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!