Thursday, June 18, 2009

I Could Use a Leg Replacement


If I buy 12 will they make it a Baker's Dozen?

My sciatic nerve is inflamed and both of my legs have no strength, but the right one is especially bad. I guess I know now what they mean when someone gets on your last nerve - that specialist must've found it and poked it! The pain is bad enough tonight I am getting the pain jitters, and that is after taking a muscle relaxer, heavy duty ibuprofen, and Ultram. What's more, The Belly is starting the body revolution again, and my innards are kicking a fit. However, I did eat some "real" food this evening so its hard to tell if The Belly is mad at the food or the ibuprofen.

I have lost nine pounds in the last two weeks - that's what non-stop pain does for me. I eat when I'm happy, and I've been happy A LOT in my life. When I'm stressed or ill I quit eating, and that's where I've been for awhile. I've been trying to be joyful and get my mojo back and less mindful of my body but its not working too well. The joyfulness is OK, but the mojo is not happening and my body has a non-stop failure record to keep me occupied with it. I think I need a new chipset.

My PCP who prescribed the muscle relaxer and the ibuprofen to take along with the Ultram suggested I get a spinal cord stimulator for the bottom of my spine. Well, wouldn't I be something - an occipital stimulator at head level and a spinal stimulator at butt level!!! Kinda android like wouldn't you think?? Not sold on this idea - some of the testing I will have done next week is to see if my pudendal nerve is still intact and functioning (a pudendal nerve latency test). If its fried to a crisp by the radiation, I don't think a spinal cord stimulator is going to be any help! The MRI I had last week only showed mild DJD, with no cancer and no nerve entrapment. The degenerative joint disease would be a normal finding for someone my age.

This is definitely putting a damper on my bicycle obsession. I have found a couple of great buys on Craigs list for small framed bicycles, but don't know if I can even ride one now with my legs acting up. That's why I am contemplating the mannequin legs - perhaps a relacement would work better! I don't mind if they are used - that means they worked at one point in time.

The Headache is behaving itself today, but today is the best point in my headache cycle. At least The Headache is not trying to trump The Legs, but I'm pretty sure The Belly is going to give them a run for Most Pain tonight.

No work yesterday because I spent all day at doctor's being tested. When you have had cancer it seems they test test test test everytime you have something happen. No work today or Tuesday because I can't hardly walk let alone drive. I thought for sure something was working this afternoon and I would be better, but this evening has been a total bust. Probably walked a little too much when the pain let up - the last time this happened I ended up not walking or sitting up unless absolutely necessary for a couple of weeks.

When I bought my medication yesterday the clerk told me that she felt how I looked. How are you supposed to take that? Since I was feeling very down and in pain, I figured I looked like hell warmed over. The shuffle that is my present walking style probably doesn't exude energy and peppiness either. Even the bottoms of my feet are burning and tingling. I probably was lurching around like Frankenstein's Monster. Next thing you know, I 'll get asked to dance to "Puttin' on the Ritz" in order to demonstrate my balance and function!!!

2 comments:

  1. I love that movie! Especially Puttin' on the Ritz...

    I don't eat when I feel rotten either. Don't you just love it when people TELL YOU how bad you look? As if you didn't know... sheesh. I hope you feel better soon.

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  2. I think I know now why my head hurts so much - Igor must've picked Abby Normal's brain for my use!!!

    I guess I should be glad the villagers aren't after me with pitchforks!

    Hope you have a great day!

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