Journal Entry for September 7, 2007
September 7, 2007 7:57pm
Well,, school started this week. I have a new apartment, which I love. My room mate is a wonderful young woman with whom I really think I will be …
puppybraille
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About Me
puppybraille
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About Me
I'm a social work major, who loves dogs. I enjoy writing and advocacy. I have a guide dog name Julio; he's a yellow lab from guide dogs for the blind. I also have complex regional pain syndrome.
I'm a social work major, who loves dogs. I enjoy writing and advocacy. I have a guide dog name Julio; he's a yellow lab from guide dogs for the blind. I also have complex regional pain syndrome.
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Interests
writing, blogging, reading, braille, RSD awareness, clicker training
writing, blogging, reading, braille, RSD awareness, clicker training
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Recent Activity
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Journal
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Journal Entry for August 19, 2007
August 19, 2007 3:07pm
Well, you'd think I'd learn not to push so hard, but I haven't. Yep, I overdid it yesterday. I am exhausted, and not seeing …
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Journal Entry for August 18, 2007
August 18, 2007 9:52pm
It's been a while since I posted here. Partially, it's because it's hard to keep up with so many places, I could blog in at least …
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Journal Entry for August 5, 2007
August 5, 2007 7:55pm
I have one more week until my appointment at the pain clinic. I'm still disappointed that we can't do the ketamine due to the heart …
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Hugbook
Hug
Hello , I am Jo~ a pet lover like you. Would you like to meet more animal lovers like yourself? I would love you to come check out our new group designed specifically for pet lovers....called "Cherished Pets Haven"...Hope to see you there soon ...Hugs Jo.
Hug
I just wanted to say I am so happy that you are so strong. I dont think that if I had another disablity other then RSD. I dont know what I would do. But I am also a Doggie lover. I have a white lab my angel and Irish Setter that is my little devil. And we have a queen the Cat she runs the household
I’m With You
This world will never be What I expected And if I don't belong Who would have guessed it I will not leave alone Everything that I own To make you feel like it's not too late It's never too late Even if I say It'll be alright Still I hear you say You want to end your life Now and again we try To just stay alive Maybe we'll turn it around 'Cause it's not too late It's never too late No one will ever see This side reflected And if there's something wrong Who would have guessed it And I have left alone Everything that I own To make you feel like It's not too late It's never too late Even if I say It'll be alright Still I hear you say You want to end your life Now and again we try To just stay alive Maybe we'll turn it around 'Cause it's not too late It's never too late The world we knew Won't come back The time we've lost Can't get back The life we had Won't be ours again This world will never be What I expected And if I don't belong Even if I say It'll be alright Still I hear you say You want to end your life Now and again we try To just stay alive Maybe we'll turn it around 'Cause it's not too late It's never too late Maybe we'll turn it around 'Cause it's not too late It's never too late (It's never too late) It's not too late It's never too late (song by 3 days grace)
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Support Groups
Close Blindness & Visual Impairment
Type: Totally BlindI've been blind since birth from micro opthalmia. I'm now able to view blindness as a part of who I am in a positive light. But, having experienced other disorders, I feel it's important to share my story. I want to explain anything I can and offer hugs and help when I can.
Treatments
- Writing Working / Worked
- Writing helps me understand what is going on in my life, and makes me a better advocate.
- Surgery Not Working
- My cornea transplant didn't work; the white part of my eye grew over.
- Music Working / Worked
- While I find that I am not musical, I do enjoy concerts, and that's one thing others are comfortable going to without feeling like I'm missing out.
- Acupuncture Somewhat Helpful
- This was actually helpful a bit for some eye pain and difficulties with light perception, believe it or not.
- Breathing Exercises Somewhat Helpful
- I sometimes use deep breathing if I'm feeling anxious about orientation.
- Massage Working / Worked
- Sometimes I'm so intune with the outside environment, I forget to relax. Massage provides a reminder and awareness of what's going on in my body
- Meditation Working / Worked
- Meditation is a great way to be able to focus on only one thing and relax.
- Prayer Working / Worked
- I don't pray for healing, but rather to deal with obstacles placed in my way. Prayer gives me hope and strength.
- Independent Living Skills Working / Worked
- I received a lot of training in daily living skills as a teen. It is incredibly helpful now as a college student.
- Laughter Working / Worked
- Some blindness things I can only laugh about. Like miss-matched clothes or going into the wrong rest room. A sense of humor is vital.
- Acceptance Working / Worked
- Because I was born blind, acceptance has rarely been difficult. What I never accept are barriers which are needless.
Close Chronic Pain
I was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in 2003, had a short remission, and now have it pretty severely in my left lower leg.
Treatments
- Chiropractic Adjustment Somewhat Helpful
- Did help with headaches, but really doesn't do anything for my CRPS.
- Celebrex Working / Worked
- Decreases pain
- Elavil Somewhat Helpful
- Seems to help with nerve pain and sleep issues, though it helps less now than when I started it.
- Nerve Blocks Somewhat Helpful
- Helped in the beginning, but is now not helpful
- Epidural Injection Somewhat Helpful
- Provides me with aproximately 3.5 days of good pain relief.
- Writing Working / Worked
- I find that writing allows me to better understand my pain and evaluate what's working, what's not.
- Surgery Somewhat Helpful
- While having the ceuniform joint at the first metatarsxle fused and my heel moved helps with stability, it doesn't help with my RSD/CRPS... at all, it actually makes it worse.
- Physical Therapy Working / Worked
- This is helpful for managing some symptoms of RSD, as well as regaining strength after surgery.
- Ambien Working / Worked
- When the pain keeps me awake, I use Ambien to be able to get sleep so I can concentrate in school the next day. Since pain, combined with blindness sleep issues makes sleep very hard, I've been very impressed with Ambien.
- Music Working / Worked
- Music serves as a great distraction from the pain, though as with any high pain day, music is not very affective for pain above a five.
- Elavil Somewhat Helpful
- This worked better at the beginning, it helps with sleep and some with the nerve pain.
- Acupuncture Working / Worked
- I don't get this much any more, but for a little bit of the day, it really did make a difference and it also helped with sleep issues.
- Breathing Exercises Somewhat Helpful
- This seems to work well for providing a quick break and something else to focus on.
- Massage Working / Worked
- Helpful for managing overcompensation.
- Meditation Working / Worked
- Helps me turn my mind away from the pain.
- Relaxation Working / Worked
- I took a relaxation course, and have found it does help with reducing pain, sleeping and decreasing nausea.
- Prayer Somewhat Helpful
- I find prayer helps, but that dealing with chronic pain makes it harder to trust God.
- Aromatherapy Working / Worked
- I use this to help with nausea, pain and sleep issues. Lavender, ginger, sweet margerum, manderine and lime.
- Lidoderm Working / Worked
- This relieves ssome surface pain and probably decreases total pain by 20% maximum.
- TENS Not Working
- This made my pain much worse.
- Brace Somewhat Helpful
- It does help with tendon pain, and I like knowing that it keeps me from twisting my ankle.
- Heat Working / Worked
- I use heat a lot, and it helps with the temperature regulation issues, cramps and pain of RSD.
- Laughter Working / Worked
- Laughter is a great distraction tool.
- Acceptance Not Working
- I just can't accept that I have to be in so much pain.
- Pain Management Clinic Working / Worked
- I am confident tthat I'm at the right place right now. They seem to refuse to give up on me.
Open Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
I was diagnosed with RSD in 2003. I have it in my left foot and lower leg. The pain is pretty severe.
Treatments
- Lyrica Working / Worked
- This relieves some of the pain, and doesn't seem to have too many side effects.
- Neurontin Not Working
- Made me depressed and forgetful.
- Oxycodone Working / Worked
- This is somewhat helpful.
- Elavil Somewhat Helpful
- This does help some with the sleep issues and nerve pain, though I notice that it's less effective than it was at first. It might also be speeding up my heart rate which is too high.
- Acupuncture Somewhat Helpful
- I don't get this much any more, but for a little bit of the day, it really did make a difference and it also helped with sleep issues.
- Breathing Exercises Somewhat Helpful
- I've found deep breathing occasionally helps with the temperature changes found with RSD.
- Massage Working / Worked
- As long as the therapist stays away from my RSD area, I find this is really relaxing.
- Meditation Working / Worked
- Helps to keep my mind off of the pain.
- Relaxation Working / Worked
- I took a relaxation course, and have found it does help with reducing pain, sleeping and decreasing nausea.
- Prayer Somewhat Helpful
- I do find prayer helpful, but still don't understand why God let me get RSD.
- Aromatherapy Working / Worked
- I use this to help with nausea, pain and sleep issues. Lavender, ginger, sweet margerum, manderine and lime.
- Lidoderm Working / Worked
- This relieves ssome surface pain and probably decreases total pain by 20% maximum.
- TENS Not Working
- This made my pain much worse.
- Brace Somewhat Helpful
- It does help with tendon pain, and I like knowing that it keeps me from twisting my ankle.
- Heat Working / Worked
- I use heat a lot, and it helps with the temperature regulation issues, cramps and pain of RSD.
- Laughter Working / Worked
- Laughter is a great distraction tool.
- Acceptance Not Working
- I just can't accept that I have to be in so much pain.
- Pain Management Clinic Working / Worked
- I am confident tthat I'm at the right place right now. They seem to refuse to give up on me.
Open College Stress
I'm at a women's college majoring in social work. My stress comes from dealing with college as a blind person with chronic pain.
Treatments
- Sleep Not Working
- It's hard to sleep while dealing with severe pain.
- Support from Friends & Family Somewhat Helpful
- It works when the family is supportive, but sometimes makes the stress worse.
