Pain appointment and a free helper monkey if you would like one

I've been home about a month and things are going pretty well. I'm doing outpatient PT 3x a week to strengthen my core muscles. Inpatient focused on the legs because they wanted the abdomen to completely heal. My hair is still falling out and I'm wearing a baseball hat as much as possible. The "lizard skin" I mentioned in another post turned out to be due to sepsis.

I saw my pain doc a few days ago. PT is increasing my pain level. He was sympathetic, but doesn't want to up my meds unless it prohibits me from going to PT. He says I'm experiencing acute pain with the PT, and my normal chronic pain. The acute pain will tell the therapist when she needs to back off during an excercise. He did do trigger point injections in my upper traps, and a cortisone shot in my obviously swollen, red, and hot shoulder.

I'm really impatient to get my life back to normal, but as friends point out, I've come a long way since the icu down at Wake June and July.

So, now it's time to offer a helper monkey. He's going to be 14 next Monday. His behavior has been good in the past, but now that he's an adolescent, , each day is a new adventure. He will require soccer to drain him of some of his energy, and be prepared to hear trumpet practice a few days a week. He does have strong arms and legs so you can use him for a variety of reasons. I do have to disclose that he comes with a large portion of teenage angst.

Just kidding-I love the kid more than life itself, but he is definitely an adolescent.

Hi Roccky,

So glad to hear that you are doing better, despite the ongoing pain issues with PT (I can relate)! I also sympathize with your feeling of just wanting to get back to normal. I have been feeling that way as well, with everything that I went through this summer, too. My situation was nothing as serious as yours (just 3 back surgeries in as many mo, when it was only supposed to be one & done -- nothing life threatening like what you went through), but has impacted my life in a big way as well due to not only the physical/ongoing pain issues, but also the psychological stress, and preventing me from returning to school in a timely manor to finish up my last few months, which has some major repercussions in itself. But I keep telling myself the same thing as you -- look at where I was a few weeks ago, a month ago, etc, and how far I have come... And I've also found it helpful to celebrate the "little victories" (like being able to start pool PT, the first time I was able to drive again, the first time I could cook myself a meal, etc). It's a good way to remind myself that while the progress I'm making may be slow, I'm still making progress! And that is what is most important!

Anyways, sorry your little guy is turning into a teenager. I don't know how mom's do it when they are healthy, let alone when they have chronic health issues like you do. So I give you a lot of credit there!

Skeye

Skeye
That's s good way to think about the situation-celebrate the small stuff. I can now drive to Nate's soccer games. Who Hooo!!!