Carpal Tunnel. Or Not.
Just call me the Queen of Appointments. I swear I have at least one a day, and many days there are two. Doctors. Neurologists. Chiropractors. Physical Therapists. And yes, it's damn expensive.
I guess the good news is that I am now awash in diagnoses. The neurologist, whom I FINALLY saw today for the first time, swears on his thirty years of practice that I have carpal tunnel, and I have an appointment (in two weeks) to verify this. If I have it, I have a very, very bad case of it, and in both arms. So I told this to the chiropractor today, who nodded, then did some tests. Then frowned. "You can't have carpal tunnel," he said. "It has to be higher up." I admit I'm tempted to go with the chiro, as it is almost always exclusively my shoulders that hurt, and it's my neck and upper back that are visibly swollen. He was happy, though, because he heard my test was so far away. "We can get a lot done by then," he said. He's already done great work on my lower back. So, we'll see.
I also saw a new physical therapist on Wednesday (Ria Keinert, for those of you who are local), and she is wonderful. Very, very wonderful. She's hard on me, which I love, but she also praised me, too, telling me how much good work I've done. Then told me to do more, and was ruthless in making sure I did it right. She's going to hook me up with a trainer once I get stable. In the meantime, I have appointments with her, and lots of exercises and a regimen to keep.
Of course, it's hard to work on anything right now because I have come down with the mother of all head colds. And for whatever reason this thing is making my lower back, arms, and shoulders sore, too--all my usual spots. So I am soaking up the Tiger Balm, drinking Yogi Breathe Deep tea (or whatever it's name is) and planning a soaking salt/lavender bath.
Anna is also home on spring break and has been all week, which between that and the appointments and the fact that we generally like clean clothes to wear and clean plates to eat off of, I haven't been able to write except for tiny, tiny bits. However, Dan has plans to take Anna away tomorrow, she has a party, and I have my tea. My goal for the weekend is to get my exercises in and get back to the gym (probably Sunday) and try, try, try to get "Shining Light" done. Because the weather's going to be nice soon, and I'll be getting back to STB.
That's my update. Once I get my life back, I'll post my plans for writing, because I have some, but for now it's just lots and lots of pain management, and now snot management, too.
Now I'm off to go find my Vicodin.
I guess the good news is that I am now awash in diagnoses. The neurologist, whom I FINALLY saw today for the first time, swears on his thirty years of practice that I have carpal tunnel, and I have an appointment (in two weeks) to verify this. If I have it, I have a very, very bad case of it, and in both arms. So I told this to the chiropractor today, who nodded, then did some tests. Then frowned. "You can't have carpal tunnel," he said. "It has to be higher up." I admit I'm tempted to go with the chiro, as it is almost always exclusively my shoulders that hurt, and it's my neck and upper back that are visibly swollen. He was happy, though, because he heard my test was so far away. "We can get a lot done by then," he said. He's already done great work on my lower back. So, we'll see.
I also saw a new physical therapist on Wednesday (Ria Keinert, for those of you who are local), and she is wonderful. Very, very wonderful. She's hard on me, which I love, but she also praised me, too, telling me how much good work I've done. Then told me to do more, and was ruthless in making sure I did it right. She's going to hook me up with a trainer once I get stable. In the meantime, I have appointments with her, and lots of exercises and a regimen to keep.
Of course, it's hard to work on anything right now because I have come down with the mother of all head colds. And for whatever reason this thing is making my lower back, arms, and shoulders sore, too--all my usual spots. So I am soaking up the Tiger Balm, drinking Yogi Breathe Deep tea (or whatever it's name is) and planning a soaking salt/lavender bath.
Anna is also home on spring break and has been all week, which between that and the appointments and the fact that we generally like clean clothes to wear and clean plates to eat off of, I haven't been able to write except for tiny, tiny bits. However, Dan has plans to take Anna away tomorrow, she has a party, and I have my tea. My goal for the weekend is to get my exercises in and get back to the gym (probably Sunday) and try, try, try to get "Shining Light" done. Because the weather's going to be nice soon, and I'll be getting back to STB.
That's my update. Once I get my life back, I'll post my plans for writing, because I have some, but for now it's just lots and lots of pain management, and now snot management, too.
Now I'm off to go find my Vicodin.