Recent (the past month or do) increases in my pain levels have led to a corrosponding increase in the irritability and anger I feel. It has reached the point where family members are beginning to avoid me and are hesitant to even be in the same room with me or talk to me.
I had to see the doc today to get disability paperwork filled out so I asked them to give me some anger management meds. I have to follow up with them in a month to see if I need changes in the dosage or maybe try a different medication.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
It's been a while
It has been several weeks since my last post so let's play catch-up for a sec before I talk about me.
First of all my wife has been fighting a MRSA infection in her left foot for months now. She initially underwent surgery to remove the last joint of her big toe and then came home for 6 weeks of IV antibiotics via a pick line. (to make it easier to care for her she stayed with her mom so that others could help her as needed.) Roughly 3 weeks later the infection came back and they discovered that it was on one of the larger bones that runs from her ancke to the toes along the top of the foot.
They started the whole routine again (including another 6 weeks of antibiotics at home) and she completed that course of treatment about 3 weeks ago. She was suddenly hit with inflamation, sewlling, and intense pain in her other ;eg yesterday (Thursday) morning and taken to the ER. They verified that she had no blood clot in her leg and began treatment for an assumed return of the same infection. The infectious disease doc has been out of town but will be checking her out later this morning.
Meanwhile, within a few short days of Cheryl being released to come home from the hospital the first time around, her dad had a major stroke. After bouncing back and forth from the rehab facility to the hospital he came down with septic shock and we almost lost him. He is currently at home being treated by hospice.
To make things even more hectic the family has lost 3 friends or family members in the last few weeks. All these things that have been going on has helped me put my problems into perspective and realize that things could be a lot worse.
So.. just how am I doing? When it became apparent that Cheryl would require a second round of antibiotics I made the move from my house to my inlaw's house to make things easier on those that were helping her out as well as assisting me wiht meals and such. While that sounded like a good idea on paper, the end result is that I am spending my waking hours in a recliner rather than all my time in bed and the level of pain in my back as well as th esciatic pain in both legs have really ratcheted up a few notches. I am back to taking 3-4 loratab as well as a couple of Percocet on a regular basis (those are daily dosges) and quite often am still in too much pain to sleet. For example it is currently 6:30 AM and I have only been able to sleep for 3 hours (heavily medicated ones) since early yesterday morning.
Compared to my father-in-law or the family members that have been lost in the past few weeks I guess I can honestly say that, as much pain as I am in, at least I am still here and things could be a lot worse.
First of all my wife has been fighting a MRSA infection in her left foot for months now. She initially underwent surgery to remove the last joint of her big toe and then came home for 6 weeks of IV antibiotics via a pick line. (to make it easier to care for her she stayed with her mom so that others could help her as needed.) Roughly 3 weeks later the infection came back and they discovered that it was on one of the larger bones that runs from her ancke to the toes along the top of the foot.
They started the whole routine again (including another 6 weeks of antibiotics at home) and she completed that course of treatment about 3 weeks ago. She was suddenly hit with inflamation, sewlling, and intense pain in her other ;eg yesterday (Thursday) morning and taken to the ER. They verified that she had no blood clot in her leg and began treatment for an assumed return of the same infection. The infectious disease doc has been out of town but will be checking her out later this morning.
Meanwhile, within a few short days of Cheryl being released to come home from the hospital the first time around, her dad had a major stroke. After bouncing back and forth from the rehab facility to the hospital he came down with septic shock and we almost lost him. He is currently at home being treated by hospice.
To make things even more hectic the family has lost 3 friends or family members in the last few weeks. All these things that have been going on has helped me put my problems into perspective and realize that things could be a lot worse.
So.. just how am I doing? When it became apparent that Cheryl would require a second round of antibiotics I made the move from my house to my inlaw's house to make things easier on those that were helping her out as well as assisting me wiht meals and such. While that sounded like a good idea on paper, the end result is that I am spending my waking hours in a recliner rather than all my time in bed and the level of pain in my back as well as th esciatic pain in both legs have really ratcheted up a few notches. I am back to taking 3-4 loratab as well as a couple of Percocet on a regular basis (those are daily dosges) and quite often am still in too much pain to sleet. For example it is currently 6:30 AM and I have only been able to sleep for 3 hours (heavily medicated ones) since early yesterday morning.
Compared to my father-in-law or the family members that have been lost in the past few weeks I guess I can honestly say that, as much pain as I am in, at least I am still here and things could be a lot worse.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
I'm dyin' here...
Despite the good news that my wife was released from the hospital in time for Christmas, I feel like I've been in a train wreck. Between an 8-hour hospital visit on Monday and being up (as in upright) at my inlaw's house for about 12 hours today the result is that I can barely move. It will take me staying in bed from now until Santa slides down my chimney if I have any hope of making it through Christmas day...
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Zombie Movies
While I have never been a fan of zombie movies, I have a nephew that loves them. From what I can tell they simply walk areund like they are sleep walking.
I think I would be great of that. I slept so little the past 2 nights that I fell into unconsiousness fir the better part of the day today. That part was made easier by the fact that I fell about 10:00 this morning and have needed several doses of pain pills throughout the day.
Between the meds and the use of a heating pad and ice pack I was able to stay close to being on the top of the pain but it hasn't been easy. Sleep has been the only relief I have gotten.
At the end of the day staying asleep is just impossible because pain wakes me up every 30-60 minutes. Right now for example I an having back spasms as well as sciatic pain in both legs. Not even the meds combined with my implant, and a heating pad are giving me any relieff.
Which brings me back to zombies. Do they feel pain as they sleep walk through their existance?
I think I would be great of that. I slept so little the past 2 nights that I fell into unconsiousness fir the better part of the day today. That part was made easier by the fact that I fell about 10:00 this morning and have needed several doses of pain pills throughout the day.
Between the meds and the use of a heating pad and ice pack I was able to stay close to being on the top of the pain but it hasn't been easy. Sleep has been the only relief I have gotten.
At the end of the day staying asleep is just impossible because pain wakes me up every 30-60 minutes. Right now for example I an having back spasms as well as sciatic pain in both legs. Not even the meds combined with my implant, and a heating pad are giving me any relieff.
Which brings me back to zombies. Do they feel pain as they sleep walk through their existance?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
I feel like a movie star
A while back I seem to remember a movie being released called "Eyes Wide Shut." I think I will be the staring roll in the seguel. It will be called "Eyes Glued Shut."
I have already been practicing for the rill by putting up with dried tears glueing my eyelashes together every time I close them long enough to take a nap or attempt to sleep at night.
I guess it could be worse. They could just thicken up into gooey "eye boogers" like you see on babies that cry themselves to sleep.
Instead I have to clean the "sand" out of my eyes several tiles a day and often during the night as well. I may start sollecting it. After all it probably won't take but a month for me to have enough to fill in the pit hole in the road near my house.
I have already been practicing for the rill by putting up with dried tears glueing my eyelashes together every time I close them long enough to take a nap or attempt to sleep at night.
I guess it could be worse. They could just thicken up into gooey "eye boogers" like you see on babies that cry themselves to sleep.
Instead I have to clean the "sand" out of my eyes several tiles a day and often during the night as well. I may start sollecting it. After all it probably won't take but a month for me to have enough to fill in the pit hole in the road near my house.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Finally.... Numbers that make sense
I'm not sure where I found these online but someone finally got around to putting mote than facial expressions behind the 1-10 pain skale. It gies something like this:
0 - Pain free
1 - Very minor annoyance - occasional minor twinges.
2 - Minor annoyance - occasional strong twinges.
3 - Annoying enough to be distracting.
4 - Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting.
5 - Can't be ignored for more than 30 minutes.
6 - Can't be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social activities.
7 - Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep You can still function with effort.
8 - Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness set in as factors of pain.
9 - Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably - near delirium.
10 - Unconscious. Pain makes you pass out.
So.... Using this scale I would have to rate my chronic pain as always being between 6-8. My physical activity is always limted, it almost always interferes with my sleep, and while I can still function with effort, the mental effects of taking enough drugs to be able to function leaves me unable to write or converse afaquatly without constant corrections to my statements. Just writing this paragraph required a huge reliance on my phones spelling correction as well as numerous edits in an effort to sound coherant.
And you can forget a social life. With the exception of Thanksgiving day family gatherings and medical related appointments I haven't made itvto a social gathering in months....
0 - Pain free
1 - Very minor annoyance - occasional minor twinges.
2 - Minor annoyance - occasional strong twinges.
3 - Annoying enough to be distracting.
4 - Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but still distracting.
5 - Can't be ignored for more than 30 minutes.
6 - Can't be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social activities.
7 - Makes it difficult to concentrate, interferes with sleep You can still function with effort.
8 - Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness set in as factors of pain.
9 - Unable to speak. Crying out or moaning uncontrollably - near delirium.
10 - Unconscious. Pain makes you pass out.
So.... Using this scale I would have to rate my chronic pain as always being between 6-8. My physical activity is always limted, it almost always interferes with my sleep, and while I can still function with effort, the mental effects of taking enough drugs to be able to function leaves me unable to write or converse afaquatly without constant corrections to my statements. Just writing this paragraph required a huge reliance on my phones spelling correction as well as numerous edits in an effort to sound coherant.
And you can forget a social life. With the exception of Thanksgiving day family gatherings and medical related appointments I haven't made itvto a social gathering in months....
Friday, December 4, 2009
That must have hurt
I have to admit that one of the biggest issues I have with my health is to quantify just how much pain I am in when someone inquires about it. Usually it is someone at the pain clinic and, while many of the doctors or assistants there take one glance at my facial expression and remark that I must be in a lot of pain, it is still difficult for a positive person like myself to put a number on it.
One number that tells a lot is my blood pressure. When I am in pain or maybe not hurting bad at that precise instant but have been batteling with it all night then my BP will be elivated. While I have always had ideal blood pressure at or near 120/80, the last visit to the pain clinic (one week ago) found my BP at 176/97. Despite tht billboard screaming that I was (or had been) in a lot of pain they still ask me to rate it on a scale of 1-10.
Every time they ask that I can't help but recall the joke about the three friends that were discussing the most painful thing they had ever experienced.
The first guy told of a time when he got his hand caught in a piece of machinery and it not only took paramedics hours to free him but resulted in multiple surgeries and months of painful rehab in order for him regain use of his hand and fingers. His two buddies agreed that that must have hurt a lot.
The second guy told about a time when he forgot to put out his cigarette before siphoning gas out of his car and the fumes exploded, leaving him with 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over his chest and face. It took months in the hospital burn unit and several surgeries and skin grafts before he recovered. Everyone agreed that that experience must have hurt a lot.
The final guy told of an Alaskan hunting accident when he was tired from hiking through snow all day and went to sit down beneath a large tree. He did not realize until too late that the fresh snow covered an open bear trap chained to the tree and the jaws of the trap slammed closed on either side of his butt. The first two guys agreed that his experience probably hurt the most. One of them said, "Dang! I bet that really hurt!!"
His response was, "It sure did, but not nearly as much as when I tried running away and took the slack out if the chain!!"
The point I an trying to make is that, even when I an in a lot of pain, I tend to low ball the numbers because it would hurt much more if I had my hand caught in a machine press, was suffering from extensive burns, and had just taken the slack out of that chain.
I finally found a pain scale that works fir me, however. I will post it in the next blog entry.
One number that tells a lot is my blood pressure. When I am in pain or maybe not hurting bad at that precise instant but have been batteling with it all night then my BP will be elivated. While I have always had ideal blood pressure at or near 120/80, the last visit to the pain clinic (one week ago) found my BP at 176/97. Despite tht billboard screaming that I was (or had been) in a lot of pain they still ask me to rate it on a scale of 1-10.
Every time they ask that I can't help but recall the joke about the three friends that were discussing the most painful thing they had ever experienced.
The first guy told of a time when he got his hand caught in a piece of machinery and it not only took paramedics hours to free him but resulted in multiple surgeries and months of painful rehab in order for him regain use of his hand and fingers. His two buddies agreed that that must have hurt a lot.
The second guy told about a time when he forgot to put out his cigarette before siphoning gas out of his car and the fumes exploded, leaving him with 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over his chest and face. It took months in the hospital burn unit and several surgeries and skin grafts before he recovered. Everyone agreed that that experience must have hurt a lot.
The final guy told of an Alaskan hunting accident when he was tired from hiking through snow all day and went to sit down beneath a large tree. He did not realize until too late that the fresh snow covered an open bear trap chained to the tree and the jaws of the trap slammed closed on either side of his butt. The first two guys agreed that his experience probably hurt the most. One of them said, "Dang! I bet that really hurt!!"
His response was, "It sure did, but not nearly as much as when I tried running away and took the slack out if the chain!!"
The point I an trying to make is that, even when I an in a lot of pain, I tend to low ball the numbers because it would hurt much more if I had my hand caught in a machine press, was suffering from extensive burns, and had just taken the slack out of that chain.
I finally found a pain scale that works fir me, however. I will post it in the next blog entry.
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