Living Obliquely

Approximately 1400 people are diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) annually.
Similar to Multiple Sclerosis, it attacks your myelin, leading to painful and debilitating side effects.
About 33,000 Americans are currently disabled as a result of this rare neurological disorder.
Not one person with TM will ever know their prognosis.
I happen to be one of them.



I am a neurological soup. Since my TM diagnosis, I have developed encephalitis, MS, RSD/CRPS, Osteoporosis (I am 34, no 35, eek), and Chronic Anemia. Yeah...life sucks, but I still rock.



7.17.2010

Ketamine Cam Day 2: with spills and special guests

Mois...coming down from ketamine...again.






ALSO, even though yesterday was the official Scatterneuries deadline, I'll extend it until Monday for those of you who are dying to take part in this brand new online game.



This one is boobalicious.

*****


UPDATE
7.16.10

With 2 weeks of plasmapharesis, followed by a nerve block surgery (link warning: video of actual procedure) of my left arm, and 2 days of ketamine boosters, I have not felt this good in a while. My pain is down to a 6, and I'm actually able to enjoy being awake, walking around, and I'm going to paint today for the first time since this last flare-up, which started over 2 months ago.

Unfortunately, my ketamine boosters will be further apart from now on because the drug can cause liver damage (and it's basic scheduling protocol), and if my LFTs are adversely effected, I can not get treatment for 6 months.

Since I've been receiving ketamine, the positive affects (if any) have lasted no longer than 1.5 weeks before they started to dwindle. This last month-long wait was excruciating. I don't know what to expect, or how I will handle, managing my pain with this longer break between infusions.

Normally, follow up boosters at this stage are every 3 months, however, we're going to try for every 2 and hope that my liver can take it. But since the nerve block worked, I'll probably be getting one every 3-4 weeks.

The good news is, the doc, Dr. Goldberg aka Dr. G, is super cool - like hip hipster in scrubs cool, the hospital in Camden, NJ is actually gorgeous (despite its location) and amazingly stylish for such an icky institution, and they have the best hand sanitizer I've ever used.

4 comments:

  1. At least here http://bit.ly/9n9vlR indicate 34 million Americans Suffer from Chronic Pain.. very good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. very good information on the blog, we really appreciate it ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Work in a mine I had a laceration the short zone of the back by a bad maneuver, they took me 15 year ago, and 4 year ago where the I medicate and me he prescribed vicodin for the chronic ache that felt at that moment, after some examinations and a prudent time, they told me that it was a severe one lesion in the back and that had to follow a treatment that would last some months, and that to counteract the aches that felt took vicodin, that was a medicine effective against the chronic ache, after going to home and when not having anything that to do (they giving me absolute rest per 10 days) I enter and I looked by curiosity them components of vicodin and in findrxonline me dí with the surprise that was a very powerful narcotic opíoide and that taenia consequences if not one took of correct way, one I indicated it that I medicate and he told me that this medicine is very used by his efectiveness and that I do not worry by the consequences, because by myself I must take one daily dose, and that if it was correct there his use would not be problems, that I am left more peaceful and I can not be without this medicine now because the lesion still he persists and the doctor has said that he has turned one a chronic fibromialgia, but that the medicine help can one endure in daily life and to that to me opinion is like that because I usually work and though the ache sometimes is unbearable I take my medicine correctly.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is good know that they help you to surpass the chronic pains, it is hardly to find medicines that can do it because, they prescribe vicodin usually for the ache and though it is a medicament with restrictions, really it is a very good help for counteracting the ache.

    Lady Gaga
    Findrxonline

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for sharing your comments on my blog. Please stop back soon or subscribe by clicking http://feeds.feedburner.com/NeuroDetour.

If you're a Philly-region person with TM, please consider joining the Transverse Myelitis Philadelphia network (http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/group.php?gid=44446668472), a new social networking group that I started for people with TM so that we can meet and chat casually. It's only on Facebook for now, so, if you haven't already, join. It's easy.

Best,
Melanie

In Pictures

Please Note: Some photos may contain partial nudity or depictions of medical procedures. Though I am in many of these photos, my reason for sharing these personal photos is to promote awareness, understanding, and advocacy for people with TM and other rare diseases.
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