One Day's Difference

Snow Now Gone!

Really lovely weather today, can't hardly believe that the snowstorm of last weekend happened.  Left for work with snow still on the ground, covering the yard, ice still showering down from the trees.  Came back from work this evening, and only a few little bits of snow were left.  The robins are happy, and we had two meadowlarks that were very bedraggled and sad about the snow so I'm hoping they are back to nesting now.  Looks like all the leaves in the yard tried to wash up on my back porch/patio though.

At work, got a different room and desk this week since apparently last week while I worked from home it was "Moving week" at the office!  I laugh everytime it happens - we play musical desks about every six to eight months where I work.  I really don't care where I sit (except next to the lunch room when I am nauseous is not so great) but I got moved out of the office of many lights to a nice warm room (actually hot in the summer) with fewer flourescents and some soft nice natural light.  My only request this time was that I NOT be moved to the super cold conference room area.  You can practically see your breath in there, and I think I would have to wear a winter coat all year long.  I think this one will be nice and toasty.  Yeah!  At least until next moving week, eh??

The new employee the trainer trainee is EXCELLENT!  I am holding my breath that she continues to like the company and the work.  She is bright, a quick learner, good sense of humor, and a great communicator.  Woo Hoo!  She has two school age boys, so I am hoping that the travel part of the job won't be too much for her.  I have such a great crew to work with: the programmers are fantastic, and the clients are great [even when I get client fatigue from being there too long], and now finally someone trainable with the ability to do the job!  Life is good at work, if I can just get the body to cooperate with the brain!

Not a great day for me pain wise, but am just sucking it up and moving forward.  Resting last weekend helped, but still very painful for me - especially driving. Can't take the meds and drive to work, so nothing until I get ready to go to bed. The Soma takes away a lot of the nerve pain, but I am left with pretty weak legs, so not too functional lately. Ah well, maybe tomorrow all will be normal!  After all, look what happened to the snow in one day!

Nerve Agony & some Relief

Pudendal Pain and Sciatica

My neuropathy has been going off the scale painwise the last few days.  Went to urgent care Tuesday afternoon just to make sure I didn't have a urinary tract infection or a problem with The Belly.  Sometimes I get in so much pain everywhere it get's hard for me to determine what is happening.  When the tests for that came up negative, I then got an appointment with my PCP yesterday to see what I could do for the nerve pain.  He presecribed a medication that is in the muscle relaxant class, but seems to disconnect the nerve pain somewhat from the brain, called Soma or carisopordol. 

I am down to where it is very painful to walk, lie down, stand, sit, or drive a car.  I think its a combination of all the walking and standing I did at the client's last month, the prodding and poking at my cancer exam, and trying to clean house like a normal person (mop and vacuum).  My feet are freezing, but the pain is like fire through the bottoms of my feet.  The muscles in my right leg are all bunched up (the right side is more painful this time) and I have nerve pain right through the middle of me in the "saddle" section.  The percocet I have doesn't even touch this level of pain.

My PCP said that lack of sleep lets the pain build up because sleep lets the nerves discharge and the muscles rest.  Well, I've not been able to sleep well for months, but last night I was able to.  He said I need to just sleep for a couple of days, take the percocet and Soma and see if I can get the aggravated nerves to go back to sleep.  Not sure if I can, we are short handed at work.  Not sure if I can work, I am so in pain. Augh!

I was able to work from  home yesterday, but the problem is that sitting up very long is very very painful.  I haven't called in yet.  I feel so bad for my bosses.  I just get myself where I maybe can be really productive and something like this happens.

My PCP and I discussed my longterm prognosis with this being from radiation side effects.  Not good.  Probably more pain, more disability in my future.  However, I did sleep last night with the Soma. I am in quite a bit of pain now, thinking I should take another one (one every twelve hours is the script and it's been over 12) but will check with the office first.  I wonder if it helps headaches?  The percocet makes The Headache worse.  My PCP seems to think I have high tolerance to pain, but I feel like my pain tolerance is very low for me.  Maybe he sees more people with pain, and in comparison I'm tougher??  Or maybe he just wanted to boost my spirits.

Here is a pain scale from the Pudendal Pain website I found, it is one of the best pain scales I have found out there because it describes in detail the levels, although some migraine sufferers I know can have pain in the 9 or 10 range also.  I think I am at an 7 with the nerve pain going towards a non-functional 8.  Maybe I should take the medication, eh?

 

Comparative Pain Scale
	0	No pain. Feeling perfectly normal.
Minor Does not interfere with most activities. Able to adapt to pain psychologically and with medication or devices such as cushions.	1 Very Mild	Very light barely noticeable pain, like a mosquito bite or a poison ivy itch. Most of the time you never think about the pain.
	2 Discomforting	Minor pain, like lightly pinching the fold of skin between the thumb and first finger with the other hand, using the fingernails. Note that people react differently to this self-test.
	3 Tolerable	Very noticeable pain, like an accidental ut, a blow to the nose causing a bloody nose, or a doctor giving you an injection. The pain is not so strong that you cannot get used to it. Eventually, most of the time you don't notice the pain. You have adapted to it.
Moderate Interferes with many activities. Requires lifestyle changes but patient remains independent. Unable to adapt to pain.	4 Distressing	Strong, deep pain, like an average toothache, the initial pain from a bee sting, or minor trauma to part of the body, such as stubbing your toe real hard. So strong you notice the pain all the time and cannot completely adapt. This pain level can be simulated by pinching the fold of skin between the thumb and first finger with the other hand, using the fingernails, and squeezing real hard. Note how the simulated pain is initially piercing but becomes dull after that.
	5 Very Distressing	Strong, deep, piercing pain, such as a sprained ankle when you stand on it wrong, or mild back pain. Not only do you notice the pain all the time, you are now so preoccupied with managing it that you normal lifestyle is curtailed. Temporary personality disorders are frequent.
	6 Intense	Strong, deep, piercing pain so strong it seems to partially dominate your senses, causing you to think somewhat unclearly. At this point you begin to have trouble holding a job or maintaining normal social relationships. Comparable to a bad non-migraine headache combined with several bee stings, or a bad back pain.
Severe Unable to engage in normal activities. Patient is disabled and unable to function independently.	7 Very Intense	Same as 6 except the pain completely dominates your senses, causing you to think unclearly about half the time. At this point you are effectively disabled and frequently cannot live alone. Comparable to an average migraine headache.
	8 Utterly Horrible	Pain so intense you can no longer think clearly at all, and have often undergone severe personality change if the pain has been present for a long time. Suicide is frequently contemplated and sometimes tried. Comparable to childbirth or a real bad migraine headache.
	9 Excruciating Unbearable	Pain so intense you cannot tolerate it and demand pain killers or surgery, no matter what the side effects or risk. If this doesn't work, suicide is frequent since there is no more joy in life whatsoever. Comparable to throat cancer.
	10 Unimaginable Unspeakable	Pain so intense you will go unconscious shortly. Most people have never experienced this level of pain. Those who have suffered a severe accident, such as a crushed hand, and lost consciousness as a result of the pain and not blood loss, have experienced level 10.