Life can be a Pain

Hi @Owlunar ... I am adding my voice to the many others who have wished you well for this Wednesday. A long awaited appointment with your pain specialist. I am hopeful they can do something to help relieve your long term pain. But I am also concerned that they are limited in what they can do. Please do not get your hopes up too much. But when experiencing the degree of pain you do every day, then even a small decrease in pain can amount to a major improvement in quality of life. That is what I am hoping for, for you. I am sorry you are needing to have a day in bed today in order to recover from your gardening efforts of the weekend. Your new smartphone is a blessing, and I love how you are mastering all those emojis. Looks like your garden will be receiving a major overhaul on Thursday ... sounds good to me, with someone else doing the hard yards. Hopefully this will make your garden much more user friendly with much reduced upkeep needed.

Wishing you the best

Sherry 🌹😊💕

Hi @Former-Member

Thanks for your kinds thoughts - I am up now and using my computer which is much faster - and I am feeling much less pain than I did this morning - I am trying to clean up the garden a bit before my daughter gets here and starts pruning - the more garden rubbish I can get into the green bin on Wednesday helps a lot with the clippings - and a vine filled garden makes a lot of clippings

I don't expect much from the specialist - I have been getting good treatment at the public pain clinic for decades and a new specialist changed the programme and doesn't want to support what I need and know I need - my GP knows I need it so basically I am after a second opinion and support with my current medication - which is actually less than what I am allowed already

So yes - I went through the whole thing over 20 years ago and don't look forward to more of the same - things were stable for years and I can't for the life of me see why this specialist wants to change things - some idea she has and she is entitled to her ideas but I won't accept that from someone so young and inexperienced - I have seen this pain new pain specialist before in a public hospital and he is a very kind and understanding man -

I am sure he will be reasonable but it is tense waiting and I am glad the day is coming up - whatever happens - I really want a different specialist - I refuse to go back to where I was going and getting good service for such a long time

The pain is easier now after a long rest with the wheat pack this morning - and the smart phone - I had one for nearly 5 years which is a good life for one - it never really worked that well but this new one is fab-u-lous and has so many emojis and also gifs - pretty neat - I am still getting used to it

It's cloudy here today but fine and pretty warm - this is an improvement on what we have been having here -

And the support from the forum has been really wonderful too

Thanks - Dec

Maybe I should take before and after shots of my little courtyard at the back - well - after anyway

Hi @Maggie

Thanks for your thoughtful post - yes - I had a bad start to day but resting with the wheat pack seemed to do the trick because it's remarkably easier than it was - the garden - today I am just dead-heading and trimming at bit - I will have to sweep a bit but nothing strenuous

I asked my GP for some special anti-inflamatories on Friday and he said that normally he would suggest them but I need to take that pain down to the pain specialist on Wednesday - not cover it up. It has been worse since I missed some of my medication when I was in Cairns - I need to see my GP for that - and also we have had changeable weather in Melbourne - hot and cold suddenly - really aggravating for the spine - and being tense too I think although I feel as if I have it under control.

I think we never really have stress totally out of our system - we might know all about what's bothering us and file it in our mind carefully but it still has an affect. When they found I ad high blood pressure I insisted it was just stress and pain but - true - that was the case but it still has to be treated - the same with normal tension for a different event - I think

Yes - the phone emojis - pretty clever - I have been using them when I text with my daughter and grand-daughter - our messages wouldn't be the same without them - but they are bigger and better on this phone but not my computer - I think I need to get onto the Office about them - not quite up to complex things like that and the modem for my NBN right now - I did get my phone connected to the internet without having a pink fit though

Dec

Yes - that's me

Yes - the phone emojis - pretty clever - I have been using them when I text with my daughter and grand-daughter ---- you will all love them @Owlunar

being thinking of you lots today xx

Hi @Shaz51 @Former-Member @Maggie @eth @BlueBay @Gazza75

I am ready to go out to see the new Pain Specialist in a few minutes - I feel the butterflies in my stomach being really active - ickle - it's worse than seeing my dentist but then I am used to my dentist and he knows me

So this is a bit different

I know this new specialist is a very kind man - and he was understanding and gentle when I saw him in the public system years ago - I know he won't be rough on me - but still

It is never easy seeing someone is the pain department - things are getting tighter and not in favour of the patient

Okay - I am nervous - but I will be okay

Yesterday I withdrew inside myself which is how I cope with things - safe place there - the only person is me and I understand myself

But today I have crawled out from under my rock and I am looking at the world and it is a lovely day

So I will be back with news later

Dec

Yes - this is how I deal with stress - with imagry - and it really does work

Travel safe @Owlunar 🙂

Hi @Owlunar ... I think you would be in with your pain specialist about now. I really hope everything goes as well as it possibly can. I'm thinking of you, and would love to hear from you afterwards when you are feeling like talking about how it all went.

Love your imagery pic.

Sherry 💕

Hi @Owlunar I hope your appointment went as well as you'd hoped, or even better. Looking forward to any news you feel like sharing xx

Me too @Owlunar if you are up to sharing.

Hope it went well, or as good as can be expected. 🤞🤞💕💕💕

Hi @Maggie @eth @Former-Member @Gazza75

@BlueBay

The appointment yesterday went very well and I feel greatly encouraged - he will most likely do facet joint injections but not until next year and I he is a very understanding person. He explained a lot to me and answered my questions - this has not happened before

I was exhausted laat night and fell asleep early - the stress caught up with me as is normal

He had to prod around all my sore spots and I really feel it this morning :face_with_rolling_eyes:ouch

My daughter and son-in-law are coming here soon to do my garden and plant some things for me - this will be great but otherwise I will be taking it easy

Thanks everyone for your wonderful support these last weeks - it has been a tough time for me

Dec 🌸🌺🦋😊