has pain but it’s not a shooting pain anymore, almost like a burning now.  My left shoulder-blade and neck had such severe pain and spasms; that’s where all the pain originates, the nerves.  Now that I’ve been compensating for it, my right shoulder-blade is a mess too. I’ve been keeping up with it and listening to my body more.

It’s now over a month since the whole hospital and neck issue began.  Yes, I’m still in pain.  Returning to work was brutal.  I was moved from my normal standing location for my 3 12-hour shifts and put at a sitting desk instead which helped.  I was grateful to my job for being so understanding.  I honestly didn’t know how it would all go. I soldiered back a little too early and I know they appreciated that. I appreciated them understanding my limits so it was really a win-win.

It might sound silly but I can commiserate so much more with people who are in chronic pain and have silent diseases, you know?  You hear insensitive statements like “You don’t look sick” or “suck it up.” You can’t. You literally CAN’T.  People ask you constantly how you are and how can you continuously answer with not great or I feel terrible or I want to cry right now.  Honesty is the best policy but damn, it gets old to share THAT constantly. I feel for the people who will never heal and I pray that they find excellent drugs to mask or alleviate their pain.  It is literally the worst.  I look forward to and hope that someday I’ll be pain-free again.  It’s going to be an uphill battle that I will reach though.  I’m one of the lucky ones.

Thanks for reading, folks!  I promise you I’m doing better everyday and on the road to recovery! 🙂 Look forward to more blogs coming up—- I might have a gimp arm but hot damn, I’m a great right-handed typer!