Journal Entries
Now what the **** am I gonna do?
Posted May 28, 2004
Went to the pain doc today. He said I'm progressing as well as can be expected. Then he said that it might take up to a year to recover fully, "or as fully as you're going to."
So I asked him, what does that mean as far as my law enforcement career? And he basically said, you need to be looking at other options.
It's not like it's a huge surprise, but now that he's actually SAID it, I've got to deal with it. And I'm not sure what to do. The only decision I've made so far is that I'm not going to say anything to my boss until I've had some time to think. Because if they decide to fire me, I'm not only unemployed, but homeless. Need to have a backup plan if they won't just waiver me from law enforcement but keep my job and my park.
So, I'm going to wander off and continue to drown my brain cells.
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Latest reply: May 28, 2004
Scanners and needles and shocks, oh my!
Posted Apr 6, 2004
Well, here I am again. I’ve been scanned, shocked, stuck with needles, and generally abused. These tests (a triple phase bone scan, and something called an EMG) have determined that I have arthritis in my right shoulder, and I do not have nerve damage in my right arm. Not a lot of information for the pain and suffering involved, but such is life.
My pain level has improved some, however I’m medicated up to my eyeballs so it’s a little hard to know what reality is these days.
Therapy: started up again with a physical therapist today, and I think he’s going to be a major improvement over the Witch Doctor occupational therapist who was in charge of my case. A lot more attentive, asked for my input, explained his plan of care. Plus, I’ll still be working mostly with the same assistant I’ve been with all this time, so I won’t have to learn to deal with 2 new people poking and prodding on me. It’s kind of a leap of faith to let people mess with body parts that hurt, so it’s a relief not to have to deal with multiple strangers.
Mental health-wise, I’m hanging in there, mostly.
Tomorrow, I have to drive 3 hours for training, sit there for probably 2 or 3 hours, then drive back. Over the mountain, where my therapist told me they had 5 inches of new snow when she left home this morning. The day after that, I go 90 minutes the other direction to see my pain specialist. Gonna be a fun filled week 
But, since I’m making a new start with therapy, I’m trying to be hopeful that I’m going to get more improvement this time around.
I’ve missed talking to everybody… hope everyone out there in Hootoo is healthy and happy 
Discuss this Journal entry [17]
Latest reply: Apr 6, 2004
Catching Up
Posted Mar 19, 2004
Let's see. Had the bone scan done. Won't know the results until I go back to the pain specialist next Weds. Am continuing therapy and the variety pack of meds. My arm is still worthless.
The boss inspected the park today. Fortunately, he was on good behavior. His level of sensitivity about my medical problems lately has left me in a mood where it would have gotten really ugly if he'd crossed me.
Right at the moment, I'm listening to 
Bat Out of Hell at decibels not QUITE enough to cause your ears to bleed, and drinking fairly serious quantities of 
.
That's about it, I reckon...
Discuss this Journal entry [42]
Latest reply: Mar 19, 2004
Latest Medical News
Posted Mar 11, 2004
Went to the pain specialist today. He agrees that I have RSD. He wants me to get a "triple phase bone scan", which apparently involves injecting my arm with radioactive dye, then scanning to see where the dye goes. I believe I've already mentioned my fear of needles, so you can guess just how thrilled I am about that.
He also put me on Tizanidine, a muscle relaxant, on top of the Neurontin and Darvocet. I'm going to wind up addicted to prescription meds at the rate I'm going 
Anyway, that's the latest. Don't know when I can get the test done, will contact the hospital tomorrow.
Sorry I haven't been online more lately, I miss talking to everybody, just haven't been up to it. Take care, talk soon...
Discuss this Journal entry [24]
Latest reply: Mar 11, 2004
So much for that idea...
Posted Feb 28, 2004
Well, my respite from pain turned out to be brief... a few days. Apparently the Universe was just messing with me for laughs. The intense ache I'd written off as a reaction to cold, wet weather has become a permanent feature again, and I'm actually showing more signs of the RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy) than I was initially. I'm told this is "normal", as it's a progressive condition.
I went to the surgeon for a follow-up visit on Weds. He seemed quite happy with the incision and the overall results of the surgery, but quite unhappy that the RSD symptoms hadn't gone away. When he looked at the swelling around my thumb, and noted that my palm was all sweaty (temperature fluctuations are one of the symptoms) when my other hand was dry, his response was (and I quote) "Damn, this isn't what I wanted to see!" Not words you want to hear from your 
He's referred me to a physiatrist (pain specialist) in a nearby city, I go on March 10th. He gave me more Darvocet, and put me on Neurontin, an anti-convulsant drug usually used on epilepsy patients, but which can also work on the sympathetic nerve system, which is where my problem lies. He also said to expect at least a month or two more occupational therapy.
That's why I haven't been around much lately, just haven't been up to it
Discuss this Journal entry [14]
Latest reply: Feb 28, 2004
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