July 2, 2017 MENDING....SCIATICA?

It's going on a month since I told you about my trip to the ER and the shock of being totally helpless....and since I'm not able to take any Prednisone, a recovery is taking quite a long time.  However, the key word here or sentence is "recover."

Going to P/T two times a week and trying to do the painful exercises as faithfully as possible.  I've been given a medication for pain. I am probably using it too sparingly because I'm so afraid of addiction, thus the exercises are more arduous than they might be.  But....I'm doing it.  

I have a wonderful 'executive' office chair that I've been using more like a walker than the real walker loaned to me.  For some reason walkers for the elderly symbolize something so negative to me that I find it discouraging to use one.  I must when I am picked up for P/T, but otherwise, this marvelous office chair seems to work so well in the apartment.  I had most of my beautiiful rugs rolled up so the wood floors are exposed and this 5 legged chair rolls easily.  It even rolls well on the 3 rooms that have carpets.  

When I'm in severe pain, I have the chair facing me so I can turn to sit in it if necessary, or......turn it so the seat faces away from me and use the high back to push it and I am standing up straighter.  It glides so well either way.

I even took it outsdie with two bags of garbage on it and went to the dumpster!   THAT was big.  Can't get to the mailbox yet though.  

I have a kitchen that is 'sort of' galley- like', but wide enough; maybe 4 feet wide.  I push the chair in there and sit down.  Then I pull out one of the lower drawers, put a bread board on top and can actually use it as a low counter to make a sandwich etc.  One day I even decided to make a meat loaf.  I had the ingredients that I took as I was sitting, from the fridge.  Then swiveled the chair around, opened the draw and actually had the large bowl go INTO the draw and it was just the right height to squish the meat loaf up with the ingredients.  Then patted it into a loaf and put it into the slow cooker, which was standing in another lower, pulled out drawer .  I was able to do all that myself.  The only help I needed was from a neighbor who put the slow cooker (crock pot) up on the counter to plug it in.  

I take the chair everywhere, almost, and when I go from one area to another, can use the seat to carry a tray with food, portable phone, papers, insulin thermos, glucose testing supplies and so on.  I use the couch as my 'cockpit' where I spend some of the day.  That's where I take supplies back and forth.  

This chair goes with me to the bedroom at night and when I get up in the morning, I get dressed.  It's too painful to stand and get dressed so I have my day time clothing ready and can sit down and get dressed a little at a time.  Early on in this saga, I was unable to even GET into pj's or bed.  I slept with my clothes on , on TOP of the bed with a small blanket.  IT WAS BAD!  A few nights I even slept in a lounge chair.  I have come a long way in just 3 weeks.  

Now however, the P/T is helping.  I'm a little more independent and hoping for recovery......whenever.  Have P/T for one more month, August 1st.  

Have decided perhaps I've had a little too much pride at how well I've done.  I have been extremely humbled by this event and thank God every day for the merciful lesson.  It could have been so much worse.  One physician does want me to consider a neurologist to assure that this is not a neuropathy condition.  

Considering years of brittle diabetes, ??  It certainly would make sense.  We do suspect the two years I've been experiencing muscle weakness is probably a neuropathy problem and is what has stopped my ability to ballroom dance.  After my 50th year as a diabetic, doctors would be amazed that I did not have any neuropathy.  Well on the 7th of this month, it will be SEVENTY TWO years I've dealt with this so most likely this could be a diagnosis.  There are some medications for neuropathy.  I'm scared of all these meds now, at this age and fragility.  Apparently they affect the brain and some of them warn of 'suicidal tendencies'.  I won't go to that area of thinking yet but if and when I do, well, we'll do all the homework and plan to start with very small doses.  

We're in the big leagues now so I'm listening carefully to my professionals.  

I so want to encourage others....I so want to be an example....I so want to prove that one can experience a quality even with a diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes......until the end.  

Bless you all........