Living With Chronic Pain Workshop

I signed up for a 6 week workshop entitled "Living a Healthy Life With Chronic Pain". It was an interesting beginning, and I have homework.

The participants were of various ages, suffering a variety of ailments. I was the only one with MS, as most had more arthritic type conditions, or diseases like fibromyalgia.

They talked about the difference between chronic and acute pain. I get that, my knee, neck and back pain are chronic, something I've suffered with for most of my adult life. The shoulder is new, so its acute.

This week we were to develop an action plan. One thing, one activity, how often and for how long we want to do it. I chose walking. 

I always have good intentions to go out and walk the circle of my court. I never seem to get it done. Yet when the dog was visiting (I dog sat for a week) we walked every day until it got really cold. Why do I need a dog to get me up off my ass and out for a walk.

Because pain is an issue, I'm starting off slow, giving myself a chance to make my goals, and not set myself up for failure. I said I would walk 15 minutes, four times a week. Hopefully I can work up from there, once I make it a habit.

I'm feeling a bit shamed into this. My 88 year old neighbor walks to the drugstore and back, and from here that's a very healthy hike. 

I wonder if shopping counts? Next time I go to Walmart, No Frills or Costco, I'm going to time myself, see if I walk, at least 15 minutes. Of course, I'd add that as an extra, not one of the four times I'm dedicated to do.

I don't think store meandering is quite the same as a well paced walk. Oh well.

Doctor's Appointment

I was fortunate to get an appointment with my doctor yesterday. This pain in my shoulder is wearing me down. There are so many things I do that cause pain, like putting on a sweater. picking up the saucepan from the stove, cutting veggies. Even taking a swipe across the counter with a sponge hurt.

Apparently there are 4 tendons that work to keep the shoulder functioning. These tendons can become inflamed, tendonitis, or they may tear or rupture. Whether you call it a rotater cuff injury, tendonitis, bursitis, whatever, it's all basically the same. Pain and it's location depend on  which tendon. Hereby ends the lesson for the day.

I'm going to have an x-ray and an ultrasound to determine what's going on with my shoulder. I vote for inflamed, and maybe the least invasive cortisone shot rather than a tear and some surgery. I'm all for whatever is least invasive.

Meanwhile, I guess crocheting is out, as all this got much worse after my crazy binge of crochet after the holidays. Even typing causes pain.

I may need to find another hobby to get me through this time. Something without a lot of repetitive motion to cause strain.

A Bit of Denial

I haven't been writing in this blog as regularly as I should...could, and I think part of that was to deny how I was actually feeling. It's been a rough few months, some worsening of old issues, some new.

Losing some muscle strength and having increased fatigue has sent me to my bed early in the evening, even though I never settle to sleep until late. I was having some eye trouble, and couldn't read but for short periods. Luckily, realizing I could crochet in bed kept me from going stir crazy.

I don't get out much, maybe once a week unless special events come up. I looked at my gas receipts and saw I haven't filled my tank since February 2nd, and I still have 3/4 of a tank.

Along with the flashing lights I've been getting, there's been some blurring, and being on the computer for long is difficult, so no writing.

Pain comes and goes, and I never know what kind of day it will be. Today had a rough beginning, but better now.

I have a new pain, well, months old now, but nothing I've felt before. My right shoulder is very painful, with various movements, like reaching back to put my arm in a sleeve or with any lifting. The pain is not in the shoulder really, but now is constant, running down from the shoulder joint to the elbow, and then there's the pain in my wrist and thumb.

I finally decided enough was enough, the heat, the analgesic ointments are no longer holding the pain at bay. Of course, when I called the doctor's office, they were closed for the day. Tomorrow for sure.

When I was first diagnosed with MS my greatest fear was losing my vision, and the use of my right hand. I can deal with the decreased mobility, but I need my hands and my sight to be creative.

Fear or denial, I'll make the appointments first thing in the morning. I've suffered in silence long enough.

The Rain/Pain Connection

I didn't fully appreciate the last few days and the freedom from extreme pain. I can't understand why today I woke up in such distress, barely able to move with the pain in my back.

On days like this I seem to get clumsy, dropping things and having to bend over to pick things up, over and over again. And, of course, it's garbage day.

I've made it to my recliner and have the heat turned on,  I can only be thankful that it happened this week, and not last when I was dog sitting. I don't feel like getting up frequently to let the dog out, and standing, waiting for her to do her business.

Oh good, the heat is kicking in, time to sit back and put my feet up for a bit.

Maybe it's the rain, who knows?

Pet Therapy

I agreed to 'babysit' my daughter's dog while the family was away. It's fortunate that Lily, the dog, is ten years old and quite content to sleep a good part of the day. We're a matched set in that regard.

I was crazily looking forward to having this house guest. Years ago in my other life, that married life, there was always a dog, one in the house and the hunting dogs outside.

Later, I had cats, as cats were more manageable when I spent so much time at work. I have been without a pet for nine years, so this is a treat.

We're getting into our routine, getting used to each other, and I'm writing about it more in my other blog. (See link to the side).

Pet Therapy works. I have all this love from my pal Lily, and because of her I've been outside frequently, and walked daily. I'm sure we make a strange pair when we walk the circle of the court, Lily on her leash and me with my walker.

I know I could do this without the dog, but I don't seem to get to it, but with Lily depending on me I rise to the occasion.

There is a down side, as having a pet creates work. I can see her footprints on the floor, and the dusting seems to be a priority. I'm fortunate that the weather has been relatively dry, so she hasn't come in with her feet caked with snow and ice.

We're on Day 3, still enjoying our visit.

More Recliner Adjustments

As is true in so many things, when you change one thing, others things need to change, too, or at least be altered. If I’m reclined I can’t reach my phone on the side table. The table I use for my laptop, like a hospital over bed table, doesn’t work anymore as the recliner goes solid to the floor.

I found the table works if I raise the foot and pulled the table close, though it sits to the side and isn’t close enough to type without reaching, add in more strain to my upper back. If I pull the laptop forward, into my…ha ha ha, lap, it works better, but not best.

Right now I’m using the bed tray my brother gave me for Christmas. (He and his wife are so thoughtful). It didn’t work in bed, that lack of upper body support, but works in the recliner. Who’d have thought?

I just have to figure out how to rid myself of all of this, with the least little effort, when I need to get up.

I found another little problem with the chair, once I’ve powered back and am all comfortable, I need to have everything at hand, it’s not a fast thing to be upright again.

Like now, I left the remote by the bed so have no option to change the TV channel. The other day I ran out of yarn and needed the second ball, in the cupboard of course. It just requires a bit more planning than when I could just shove the table out of the way and stand up.

And, if I feel that urge to go to the bathroom, more urgent on those days I take a water pill, I need to listen. It’s not as fast as it was before, so I can’t take the time to finish a row of crochet, or a paragraph of writing. When the brain tells me to go, I need to get up and go.

All in all, the chair is a positive addition comfortable and cozy. The little inconveniences will be worked out over time.

Hot Spots

Early on in my disease I began to experience strange symptoms that could not be explained. I assumed it was due to wacky nerve impulses received in the brain, some message misinterpreted, or some miscued data.

One such symptom was a feeling that I had stepped, or sat, in something wet. The cat immediately took the blame as I jumped to the conclusion that he had peed on the floor or furniture. Another is the numbness down my right leg, and yet another a feeling of being chilled, sometimes my whole body, sometimes just a leg.

The other day I was sitting in my new recliner chair, all nice and comfortable, except I felt a hot spot under my right leg, above the knee. Since my chair has all the bells and whistles, including heat and massage, I immediately checked to see if the “heat” option was on…and it was not.

Like the cat before, the chair took the blame.

There was something wrong with the chair, a short, a breakdown, something that caused the heater to be on, when it wasn’t turned on. I was pissed, to put it mildly. I hated that I would have to deal with this issue when I’d been feeling good about taking charge and getting the chair in the first place.

That night, when reading in bed, my bed also had a hot spot, and later, so did the driver’s seat of my car.

So all is well, my weird MS sensations have changed from ‘wet’ to ‘hot’, and that’s just how it goes. This disease is nothing if not unpredictable, for you just never know. Dealing with this is manageable, considering what the possibilities could be.

At least I’m back sitting comfy and relaxed again.