Oh people, I've had what I'd call a crick in my neck for several weeks, coming and going, but for the past 2 weeks it's been my constant companion. But here's the ticky part: it was really bad while we were skiing, to the point I had to work with the pillow to get any sleep, and Sunday both hands and the bottoms of my feet went numb. The hand numbness has stayed - just kind of a tingly asleep-feeling, but still....is it a tumor? (It's not a tumah! I can italicize but I can't give it an Austrian accent.)
Dean's differential diagnosis includes a disc problem and something called "spinal stenosis." Ooh, that sounds progressive and debilitating. I'm picturing eventually dragging my leg behind me as I limp around drooling. (The bells! The bells! - with a French accent.) Will I eventually have to type this blog with my feet...if they even have any feeling in them? Can uncontrollable flatulence be far behind? (It never really IS far behind, is it?)
I've started ibuprofen to help any inflammation, but what if surgery is down the road? Will I have a scar on the back of my neck? Hey, I can tell the kids I'm not really their mother - they've seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers and would totally believe it. Maybe we should watch The Stepford Wives to really set it up! (I thought we were friends....I thought we were friends...) Oh, even better - "Boys, Mommy got a brain transplant - no more Mad Cow!"
Well, the neurology appointment's tomorrow afternoon - I'll see which angle we'll take then. Meanwhile, I better get started on that shirt I was going to make - you never know when you'll lose the use of your arms...thank goodness I've got one-touch sewing - I can run it with my feet! (The seams may be a little crooked...)
7 comments:
Reading your blog as I do others for shared sewing interests, I read about the pain you've been having. And it sounds a lot like what I have been living with about 7 years. (I'm 57 now.) I realize you are a doctor, and will be getting medical advice. But I want to share with you what I've implemented as my personal pain management - physical exercise in the form of swimming and bicycling (as much as possible was recommended) walking (I was told to avoid because of my personal physical situation but I still walk as much as I can) and stretching exercises. I only took a prescribed medication for about a 2 week period some years ago (helped me to move more again and physiotherapy for some time which made me realize that the swimming was what I preferred. I also eat a healthier diet than most people I know - 'junk' and 'inflammatory' foods have as little part in my diet as possible. Yes, I live with chronic pain yet have a normal life. Sincerely wishing you good health from Toronto, Canada
I hope your neuro plays nice and gets you back on your non-tingling feet!
Thanks for the well-wishes! I do think exercise will help - I used to do yoga with a lot of neck-stretching stuff and it was wonderful. I need to restart that. It's disconcerting to hear all the crunches and pops when I rotate my neck around right now - hope that goes away. I'm glad to hear you can live with yours without injections - I refuse to take a needle in the neck!
Gosh, let me know how your appt goes! Have only had the feeling of hands & feet going numb (and swelling) when I did that 5 mile walk two years ago. Sorry about your neck too. Man, we better get some duct tape to hold you all together! :)
That'll teach you to walk so much!
It's not so much about walking but how you walk! My big mistake was 1) not being hydrated 2) kept walking too much when I should have rested with ice on the pain on my leg being supported up - this is when the pain started - and it spread.... Now, I do NOT wear typical shoes! It is about the support and cushioning I need. Even in the house, I stopped going barefoot - proper support is necessary for me! Turns out, though I didn't listen to the advice to NOT walk, that on testing, my bones are STRONGER than expected.... walking is weight bearing exercise... and I've been walking a lot all my life. Unfortunately, I've got degenerative physical problems - but so do we all with age. Yes, it is frightening when it is really bad and the times worse than pain, when there is absence of feeling... By the way, I've gone back to walking for miles and miles .... It may take time to figure out what is best for you... and YOU WILL!!!!
Yes, I too refused to take injections for the pain (however, your situation could be quite different)...the doctor actually shouted at me because I said no and kept insisting that please tell me what exercises can I do, which he did ... but that was later in my quest ... the best advice I got in the beginning from a physician* was 'Listen to the pain' and Don't change your life' (ie. walking stairs was too difficult and I continue to live & walk the stairs in a house on 3 levels, ie. I started using a cane, because I was favoring the side that hurt too much, and that same *physician said 'Get rid of the cane and put equal weight on your body parts or it'll be worse for you'. I listened to what she said. And I researched for myself and found out the outcomes with various treatments (i.e. resting is not advisable for back pain except initially) from reputable sources. I did stop the yoga for a couple of years though, because I couldn't isolate what seemed to me was creating more pain. I'm back to yoga too now. Sorry, I'm not a doctor, nor might anything I've experienced apply to your situation, I've just thought somewhat 'outside the box' most of my life and am suggesting you LISTEN & TRUST YOUR OWN INNER VOICE.
PS I'm not hiding by posting under 'anonymous', it is just easier for me.... I'm 'Persevering' on SewingPatternReview. BE WELL, from Lynda in Toronto
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