Sue, you are a legend!!!

When ever I feel like complaining I think of your wonderful attitude to whatever comes your way.

I hope that you are well enough to enjoy your cruise and get the most out of every minute.

Jill

Hope you get to feeling better.

You made me laugh and I may just steal your expression. "Makes it very hard to walk with dumb & dumber (my feet)". I just had to smile at that one. Some how I can see you having an indepth, intellectual conversation with those two. ;)

Thanks for letting us know you will be MIA for a while in March while you cruise. Tell us where! Sounds exciting. I sure hope your foot decides to behave for you. Sorry you are suffering so. Hydrotherapy pool tonight sounds wonderful - enjoy and I hope it helps!

I too wish you Health and Happiness on your cruise. I am also going to steal your Dumb and Dumber quote! I love it! That's exactly how I feel!

Thanks everyone.

I think my attitude comes from the old saying "you can complain/cry & no one wants to know you or you can smile & laugh in spite of problems & others will too" (or something like that.
Not that I am always like that, sometimes it just gets too much to say the least but just tend to keep it all in mainly as not many people really want to know the truth anyway.
You just have to do what you can & keep jumping up & down (not literally) till you get to see the right people (& heaven help them if this Dr says nothing they can do, will not be going quietly). LOL

"Dumb & Dumber" is actually an older movie, very good from my memory but very appropriate a lot of the time. You are all welcome to use it when appropriate.

I don't think the conversations I have been having with my feet & legs would be regarded as indepth or intellectual - more on the lines of move you .... & various ## when they hurt or give way. Trying not to when others are around other than hubby though some of my home help & carers have heard it more than usual & told me in no uncertain terms to sit down & they would do whatever I want (ok except go toilet LOL)

Hydrotherapy pool is helping us both which is good & we had a spa afterwards too. We try to go at least once a week & if we can 2 times. It helps hubby's back & me overall & esp as I can do leg & foot exercises too in the water.

We are going on a cruise to New Zealand, 13 night/14 day which will be good. It has 6 days in different ports & we are booked for about 2 tours, on one for a wait list & the rest going to do whatever we want to so as not to get too tired. I am taking electric wheelchair on the cruise as well as a walker that turns into a wheelchair too so can be used on tours (called navigator & there are others like it).

Thanks for good wishes & will appreciate prayers/good wishes to be able to enjoy cruise without health issues.
Will keep you updated after Dr visit too.

I am hoping the doctor on Monday will have some answers for you and know something that will help ole dumb and dumber get straighted around. So glad, too, that you and Dave are enjoying the pool. It sounds like you both benefit a great deal. Have a wonderful time on your cruise!! Sounds like it will be a wonderful, beautiful trip! Enjoy every minute!

We are going to a "meet & greet" tomorrow night to meet some others that live in Melbourne out this side of town so will be good to meet about 35 of them before we go on board. Then she is in the process of organising another meet & greet for all those that have been on the fb page but not able to go tomorrow night. It will make it different to know some people n the cruise too.

I am hoping my health ms & other crap improves before I go on the cruise.
Will let you know when I have been to foot Dr.

Update, The meet & greet of the cruise people was a disapointment as we found we were left out of most of the mixing. Everyone basically stood around in 2 circles talking & laughing & we were sitting at a table to the side. It was only if people came over to us that we get to chat which probably 6 (roughly) did. Very frustrating as there were between 25-30 people there. Looks like they didn't want to know me on a walker so who knows how they will react to me on wheelchair, dont care - we are going for us to enjoy it.


What a disapointment the appt was today. First off I had 9.45 appt & after going up & asking how much longer (3rd time) & saying I have volunteer drivers waiting on me I got seen at midday. Only to find out they had referred me to wrong clinic AGAIN! Boy was I p'd off & let the registrar know it too.
To his credit he rang Moorabbin (where the ankle & foot surgeon is that I should have been sent to). He couldn't get through so left a message with them to phone him on his mobile. He said he will make sure I get an appt within a month (where have I heard that before???).
Then he said I have also got compartmental syndrome in the toes which is why they are getting very skinny & no movement at all. Add that to everything else wrong with them & it is going to make them hard to fix (apparently).
The Dr I have been refferred to is apparently the top foot & ankle surgeon in Victoria & if anyone can fix it he would be the person.
I asked him if I would be better off to put my foot under a tire & be run over & he just looked at me & said not reccomended.

Then he said I should see my pain Dr again to see if they can help more as it is a matter of controlling the pain for the time being GEE he had to study to learn that???
Now I am supposed to stay off my feet as much as I can - eg use w/chair, buy a particular type of foot support to put inside the cam boot - which I have to continue wearing.
Another $40 at chemist warehouse, would have been more local chemist & they have attatched it to the boot for me after trying several & he found the right one. Very helpful man there.

Needless to say I am not in a good mood tonight, totally p'd off with our medical system, in pain & trying to walk while in pain - added to all the ms crap that is playing up big time.

Have had the ms hug most of the time under the chest for about a week, not severe though, tremores, spasms, vision problems, speech problems, swallowing sometimes, etc etc.

Have been lucky to make 2 days a week to work at the moment & debating this Wednesday as due to be 32' & I am not doing good in heat even with vest, neck ties etc. Have said wont be in when after 30 but feel guilty as had today off too. Any opinions welcome on that appreciated.
Thinking & making decisions is all too hard for me at the moment. I know that I am going to have to pull the plug at some stage soon but still reluctant to do so yet, want to try & last a bit longer to save $$ for a bit longer, have long service so thinking of using that up soon as well as for trip.
I know I will need it if they do something to my foot too.

Rang the Moorabbin hospital & spoke to the booking nurse for Dr I am meant to see. Have got in on 15 March so have to be happy with that though would have liked it sooner.
Then got call from chronic pain clinic where I am going on Thursday & have to take the actual meds (not just scripts) that I take the actual medications so that is a lot I have to take with me.

That's my update for last couple of days.

Saw chronic pain management clinic locally (for 1st time). They were thorough & I saw the nurse, then pharmacist to review all medications then finally the pain Dr who was a really nice man. He went through some different options with me to reduce the pain.
One sounds good if I can find a Dr who does it in the public health system. It is a nerve blocker done into the lower leg to stop the pain into the foot, downside is it could stop all feeling or it might not work.
Another is some mirror thing that some physios do (again not many) trying to trick the foot into thinking it is ok like other foot (dont think that will work).
In the meantime he has put me back ob gabapentin along with the elocon & tegretol. Hopefully that will reduce the pain that I am in till I see the foot Dr. Will be interesting to see what he says.