Re-evaluation
It's been 3 weeks of ups and downs. Both in pain and emotions. Last Friday I walked away from the 8th treatment feel like a new person. Then, Monday and Tuesday I was discouraged because of all the pain in my left side from my spine to my foot. Thankfully that has eased up a lot.
Yesterday was my reevaluation. After 10 treatments they like to see what, if any, progress has been made. If there is none, you don't typically continue treatments. I knew there had been progress so I wasn't worried about that piece. I did worry about it working completely. Not as in healed completely, but is there really enough change that I can say it is worth it?
From your standpoint, I'm sure to hear that I have a 20% improvement means I can do 20% more in life, or take less meds or be 20% happier. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked that way for me.
Let's say my pain is at an 8. I take my meds, I lay on the couch. I am grumpy, short-tempered. I am very frustrated that this is my life. I wonder if things will ever change. My outlook on life is crummy. I can't get anything accomplished in my home or spend positive time with my children.
So now, if I can say that my pain has decreased by 20% and I am now between a 6 and 6.5, you'd think I would be really happy about it. Don't get me wrong, progress is progress. Someone that has their mind focused on pain every waking moment it becomes very difficult to distinguish the difference between an 8 and a 6.
On a pain "6" day, I take my meds, I sit on the couch until they kick in. I am grumpy and short-tempered. I am frustrated that this is my life. I wonder if things will ever change. My outlook on life is crummy. I can get a few things accomplished in my home. I can spend a few minutes of positive time with my children as long as my meds are kicked-in.
Yesterday was my reevaluation. After 10 treatments they like to see what, if any, progress has been made. If there is none, you don't typically continue treatments. I knew there had been progress so I wasn't worried about that piece. I did worry about it working completely. Not as in healed completely, but is there really enough change that I can say it is worth it?
From your standpoint, I'm sure to hear that I have a 20% improvement means I can do 20% more in life, or take less meds or be 20% happier. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked that way for me.
Let's say my pain is at an 8. I take my meds, I lay on the couch. I am grumpy, short-tempered. I am very frustrated that this is my life. I wonder if things will ever change. My outlook on life is crummy. I can't get anything accomplished in my home or spend positive time with my children.
So now, if I can say that my pain has decreased by 20% and I am now between a 6 and 6.5, you'd think I would be really happy about it. Don't get me wrong, progress is progress. Someone that has their mind focused on pain every waking moment it becomes very difficult to distinguish the difference between an 8 and a 6.
On a pain "6" day, I take my meds, I sit on the couch until they kick in. I am grumpy and short-tempered. I am frustrated that this is my life. I wonder if things will ever change. My outlook on life is crummy. I can get a few things accomplished in my home. I can spend a few minutes of positive time with my children as long as my meds are kicked-in.
Do you see the difference? Not much is there? So even though there is a 20% betterment in the situation, it's still incredibly difficult.
So today, after 11 treatments here is where I am at. I would say that I have gone from a fairly consistent 7-8 pain to a consistent 5-6. On good days, I would say it goes to a 4 and even sometimes 3.
My hope is to be at a 3 or under everyday.
My evaluation yesterday was encouraging. He checked my nerve responses and sensations, strength in my ankles and feet and pressed on my back and hips in certain ways to see how much or little pain was there.
My nerves have showed improvement as I had lessened sensation on my left leg and foot and those are much improved. My right foot and ankle were weaker than my left and now are almost the same strength. When he manipulated my back and hips the scope of pain had shortened. It was so so incredible. Then to make things even better, Kendal pointed out that my meds had been changed and one of them I had been off of for 4 days at that point and the other had been decreased. So even taking less meds I was still experiencing less pain! You guys, LESS PAIN!
It's just incredible, absolutely incredible!
I have 7 treatments left and I am anxious to go to each and every one of them!
Praise Jesus with me!
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