Hello everyone. No I haven't really gone anywhere, but after over five weeks inpatient, first in the hospital then in a skilled nursing facility, I feel as if I have gone to hell and back. I got out of the SNF on Nov 18th and climbed back into my workchair on Nov 19th and I feel as if I have been slipping more and more everyday. I did get started on PT and had a few visits with a nurse who couldn't seem to understand that it is considered good manners to call and schedule her visits instead of just showing up at my door whenever she felt like it. Anyway after showing up unannounced before 8am on Christmas Eve, I had had it and called the office that she works for. It was during this call that I was informed that the PT person had informed them that I wasn't in need of OT. Now he isn't my doctor and my coordination is off, plus I had gone out and purchased board games and been doing some household things to work on my OT and I had seen on the insuance authorization that OT was approved, so I was confused as to why he thought that I didn't need it.

Today a very nice lady from the OT dept came out and did a very thorough assessment and told me the many things that my insurance will cover that I need to make my life better, plus she also suggested a better PT, as the one that had been coming out to me was very laid back or tired or something and if I had stayed with him, I would still be doing hte same simple exercises a year from now. My daughter and I had already decided to change from him to a woman since I am normally here alone when he comes, but the OT suggested a guy who she stated was a Christian which is very important to me, plus she stated that the woman who is scheduled to come see me on Friday is even more laid back, which is a nice way to state it than the guy I was already seeing.

This condition has everyone including me confused. I now have to go through my testing, EMGs and everything again, because htey aren't sure anymore if it is PM as my upper body isn't displaying any of the symptoms of my lower body, which I am happy that it isn't or I wouldn't be able to do anything for myself. The pain continues to get worse in both legs, but it is mainly the knees and below, but we know that it is the nerve damage that is causing that. I had tapered to 3 mgs of Prednisone per day, but my life was miserable and I couldn't stand the pain at all. I am now on 30 mgs every 12 hours of Opana ER plus 10 mgs intermitting of the regular Opana and that makes the pain bearable. I feel as if I may be addicted to the Opana and I am afraid to taper it. When I was first admitted to the hospital they took a very long time beore they would give me anything other than weak morphine for my pain and even when they did increase the dosage it was nothing like my Opana and I felt that I was always asking for pain medication.

Some nurses would give it to me when I asked and others would make me wait hours and by the time they did give it to me, I was so bad off that it was as if they hadn't given me anything. At one point the calendar changed and the pharmacy made a mistake and changed the time for me to get my meds and of course no one listened to me until it was too late and gave them to me almost 4 hours later.

Well that is the end of this tale at this time and I will be posting more often. I hope all are better and that you all will have a Happy New Year.