Well I'm pretty much set to go for the acid reflux surgery. All I need to do is call the doctor's office and tell them I want a to schedule. It was confirmed that I have the hiatal hernia, it's not big but it's something that has to be "fixed" anyway. The surgeon asked "are you ready to start feeling better?" Is that a trick question? I told him first needed to see the orthopedic surgeon for my neck and shoulder. This will mean another x-ray and MRI. He mentioned he and the ortho, who see each other in the OR's, spoke about me as they were passing each other!! LOL!! He said poor Dr. Shanti had lost sleep worrying about me and how to help because my symptoms showed up post-surgery. (Dr. Shanti is such a sweetheart and always runs on time too!) I'll see him on Thursday. They're going to do an x-ray in office, but if an MRI requires precert which can take a week and up to two to get approved. I can be a week into healing from the acid reflux surgery before the approval comes in. On a funny note, pretty soon I'm going to start glowing in the dark with all this radiation!
I met with the new physical therapist today. I was referred to her by the rheumatologist becuase she specializes in hypermobility (same thing as EDS). She was fantastic! She taped me all up using physio-tape, with the purpose of assisting and supporting my joints and muscles into the correct positions and not be fatigued or overworked. As she was putting the tape up, I could feel the difference it made! The left shoulder felt like it was in place and I wasn't working as hard to hold it up; the right shoulder felt less fatigued from compensating for the left. She taped the back and I felt my posture straighten even more! I already have good posture, but I have to work HARD use all of my muscles to keep it up. The tape relieved the overburned muscles and I was able to straighten up normally...RELAXED. She taped the lower back and I felt my stomach muscles loosen up! It was unbelievable! Had I not experienced it myself I would NOT have believed that this simple method would offer such relief! I could breathe. I could take DEEP breaths! My stomach was not clenched! The best way to describe it is that my body felt...quiet. The therapist asked what level of pain was compared to when I got there. I was at a 5 on arrival, which is my baseline: constant pain that needs to be managed but isn't becuase there is nothing to manage it with. I was at a 3 after the taping!!! I have experienced less than a 5 on two previous occassion: the first day of morphine post spine fusion in December 2012, the body gets used to it after that 1st dose (then I developed an allergic reaction); the 1st and only week that Lyrica worked for me in 2009.
I don't want to get overexcited about the tape. The tape will get wet, stretch, etc. and I'll have to endure the weekend until my next visit. But, I also know the tape is only a temporary tool while the therapist and I work exercises, proper mechanical movements, posture, balance, breathing, etc. She was glad to hear that I was already doing some Pilates and core excercices. They don't get very many people who stay active and continue to stretch and move their body even when it's in pain. (PAT ON THE BACK FOR ME: YAY ME!!!)
Meanwhile, I also have to go to the GYN. To complicate matters, Mirena isn't working for me. Surprising? I think not! A check up, some blood work. First, is Mirena in place? Second, any new cysts or endometriosis? That would mean biopsy...I will leave it there. At this point I don't want to think about any other possible ramifications. But, we have tried everything else....
However, I have a bad feeling about the left arm and shoulder pain. The previous physical therapist and this new one both think the pain and numbing stem from cervical vertebrae issue. This is what my feeling is too. I'm bracing for impact.
Looking on the positive side, ask and you shall receive: I know I landed with the right physical therapist! I like that she's going to incorporate the Pilates and core exercises, deep breathing, mechanical movements, etc and I LOVE the taping! Yes, more taping please!!!
There are times when it just doesn't seem to stop. Things just keep coming. I have to keep reminding myself to look at the positive, to look at was green and alive, instead of what's grey and drab (thanks Dr. Richardson). Sometimes, I'm so exhausted from keeping my body upright, holding my neck straight on my shoulders, reminding myself to unclench my stomach, to relax the shoulders, to breathe. This makes the green easy to loose sight of. Perhaps, becuase I'm NOT breathing, or becuase my head weighs too much on my neck. Perhaps this make the grey so easy to focus on. Let's hope that this new person has been brought into my life to lighten my load. Perhaps I have just had a glimpse of the green, the light, the life, the vibrancy and the calm and am greedy for more.
How much grey is left? The green is coming.
I asked for the Doctor of doctors...we'll see what lies ahead and continue trusting that all will be well. The green is coming. I continue listening...
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