Physical Therapy...new meds....more tests...oh the joy:

So I started physical therapy on November 6th.  Having four knee surgeries I had a pretty good idea what to expect.  I walked in and saw Joe (he was my therapist for one of the knee surgeries).  We chit chatted for a few minutes to get caught up and then the evaluation started.  He informed me that I was pretty tight (duh) and asked why I haven't done therapy before now.  I told him nobody suggested it and I didn't know I needed it.  I told him that my doctor who did the right neck dissection said I would have some problems but I didn't realize it would last this long or have this many problems. 

Joe did some tests and said that I have definitely lost some strength in my right arm.  He had me squeeze this dumb bell looking thing that measure the pounds your able to lift/squeeze, whatever it was.  On the left side I measured 52-54 pounds and on the right I measured 32-33 pounds.  Big difference.  So Joe said...we have some work to do.

My first real appointment was interesting.  Almost everything Joe tried to do hurt...he could hardly touch me.  At the time, I was glad that I was on the Lyrica three times a day.  It helped dull the pain a little, and by the time I got home from work I would be taking my pain meds.  There have been times I have gone back to work from therapy with a major headache and wishing I could just go home and go to sleep.  It has been such a slow process...well in my opinion.  I want a quick fix, I think we all do. 

Between the therapy and the Lyrica (new med) I was having a tough couple of weeks.  I'm almost embarrassed to admit this but I was at our WVU/OK State game and I was watching the pregame warm ups.  I was commenting on how I didn't like the the uniforms.  Then I realized my team was wearing the ugly unis.  I about fell over.  The person I was talking to about fell over laughing.  I couldn't believe that I didn't realize it was our team.  Well then we had a penalty called and I turned to my dad and said.....wait, better not post it.  Don't want to get bashed for not being "politically correct".  Just know it was funny.  I would go home from work and sleep...I almost fell asleep at my desk.  I was moody, confused, easily distracted (no comments needed)....it was just horrible.

I woke up one Sunday morning and told Paul (in tears) that I didn't want to take the pills anymore.  I didn't like the way they made me feel.  He said then stop taking them...I did.  I started taking them at night only just until I ran out.  I never refilled the prescription (plus my copay was $50 for them.  WOW).

So I have had eight physical therapy appointments and I can now turn my head to the right side and I have sleeping on my right side.  I haven't been able to do that since December 2008.  I am feeling so much better...until yesterday.  Boy, did Joe hurt me.  There are still some issues I'm having.  I still get this sharp pain in my neck that goes down my arm and three of my fingers still go numb.  Now the good news is that we seem to have been able to pin point what is causing it.  It is the nerve that had to be moved during the right neck dissection.  Now we have to figure out a way to fix it.

I know its been a couple of weeks since my last post.  So I'm not sure if you remember or not, but I had mentioned that the MRI detected some fluid in my saliva gland.  I went to my regular doctor and he ordered an Ultra Sound.  I had the test done on November 20th and for the most part it went well. 

The technician's student came to get me and asked if it would be alright if she could check my neck.  She informed me that the radiologist would be in and he would double check her work.  Of course I didn't mind, we all have to learn at some point.  He came in and then they started checking things.  First they checked the right side and she would identify what she was seeing, she took pictures, measurements, ect...then they started looking at the gland.  The gland itself looked great, then they looked at the ducts (I really hope I'm saying that right).  As they were looking they found a cyst in on of the ducts.  That would be the fluid that the MRI detected.  Then the technician decided to check the left side just to compare the two, well and so the student could learn more.

All the sudden it got quiet.  That's when I knew something was wrong.  As they were looking they discovered a couple of abnormal lymph nodes.  Apparently one lymph node is about two to three centimeters big.  They said with my history I need to have it checked.  NOT what I wanted to hear and of course with everything I have been through....I cried.  Going back to work after that was fun.  Everyone was asking how did it go, did they say anything, what did they find, ect...I would start to explain and cry.  All I could think was how frustrated I was.  It never seems to end.

You know, when I was first diagnosed all I heard was if you were to get cancer, Thyroid Cancer is the best to have.  It's the easiest to manage and cure.  Right now, in my experience it might be the best to manage but it seems to be the most frustrating.  When you first go through it your not told about all the post-cancer stuff.  I'm sure all cancer patients go through it but right now this is how I feel.

As soon as I got back to work I immediately called my doctors office and asked to be referred to either St Francis in Tulsa or OU medical in the city.  Thankfully I got in with Dr. Vasan at OU Medical.  He did the right neck dissection and I know he will take good care of me.

Happy Birthday to me:

Nothing like meeting a new doctor on my birthday (October 29th).  Good thing I ended up liking the guy....he is a pain management doctor from Rehabilitation Physicians of Oklahoma.  Real nice.  I wasn't sure what all to expect from him when we first met.  I called my dad earlier that day asking all kinds of questions.  What to expect, what is the doctor going to do, what will happen with the first appointment, ect...

The appointment went the way dad said.  A lot of questions, poking, examining, more questions and then finally my MRI results (finally!).  According to the doctor my MRI wasn't all that bad.  It looks like I have arthritis in my neck (to be expected), fluid in a gland(s) and not sure why, and I have a tear on a disk.  He said according to the MRI I don't have anything pressing on a nerve (in the neck area).  He did a couple of tests and then told me that I have lost use in my right arm (duh).

He went a head and increased a couple of my meds and added a new one....Lyrica (http://lyrica.com).  After the car wreck I remember being put on Lyrica and it seems to me that I really didn't care for it back then.  However, at this point, I don't care...just fix me.  So far it hasn't been all that bad.  Last night was a bad night, but I'm sure that is to be expected with a new pill.  The doctor told me to start taking it at night and gradually get to where I'm taking it three times a day.  I took it that first night and woke up the next morning feeling wonderful.  Haven't felt that good in a long time.  So, I took one that morning and night.  The next day...not so good.  So far today...things are better.  I don't think I'm going to up it to three times a day until the weekend.  That way I can sleep if needed.

The next thing the doctor has added is physical therapy.  You should see the list of things he wants me to work on...crazy.  I'm to go 2-3 times a week for 4-6 weeks.  I have not problem with that.  I knew I had lost some use, just not sure how much.

I  had my physical therapy evaluation this morning (November 6th) and of course I cried.  You know, it was an eval, you shouldn't cry while being evaluated before you actually start the physical therapy.  Wrong, wrong, wrong, of course you cry lol.  You are being poked, stuck, pulled, turned, all sorts of things are happening so that the therapist can see what needs to be worked on.

I felt so good and comforted after my appointment (total sarcasm by the way).  Nothing like being told that one's neck is jacked up and my therapist doesn't know how on earth I have been able to go as long as I have.  He also didn't understand why I haven't been put in physical therapy before now.  I asked him if I should have been in therapy after my 2nd surgery and he said considering the problems I had post-op...yes.  He went on to say that it's easier to say that now.

I think the most frustrating thing for me is I have learned so much more since the 2 surgeries and treatment than what I was taught while going thru it.  Looks like I will learn even more after my doctors appointment on the 15th.  Gotta know what gland has fluid in it and why.

Stay tuned!