Back On The Juice...

Yep...picture is worth a 1,000 words...and about $4,000 dollars! I'm back on IV Solumedrol. "WOOT?!?", you say.

Well, remember the "situation" (neuro called it the dirty word, "relapse") back in August when I had to get juiced up again because of leg/foot pain, etc.? That DID get better, but never totally went away. And right before that "situation", I had developed what I thought was some version of overuse syndrome/tennis elbow (which, BTW, I don't PLAY tennis!) from just overdoing it in my yard the end of July. My left arm also ached, but Ibuprofen seemed to help some.

Then,there was the BIKACIDE and subsequent broken left pinkie...the "fall" from grace, AKA, Swan Dive into the cooler at the MS150 Ride? LOL My left hand has hurt like a son-of-a-...gun...since September 8th. And my arm began to hurt even more.

THEN...(geez, I'm just exhausted RELIVING these events in my mind!) I discolosed a little bit about my work "situation" and the depression/stress I was feeling that immobilized me for a couple of days? Sorry, I'm not at liberty to go into details on this one. But, suffice it to say, I've been fairly stressed/fearful about several things regarding my future. I've also been trying to weigh in on the fact the Quarterly Novantrone has not seemed to hold my MS at bay these past 3 months...major mental bummer.

Consequently, whether an exacerbation or stress reaction, the pain in my hand and forearm gradually moved up my arm, into my neck, and across the base of my skull. Nerve pain and I are long-time accomplices...we go places a LOT together and, generally speaking, I just accept it...PAIN.

If you've never had neurological pain, it's pretty hard to describe. It's not like having the sensation of a hot poker being jammed in your eye and feeling like you're going to pass out nor is it like the feeling of having your foot stepped on by an elephant. It's not "sharp" and immediately "intense" like that...but, the one thing it is...IT'S ALWAYS CONSTANT. I've never found ANY pain-reliever (including IV Demerol) to really make it go away, so I never take narcotics (even though they are always offered)...they just don't work for me. And the seizure medications neurologists use (Trileptal, Tegretol, Depakote, Lamictal, etc.) to control pain only leave me feeling like a sacked-out, mentally-deficient, brain-dead, goon drooling and staring from my couch! LOL

When my particular brand of nerve pain began waking me up in the night and/or keeping me awake earlier this week, I decided I had to make some changes. Not sure "what" change needed to be made, I consulted Dr. She Who Will Not Be Named, who immediately said, "I'd better not read about this on your blog" and "IV Solumedrol x 3 days"...well, one out of two ain't bad, right?!? (And besides...she doesn't even READ my blog. If she did, I'd have been fired as her patient a very loooong time ago. LOL)

So, I toddled up to Club Med today and had the hose shoved back in my arm and the juice dripped in me. It still amazes me, what USED to be rather scary "chit"--the idea and process of having massive doses of steroids dripped into my system--has now become just like taking my car to the car wash...I don't LIKE to do it, it takes time out of my day, it costs me money, but somehow I end up "feeling" better about things when my car is clean. And, I don't spend a lot of time wondering LONG TERM just how damaging those automated car wash systems can be to the body and paint of my vehicle...what will be will be. The only difference is, I think I can probably just get a NEW car if/when the car wash wears this one out...I'm not so certain about my BODY!!! But hey...I'm into immediate gratification. LOL

So, it's 3 days of drip, 12 days of pills...or for the math impaired (such as myself...used a calculator to add this one) 15 days on ROIDS again. I'm ALREADY feeling ravenous hunger pangs...which I readily admit, could simply be an EXCUSE to eat whatever I want and blame it on ROIDS!...