Tag: cauda equina syndrome

trying something different

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

Trying something different

I woke up in pain again around 0630. I took some pain meds and so far, I don’t seem to be needing anymore for the time being. I went back to sleep a few hours later. When I got up, I decided I was going to try the liquid protein diet again. So I had a drink and then made coffee. The coffee came out a little weak because I put too much water. I hate when I do that. I am going to try and stick with this diet. If I can make it all week on it, I will try it next week or until I run out of protein drinks. I have gained four pounds so I am hoping to lose that and a little more. It is hard to lose but I hope I can stay on this course. It’s my second attempt at this as the first time didn’t work out as well.

Allergies are really bad today. I am congested and sneezing a lot. I am going to try and work on my paper. I am going to try and read it and see what information I can pull from it. The one piece of information I was waiting on from the author of the paper wrote back to me so I will include that in my analysis.

It’s another nice day. I opened the back door. My mother needs to have the screen doors repaired as they are getting more patched up than screened. Every time it rains, the patches blow away as they are just stuck on with tape-like thing.

I got my favorite country radio station playing on my Kindle. I really want to go back to sleep but I am going to try and avoid it. I need to write like a bullet point for this blog and then write up some things that I want to work on with my therapist. I was thinking of them last night as I was drifting off to sleep. There are about three or four things I really want to work on. I am kind of scared because I am not used to asking what I want from therapy. I just expect the therapist to know after I talk for a little bit. But the last few sessions haven’t left me feeling like anything is happening other than me rattling off my history and how bad my childhood was.

My new Depends underwear came in so I will start wearing them tomorrow. I got a couple samples in the package with a coupon. I’ll take a shower tonight. I just hope they fit me. I have a huge package so if they don’t fit, I am screwed. I hate that it has come to this. I have stopped one of my medications. I am not taking it this week and see how my bladder does.

my thoughts however disturbing

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders, suicide

My thoughts however disturbing

I didn’t talk about the politics that has happened yesterday. I don’t think it affected me, yet. I am hoping my state is immune because we have our own way of doing healthcare but I don’t know if the new Trumpcare will force them across the board or what will happen. It still has a few steps to go through before being signed by Cheeto.

But it has me worried none the less. If reproductive contraceptives are affected, I will no longer get my hormones free. I don’t know how much they will cost. A friend that has gone through the gender clinic who has mental problems like I do, was not able to get testosterone because she/he was not stable enough. I worry with my suicidality if the same will be my fate if I am no longer to get the contraception hormones to stop my menses. I will become suicidal again and it won’t be pretty.

I will be stuck and feel trapped. It won’t be a good feeling and because I have a bunch of pre-existing conditions, I don’t know if I will get my medication that I need to keep me alive and somewhat functioning. My blood pressure will go up to stroke like conditions. My migraines will come back and between that and the chronic pain that I have, I doubt I will be able to take the pain in my head as well.

The pain in my ankle has returned. Not with a vengeance but as I climbed out of bed for dinner, the sheet irritated my big toe and by the time I went downstairs, the pain came back. I feel like I should just end my life because what is my life worth to the republican party. They want to weed out people like me that is costing the insurance companies millions in doctors visits and medications every year. Hell, just therapy alone cost me $15,000 in insurance. I just don’t feel worthy to live anyway. I am sure I am not the only mental health person in America that feels this way right now. To some congressmen, transgender people are a “disease”. I am sure they will love for me to be wiped out by suicide.

We’ll see how this plays out before I make plans to end my life. I hope the Senate doesn’t let this bill pass or that the lousy VP doesn’t break a tie because we all know which direction it will go. America will be lost, more so than it already is thanks to Cheeto and his cronies.

got a haircut and other things

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

Got haircut and other things

Since last Friday, I have been meaning to get my haircut. I couldn’t stand it being long on top anymore because the bangs were getting in my face and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t tuck them in under my ballcap. It was annoying the crap out of me. I didn’t feel like going out because I had a rough sleep but I got out anyways. I got a ride to the square from my cousin who saw me at the bus stop. I had left early because it was a nice day and I knew if I waited, I might have changed my mind about going out.

We talked while in the car. This is the cousin that has bipolar disorder. We get along okay but sometimes he is annoying because he asks the same questions three different times. He said he’ll call me tonight. I won’t hold my breath. I appreciated the ride. I got my Starbucks and a sandwich. I was hungry but couldn’t finish the sandwich after I got ¾ the way through. I tried writing in my journal. I don’t know why it’s been so hard to write in it lately. I must have written two paragraphs and then left to get my haircut. I just could crank out anything.

There wasn’t a line at the barber shop so I got my favorite barber. He cut it good and I was happy to have the long hair gone. The sides and back are baldy, just the way I like it. It will grow in, in two weeks time. I will get another cut then. My hair grows fairly quick.

I didn’t want to take two showers today so I didn’t take one before I left the house. I will after I write this blog or after dinner to get the excess hair off my head. It always feels good to shower after a cut. I had received an email about my debit card being compromised by some merchant and that I will be receiving a new card. Just as a precaution, I took down my card at the various places online that I have my card stored. It’s going to suck learning a new number because I have had the same number for so long.

I got home and I was wet. I had to pee and I guess I leaked more than I thought I did. Fucking CES. This is getting to be a problem and I am not liking it at all. It’s just killing my dignity. I’m having to shower more frequently and I don’t like that because it annoys my ankle. I can usually sneak them in the morning. That way if it wears me out, I can rest for a bit before having to leave the house or I can just stay home. It all depends on what is going on for that day. Friday I have my psych appt. I almost called her last night before I posted the ugly blog. I was just feeling miserable. Writing the blog helped, like it usually does.

I wish I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night, again. I got to stop drinking after a certain point so I don’t wake up with a full bladder. Also didn’t help that I slept with my thermal socks on so I was fricken hotter than a hot potato. I took them off and forgot to put them on the floor so was sleeping with them. I thought that was cute. I found one sock on one side of me and the other on the other side of me. Just glad I found the pair. I hate when I misplace socks, especially my favorite ones.

what I forgot to mention

by Midnight Demon, posted in Bipolar Disorder, blogging, cauda equina syndrome, chronic physical pain, depression, mood disorders

What I forgot to mention

If you are a frequent reader of my blog, I am sorry for the repetition. I had four back surgeries, total. The first 2 were done in 2001 and 3 and 4 were done in 2006 for the same reason. Cauda Equina Syndrome. Because of this syndrome, my new PCP thinks I have chronic back pain. I sort of do but it’s not an every day type of pain. It’s more that my ankle and foot are the culprit that is causing me disability than my back. And despite telling him this, he is hooked that my ankle/foot pain is stemming from my back, which frustrates the hell out of me because umpteen doctors have proven that it’s my ankle not my back that is the problem.

The PCP’s nurse called me today and asked how my back and ankle were doing. I wanted to hang up on her. I told her it was my ankle and not my back that was the problem. I had to explain to her that I have complex regional pain syndrome in my ankle/foot/toes. And that it was wrecking havoc with my sleep. I keep waking up in the middle of the night in pain. She called me back later this evening to tell me my PCP is thinking about prescribing me xylocaine gel to put on my ankle but hasn’t fully decided on it yet. I should know in a day or two. So I got out my over the counter Aspercreme Lidocaine gel and put that on because my ankle was hurting. Surprisingly, the pain went down 50% in a short amount of time. I don’t know if the strong pain pill that I took also worked at the same time I applied the gel, but whatever. I wasn’t in excruciating pain.

Then at dinner time, my mother was in a “happy” mood. I told her what I did today, about my writing and she said “why don’t I write about happy stuff”. I wanted to say to her because I am not a happy person but I didn’t want an argument. We had this discussion before and it didn’t go well. I felt really depressed after this conversation. Nothing I do pleases my mother. I just want to die. Maybe that will please her.

The damn birds have finally stopped chirping, least for now. I want to hunt them down and wake them up if they are sleeping like they have kept me up all damn day. I hate those fuckers.

I only put the lidocaine stuff on my ankle. So naturally, my foot is throbbing. I just took more pain meds. I might take another strong pain pill in a little while. While I was talking to my PCP’s nurse, I explained to her how I take the Neurontin and the strong pain pill. She wanted to increase the dose of the Neurontin. I explained to her how I take it and she asked if I took it every night. I do for the most part, even though I gain serious weight from it. Once the burning stops, I stop taking it though. I didn’t tell her that.