Chronic Pain Management Support Group

[dealsniffer]

I hope you are progressing well.
My surgeries were all thrombolitic, although quite dangerous in my case. I remember when the nerves were growing back at the incision site months after surgery. I would actually comment that it felt like dancing butterflies at my groin on the right side.

really? what does that feel like? so it didn't hurt? my entire back has no feeling and I had rods put in my back and my spine fused because I have a disorder called Kyphosis. I am wondering if the pain of something sticking in my back is the nerves feeling the rods but not making sense of it yet when sending messages to my brain. I have lots of time to think when I am stuck in bed when stuff gets bad. I tend to overdo it and then I have to lay down till the pain in my back improves. the muscles are so weak bc of complications I was not allowed to do much lifting past about 10lbs and wasn't allowed to do much excercise either. but I am getting stronger slowly-I am actually able to manage to sit up for about 1/2hr at a time before needing to rest. That is an accomplishment for sure! I have learned through all the stuff I have gone through that I really need to stay positive and really notice the little things and stuff so the pain doesn't seem so bad. I am also grateful for so much more now because I realize how much I took for granted before things got so bad. Good stuff can come from awful stuff. If you ever need someone to talk to-there are alot of us here to offer support.

[dealsniffer]

I came back to university 1 month out of SICU, although I did take a reduced courseload. The doctors would tell me "please don't, you might still die on us." I ended up visiting the hospital 5 times in 2 months that fall. The doctors didn't want me lifting anything over 5lbs, so I bought a bookbag on wheels. haha. I was (and still am) at risk of hemouraging. I needed a long nap nearly every afternoon. I couldn't walk a city block without needing a break. I'd joke that at the rate I was going, I was going to find every bench on campus.

oh I know the challenges of not being allowed to lift much and needing naps! lol I am down to one nap a day now at around mid day after lunch. I am hoping to not need that soon. I still can't walk a city block but can walk about 1/2 a kilometer I think. But I am working on it. It isn't so much my legs but my back gets sore before I can get very far and my legs now get sore because I wasn't allowed to do much moving around. Not that I didn't try to tho. lol

[Angela273]

You should probably ask you specialist about your pain and numbness at your next appointment. Don't expect too much help from doctors, because some things are beyond the scope of medicine. Just do what you can and remember to look at the progress you have made.

I remember when I was first able to walk down the steps at my front door without taking two steps for every stair. Those little things we take for granted become small milestones this time around.

I really love gardening, and that is something that I am slowly taking back. I started last spring only being able to do about 1/2hr every day without really regretting it the next day. By the end of summer I was able to do over 1hr of gardening a day without being in too much pain the next day. It sometimes takes months to see any real signs of improvement, but it will come.

I've got to run. I've spent too much time on SC already this afternoon. I have four major university project due this week and they ALL need a lot of attention. I'll check back later.

[dealsniffer]

hey Angela-I love gardening too and last year was the first year we had a greenhouse and so I wasn't going to let my pain stop me from using the greenhouse! lol I was stubborn and it paid off because the little time I spent in the greenhouse was so good for me because it gave me a reason to get out and it was really amazing how watching the seeds grow and flowers bloom helped me. It gave a sense of accomplishment when I had so little I could accomplish. I still need alot of help from my parents but I keep hitting little milestones which make me really happy. I was able to go to a grocery store about a month ago for the first time since 2007! I am still happy about that one. I could not manage this before because of the pain in my back which is normal and expected after the surgeries. My specialist is amazing and tries to answer all my questions but I have managed to stump him a couple times! lol Anyways I hope you get your university projects done and I hope I haven't kept you too long! What are you taking in University if I may ask? just curious.

[Angela273]

I'm in my fifth year at the UofS. I am in the College of Education and will finish my degree in April 2010. I'm teaching a grade 11 Native Studies class for 3-5 consecutive lessons in less than two weeks. One of my projects is creating the unit plan for that course. I am really excited about one part of my plan. Follow this link if you want to check it out.

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/71250-s...eacher-canada/

[dealsniffer]

wow Angela that is really neat! I think I actually was on that link and said I would try to think of some stuff for you and I have had it in the back of my mind but haven't thought about anything yet to add. How is it going with that?

[Angela273]

I am using the idea in three of my final projects, one of which is due next week. I've gotten it approved by all three professors. They were pretty excited not just about the idea, but because I am excited about it and you can tell when I am talking about it.

I signed up on a number of trains over a month ago, and am still hoping that some of them will arrive before I do my "big" LD trip. Unfortunately the stacking train does not look like it will arrive in time.

By the way...my fiance and I each have a cat. We adopted them and certainly make good company. We had King, my baby, when I was first recovering from hospital. We adopted Elvis just over a year ago.

It's getting late. Off to bed. I'll check the thread in the morning.

[dealsniffer]

its getting super late here too. I post about Felix my cat alot and you can find posts by me concerning my cat! he is interesting that is for sure. That is neat you have two cats! My family got Felix for me shortly after my first surgery which was Christmas so I would have company. take care!

[Angela273]

I received a train this morning that had a lot of useful coupons for my silent auction and for donations to the women's shelter. Some of the coupons expire March 31, so I'll make sure to go to LD before then. I'm looking forward to this. It will be my first LD stacking trip.

[Crochetlady]

You`re so lucky to be able to stack. Wish we could here. We don`t have London Drugs. Good luck with your project.

[dealsniffer]

does any LD accept coupon stacking? I was talking to my mom about it and we wonder about being able to do that. So does coupon stacking include the coupons that say one coupon per purchase type thing? never done it and curious how it works. Anyways hope you are doing good today!

[Angela273]

You can coupon stack at any LD. There is a really good thread on here about coupon stacking on LD. Sorry I can't seem to find it right now or I would post the link.

[dealsniffer]

hmm...I will have to remember that! thanks! how are you doing today? hopefully ok. the weather is nasty here today. I am stuck inside so no overdoing it too much! lol

[Angela273]

I just finished preparing for a 20% presentation that I am doing tomorrow. I completed 5 out of 10 pages of a final paper yesterday. I have a visitor crashing at my place tonight because he is from Edmonton, so he's taking me out for supper.

My leg is doing good. My back is only bothering me because I am spending so many hours working at the computer. Thanks for asking.

The weather isn't very nice here today or else I would take my cat for a walk (he's trained to go outside on his harness). I hope you are doing well even with the bad weather.

[dealsniffer]

lol-my cat walks on a leash too! I have to take him outside sometimes because he meows and meows to go out and I finally give in if its not too cold. In the summer he spends probably half the day out on the tether while people are outside. The only thing is that he has this thing with wanting to be inside after he is outside for a few minutes and wanting to be outside after he is inside again! He never seems to know what he wants! lol That is good about your leg and hope you had a good supper! hope your back feels better soon.