Declining Healthcare
March 24, 2008 10:27pm
Today I got the shock of my life and being in healthcare for 33 years, I really have always felt that I had seen everything and just pretty …
Progress
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missourigal’s Profile
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missourigal
is feeling Horrible
About Me
I am married with 5 daughters and 8 grandchildren. My profession is a nurse and I work in a hospital in the Kansas City, MO area. My hobbies include, horses, fishing, camping, and just playing with my grandkids. My husband and I live on 10 acres with our horses, 1 dog and 4 cats and all the wild critters that come up from the woods. My philosophy of life is to trust God to get you thru this life and always be kind to people. I have recently been diagnosed with Fibomylgia. I also have osteopenia, osteomalacia, ddd, failed back syndrome and bugling disc disease. I still work full time and don't have any plan of quitting anytime soon. I just get thru the day knowing, hoping and praying the next day will be better.
Interests
I love to hand quilt, a lost art, and I am an avid sports fan. I love the KC Chiefs and I am wild about Nascar..Dale JR is my driver. I adore George Strait and have seen him in concert 19 times..I know I am on the verge of being a stalker...LOL>...but the love of my life is my 5 girls and my 8 grandchildren and I am expecting my 9 grandchild in July. My personal Hero is My husband Ed. My first husband died in a tragic car accident that involved a drunk driver. I met my second husband 3 years after my first husband death, and God has blessed me twice with the loves of my life. I am a blessed woman and wouldn't trade my life for anyone...except I would give the chronic pain away. My husband and I live to travel a little bit, but we love entertaning in our home. We live on 10 acres with our horses, dog, and cats. My biggest goal is to be able to ride again. I have not been on a horse for 15 months. The longest ever. I am hoping to feel better soon so I can ride again. My favorite quote is "A woman should be so lost in God that it take a man trying to find God to find her". Blessings to all...missourigal.
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Recent Activity
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Journal
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Journal Entry for March 22, 2008
March 22, 2008 10:28pm
Happy Easter weekend to all. Today has been a trying day. I have just wanted to sit around all day. Not very productive at all. But I still …
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Results...Who needs them!
March 12, 2008 9:46pm
As some of you know I work at a pain clinic. I love the doctor I work for. She is kind and compassionate and just loves all of her patients and wants …
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Life Happens
March 7, 2008 10:14pm
This is my first journal entry and I am going to tell you all how life happened to me. I have had people ask me "So what did you do to your …
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Hugbook
Cheers
clinking my champagne glass against yours...happy new year! (my glass will contain water with lemon wedge)
Moment of Peace
I am back,well sort of.Hope that you are doing well.
Moment of Peace
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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Shout Out
I hope you have a great Turkey Day and don't forget to take some time to rest:)
Hug
I don’t want any of you to feel as though I’m just leaving without saying anything as to the reason why I feel I must leave DS. As many of you have probably heard by now, if you google your user name EVERYTHING, journal entries, profile, etc. is there for everyone to see. I don’t feel this is right and I don’t feel as though what I message my friends should be made public. So, as much as I’m going to miss you all, I feel it in my best interest to leave DS. I’m really going to miss you all. Sparrow
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Photos
missourigal hasn’t uploaded any photos yet
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Support Groups
Close Back Pain
I have been living with chronic back pain for over a year. I have degenerative disc disease in all 3 areas of the spine, with a herniation in all 3 areas. I have osteopenia. I have been thru all the pain clinic epiderals, trigger point injections, medications, and physical therapy and nothing has helped. I do still work and some days it isn't easy. I had back surgery on the lumbar in Jan o7 and now have failed back syndrome. New dx: Fibromylgia in Aug of 08. Just Great..
Treatments
- Flexeril Somewhat Helpful
- I can take up to 3 daily, but I can't take them at work as they make me sleepy. I take the 10 mg tablet.
- Bedrest Not Working
- Did not work.
- Chiropractic Adjustment Not Working
- Being adjusted has not helped at all. And I think it made my back somewhat worse.
- Cortisone (Injection) Not Working
- Very short term relief. Less than 2 day relief
- Epidural Injection Not Working
- Also very short term. Less than a day with relief
- Flexeril Somewhat Helpful
- I can take up to 3 daily, but I can't take them at work as they make me sleepy. I take the 10 mg tablet.
- Heat Somewhat Helpful
- Heat is about the only thing that relaxes my back.
- Hydrocodone Somewhat Helpful
- This give me enough pain relief to get thru the day. Although I only take this when the Ultram doesn't touch the pain. No side effects.
- Ibuprofen Not Working
- Causes GI upset.
- Naproxen Not Working
- Causes GI upset
- Physical Therapy Not Working
- I have been thru PT and it did not help. I still do the excersises just in case they may start working. I have been doing them for 8 months
- Relaxation Somewhat Helpful
- Rest helps somewhat. But I have to have a heat pad every where I try to rest
- Stretching Somewhat Helpful
- Stretching the in the morning is somewhat helpful. I am very stiff and have a lot of pain in the mornings after sleeping.
- TENS Somewhat Helpful
- Helps somewhat when I use it. But as soon as it is off, it the same ole thing...muscle spasms and back pain.
Close Degenerative Disc Disease
I was diagnosed with DDD 1 year ago. In one year I have lost 2 1/2 inches in my height. I have chronic pain and also had a discectomy in Jan of 07. I also have a herniation in the cervical spine and thoracic spine. I have 3 bulged discs in the lumbar thanks to the failed back syndrome. I have been to 2 spine specialist and they were shocked to see DDD in all three areas at my age whick was 51. They said they expect to see it in all three areas when your in your 90's but not in your 50's.
Open Chronic Pain
One year ago I had pain in the thoracic spine that I could not straighten up. I have a herniated disc in the thoracic, cervical and lumbar. I did have a discectomy in the lumbar last Jan. I also have bone spurs up and down my spine, DDD in all three areas of the spine and failed back syndrome. I know have 3 bulged discs in the lumbar because I went back to work to soon. I actually work in a pain clinic and have done everthing offered but nothing has helped so far. Not much left for me to do.
Treatments
- Chiropractic Adjustment Not Working
- I back hurt worse after chiropractic treatment. My doctor told me not to do this as I have DDD and I am prone to fractures.
- Cymbalta Not Working
- This drug made me feel drugged and goofy.
- Flexeril Somewhat Helpful
- Helps to relax the muscles. But Baclofen works better than Flexeril, but it made me once again feel really goofy in the head.
- Heat Working / Worked
- The only thing that gives me some relief
- Hydrocodone Somewhat Helpful
- This takes the edge off but doesn't completely relieve the pain. And it is addictive so I am very careful with this drug and only us it when the Ultram and flexeril doesn't help.
- Lidoderm Working / Worked
- Helps take the edge of the pain, but doesn't take the pain completely away.
- Lyrica Not Working
- Made me feel goofy. Also made me so sleepy.
- Naproxen Not Working
- GI upset.
- Neurontin Not Working
- Another drug that made me feel goofy and hung over.
- Physical Therapy Not Working
- A waste of time and money.
- TENS Not Working
- No help at all.
- Topamax Not Working
- Made me extremely goofy in the head. This drug is horrible.
Open Health Care Reform
I have been a nurse for 33 years. I have seen health care go down the tubes badly in the last 20 years. I deal with insurance companies daily and I get so frustrated when you call a company and they deny a test or treatment for someone because they haven't done all these other procedures before ordering the big test. Why go thru all this petty stuff when you can go for the test that you know is going to show you what you need to know. Insurance is starting to be a scam in itself.
Open Empty Nests
I raised 4 daughters. My 1st husband was killed in an auto accident when he was 27, leaving me with these 4 little girls to raise. I did meet a wonderful man that helped me raise these little girls and he is my hero. Our last daughter moved out in May 1999 and my last parent, my mom passed away in Dec of 99. Even thought we have been empty nester for almost 10 years I find myself going back in time when the girls were little. My relationship with my girls have grown into friendships, I love that
Treatments
- Writing Working / Worked
- I have kept a journal since I was 13. So my girls will have lots of reading when I am gone. Writting my feelins down is very helpful. And now I can write special messages to my girls and my grandchildren on their milestone events. It's great they will have these messages when I am gone. But I also verbalize to them daily of how proud I am of them.
Open Fibromyalgia
I was just recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I am not sure what to do with diagnosis. My rheumatolgist has started me on flexeril at nite. We will see what happens. I also am battling failed back syndrome, ddd, osteopenia, and just plain ole chronic pain daily. I do still work and most days it is not easy and I work as a nurse in a pain clinic...ironic isn't it. I have not told my co-workers about the fibro yet. Just joining this group for some support. Gentle hugs to everyone..missourigal
Treatments
- Aqua Therapy Working / Worked
- We have a whirlpool tub in our home. It is relaxing and I feel pretty good for about an hour after I get out. So not great, but any relief is better than none.
- Cyclobenzaprine Too Soon to Tell
- Just started taking this med for fibro. I have taken in the past for chronic muscle spasms and it seemed to help, so I am hopeful
- Cymbalta Not Working
- This med make me so "goofy" in the head.
- Heat Working / Worked
- I use a heat pad daily. I do get some relief from the back spasms
- Lyrica Not Working
- Made me goofy in the head
- Neurontin Not Working
- This med should not be on the market!!!! This caused me severe muscle cramping.
- Ultram Working / Worked
- This med takes the edge off enough that I can live my life.
Open Breast Cancer
I have regular mammograms but since July of 08 I have had 2 episodes of a redness on the right areola. I have not been diagnosed with breast cancer and I am joining this group to ask questions. I also have fibromyaglia, failed back syndrome, Vit D diffiency, osteopenia, degenerative disc disease, and chronic back pain.
Treatments
- Premarin Working / Worked
- Took estrogen for 20 years. Worked well and was taken off of it about 6 years ago because of the lenght I had been on it.
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Groups
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Snapshot
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