Physical Therapy - Again

Physical Therapy: The time I lose while they put hot packs on my neck and lower back and then make me do painful exercises.

I’m undergoing PT on my neck for the 2^nd time this year.

It didn’t help the first time and I’m not holding on to much hope that it will help this time. And … the first time, I didn’t have a pinched nerve in my neck, caused by bone spurs and arthritis, that was making my right arm and shoulder go numb up to twice a minute.

However, my insurance carrier will not allow me to have an MRI to see what is causing the problem until I’ve undergone PT again.

While giving away our apples to Freecyclers this past few weeks, I met a woman who had had the same surgery our son-in-law had to correct pinched nerves in the neck. She, too, had to go through PT first – and did more damage which is now also causing her leg to go numb.

I already have nerve damage in my lower back and flank. It is very painful. Fibro makes it a habit to hit the weakest points where arthritis is already wreaking havoc.

If this post doesn’t seem to be full of sunshine and hope, blame it on Physical Therapy.

My Reason for this Blog

Initially my plan was to set up this blog anonymously, ala Miss Snark. (You'd have to be a writer to get the humor in that.) That way I could bitch and complain at will. However ...

As I mulled it over and began to digest my motive for this blog I began to realize that if all I wanted to do was complain, I could re-join the online Fibromyalgia groups, listen to the tales of woe, and thereby promote the self-serving woe-is-me pity party--which was the reason I left the groups.

I am a writer. But there is so much more to my life. I have a wonderful husband, great kids, even greater grandkids (which is what I hoped for when considering eating my young), and a full life.

A FULL life. In spite of having Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis.

Yes, I get tired. Yes, I hurt--a lot and often. Yes, I spend much time with doctors. Yes, I take medication. Yes, I must use the motorized carts to do my grocery shopping and then pray hubby gets home from work in time to unload them--before the ice cream melts. Yes, I have a wheelchair to use on those days when I can't manage to walk OR when the whole family goes to the zoo. Yes, I understand my illnesses are life-long and there is no cure. Yes, I get down sometimes. Yes, I deal with depression.

I also do many of the things I always wanted to do but didn't have time for, now that I'm unable to work a "real job". Like read. And write. And take short naps and long bubble baths.

If you have landed here, you were most likely researching either FM (Fibromyalgia) or OA (Osteoarthritis) because you have one--or both--or someone close to you does.

My plan is to be honest, yet upbeat. To be real. To share--often. Even on the not-so-good days.

Feel free to leave a comment, or to comment on a comment.