Hard Week

This week I saw the acupressure massage lady. Unfortunately, it just didn't go well. She was an awesome lady and understood me. With CRPS, it is so hard to know how something will work since there is so little research on it. For me, the acupressure made me worse.
Honestly, it is a scary thing. I certainly don't blame anyone when it gets worse. No one has a clue. But this week, I can't tie my shoes anymore or grip my toothbrush correctly with my left hand. These days I feel like I have so much more insight into my Deda's life when he had Parkinson's. My mind is fine but my body is not cooperating. I despise having to ask for help for everything in my life. I was the independent one, the one who moved to a new city and was making a life for myself. My life was on track, I was going to achieve my dream and be a vet. I do know now that being a regular vet isn't what my heart wanted but I still wanted to be a veterinary behaviorist. And now I have to depend on everyone else for the smallest of things. My Deda was a strong man who always cared for his family. Then the Parkinson's robbed him of that and I understand how he must have felt. I remember him always trying to do things when he shouldn't have. I understand why he did, I understand how frustrated he must have been every day when his body betrayed him. He has always been one of my heroes but now it is so much more so. Even during his worst times he still said "This too shall pass"

On the road again....

Tomorrow Mom and I are leaving for Atlanta. I am seeing a woman who does the human version of the Tellington Touch (an excellent acupressure technique that started in animals). She has rave reviews from others who have been in significant pain, so we are hoping she will be able to help me. I'll make sure to blog updates while I'm there.

This weekend was great. Saturday was Halloween and I went to trunk or treat with my Aunt Kay and cousin. I took Dixie with me and suspended the no petting rule and she was a huge hit. Not to mention, Dixie adores kids so she was in heaven. After that I went to my best friend's sister's house and hung out there. I got to see most of my favorite people and I had a great time!

Here is a picture of Lola, me and Dixie in our costumes:

At least I have a good excuse this time!

I have been ridiculously busy for someone who can't leave the house on her own. Last Thursday my mom's chihuahua found 2 kittens behind our pool pump. They were around 4 weeks old so we have been bottle feeding them (read: Mom and I have been bottle feeding them). They are doing very well and have started using the litterbox on their own consistently the past day or two! They will not be staying with us but we are fostering them until they are old enough to be adopted out.
The CRPS does seem to have spread to my entire left arm now. It sucks but there is nothing I can do about it. I'm going to an acupressure doctor in Atlanta next week so we will see how that goes.

Le sigh

This week is not going so well thus far. My tests on Monday were bad and I just hoped I passed.
Yesterday wasn't too bad, just a pretty lazy day.
Today my hand is partially swollen and really painful. This is a normal progression of CRPS but it just sucks. I lost what little use I have of my left upper body. It blows.
The girls are doing great. I got Dixie a princess costume and am waiting for Lola's matching witch costume to arrive. Both of their costumes have corset tops and I am wearing my Ren Faire outfit so we all kind of match. I'm pretty excited about getting a partial family picture in costume :-p

I know, I know, my poor blog readers are neglected

Although, honestly, this has been a sensationally unexciting week. Monday and Tuesday were spent studying and taking a make-up quiz for a class. Wednesday I woke up feeling like death and spent the day in bed except for the couple hours I was at the urgent care (where the doctor got distracted for CRPS and didn't test me for the flu despite my "FLU-LIKE symptoms").
Thursday I went to a local allergy doctor to get my Xolair injections transferred to them and they recommended I go to another urgent care because they were sure I had the flu. And they were right.
So I've been spending most of my time in my room in an effort to not make everyone else sick. And eating soup. Lots of soup. Because nausea is a part of it.
I did order Lola's Halloween costume today. Dixie already has hers and has pictures in her blog of her in it. I promise to upload pictures of Lola Belle too and eventually a group picture of all 3 of us in costume together.

The downside of blog popularity

So I realized that since everyone now has this blog address and got used to checking it for updates, I should probably become regular about updates. (And by realized, I mean one of my best friends said she was stalking this and Dixie's blog to keep up with me :-P)

We spent the weekend in Charleston, SC with Vogel and Granddad. We relaxed most of the time but did manage to get out to the outlets (where I got a coat that fit my arm!). We got back on Sunday and had to go to my Great Aunt Betty's visitation after that.

The rest of this week has been spent recovering and trying to get all of my school stuff worked out. It is quite a bit more difficult when you are 100 miles away from campus and can only talk through e-mail. Things are worked out so I will be spending my "fall break" studying.

Day 7: Treatment Plan

Today I had the breast ultrasound done and it was normal. After that we went to try and get in with the pain doctor (since they scheduled it for next week). That didn't pan out so we just waited until my appointment with the pain psychologist

He is referring me to a pain program in Rochester Minnesota. It is 3 weeks long and includes everything from occupational therapy to medication. It isn't a cure but it should help.

This means that the diagnosis is most likely Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). It has no cure but can be treated. It can come and go but there is not as much of a timeline as some think. Dixie will probably have her job for life. I probably won't go back to being a vet tech, since it will put too much stress on my arm if I'm healthy again. So now, I am definitely going to pursue behavior and training. After I'm done with Mayo Rochester, I'll be looking to be an assistant trainer to get my foot in the door there.