Well, I had to get up at 6:45 am today because it was my bimonthly (every two months), Pain Clinic visit. I've been going to the same doctor there for over 14 years. He is great....well, he has a busy practice and two other doctors are there, but he "listens" and he "cares".
For instance, when my husband lost his job, he found a way for me to pay less for one of my medications. I can't imagine the stuff he deals with dispensing countless amounts of opiates on a daily basis. I wouldn't want that responsibility. However, he always asks how my husband is doing and about my daughter and school, etc. He's a "regular" person. Sure I've had my hour wait in the waiting room, but I solved that myself by signing up for the FIRST appointment in the morning. How late can a doctor be? (If you have a problem with any of your doctors and the appointment actually occurring an hour, or even two, later than the scheduled time, always take the first appointment! Hey, I don't like getting up that early to travel a distance but it's better than sitting in a waiting room for a good portion of your day!)
This office is also very consistent with following DEA rules. Every 3 months or so, I have to go through a "drug test". I really didn't understand it until my pharmacist told me that they do that to make sure I AM taking the medication not selling it.
Can you imagine? Well, I supposed if someone got desperate enough?! But even so, to put your life on the line by selling controlled substances, to me, is just plain stupid. I would much rather be broke than broke AND in prison. A destroyed life, indeed.
So, this time, I told my doctor that I was in quite a bit of pain because of my "not so bright" lonnnnnnnng walk with my husband the other day. Then he checked both my neck and my back and I was so stiff and tight that he's now prescribed steroids for 3 pills a day for 5 days to get some of the inflammation down. I have noticed lately, when I actually think about it, that I've been feeling like I want to crack my neck a lot. I also feel like my shoulders have been up to my ears when I do any kind of typing on the computer.
He told me to bend from the waist backward and I couldn't do it at all! It felt horrible. At that point, he had decided on the steroids. I don't like taking them but it's a very low dosage for a short period of time, so I just "deal with it".
Speaking of "dealing with it", do you happen to notice how much we simply "deal with it"? We go about our lives, trying to be like "everyone else", many of us working (I admire you for it!!!), many cleaning their homes, grocery shopping, cooking, doing laundry. We seem to think that we HAVE to be like "everyone else" and WHY? WHY do we feel that we have to be like the "normals", those people who are not in chronic pain and fatigue or who don't suffer some other chronic illness or disease.
I think we need to stop and take a look at our lives and decide what things/activities, need to GO. Do you have any activities that you should either be delegating or just simply not doing at all. I know we often feel that the world will crumble if we don't do "this or that", but will it really?
Today, or tomorrow, at the very latest, have a meeting with yourself. What things in life are weighing you down that don't need to be a part of your life or need to be scaled down a bit? Give that some thought today. You may need more down time, more relaxation time.
If you work, again, I applaud you. Maybe you need to consider getting help around the house so that you don't run yourself into the ground. Can someone clean for you, can you delegate the laundry. After all, you are already working a full-time or part-time job, why do you need TWO?
Let's put pen to paper today and see how our day runs. What do we spend our time on? You can even write it as you do it? In other words as you go from activity to activity, write down what you're doing and the time it takes for you to accomplish that activity or task.
Remember, if you don't take care of you, you're not going to be able to take care of anyone else OR do your job well. We are NOT everyone else. We are Fibro fighters!
Until later....
Blessings...............
Mo M.
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