Off to a rocky start

I showed up to my appointment only to find out that they did not have me listed. After a little extra waiting I got in too see Dr. Joslin.

Without my appointment being in the system Dr. Joslin did not have my chart so we started from the beginning. All my notes really helped.

1. She is going to have someone start working on a traction machine (I don’t know what its called)
2. Taking the Skalaxin is ok; the upset stomach is prob from the OTC pain pills that I am taking every 4 hours.
3. Offered Darvaset; not wanting another narcotic I’m going with a prescription strenth Aleve.
4. Got Prilosec for the upset stomach.
5. Next appointment the 16th of Oct.

Aleve today

Not feeling quite 100%; pretty sore and slight headache. Taking a bunch of aleve today.

Relaxing with hotpack

trying to keep the pain down; using a hotpack to try and stay loose.

4 More Advil

Sore after PT.

Excited to start PT

I’ve been counting down the days until I start PT.

Morning Mix

Taking muscle relaxer with 2 Advil.

9/15/09

General: Wake up again feeling pretty good. A little sore this morning but its PT day so I hope to be able to shake it.

Pain:

Feeling: Excited as hell!

Actions: Going to PT today!

Made it

With the help of some ice packs and taking OTC at reg intervals I was able to make it through the day w/o script pain kills! w00t!

I feel good(ish) what I call good I think would be others having a rough day…but I’m happy.

Zero day

Today I think, as long as I take the muscle relaxer like clock work, that I can get through the day with out anything prescribed. Then again; The vicidin isn’t really working anymore (not tried taking more then 1.5 at a time) but they make me SO sick.

Morning mix

Same ol same ol’ Muscle Relaxer but today switching to Aleve. fucking pain.

Icepack

Laying with an icepack on the top of my neck/back of my head to try and stop this headache…all in all pretty interesting day.

The current mix

Muscle relaxer ever 4 hours like clockwork getting me feeling good enough to where I can manage the main with OTC stuff. Only took 1/2 vicidin today and it did nothing but make me feel sick. Hope I can keep this up; not sure what to do if the pain comes back. Don’t/can’t really take vicidin anymore…does not work and makes me sick.

Not feeling well

Damned if I do damned if I don’t. Crap; my stomach feels sick. my neck/shoulders are better but I could throw up.

3rd Time was not exactly a charm

Woke up feeling good; a little tight but for the 3rd day in a row I did not wake up in agonizing pain. I took my morning pills (muscle relaxer, multi-vitamin) and got on with the day.

Around 11:30 I started to feel pretty bad; I was not taking it “easy” so what can I expect. Not wanting to deal with the problems of yesterday I took 1/2 vicidon.

No good. Nothing but upset stomach. No help at all for my neck.

Starting to feel worse. taking 2 aleve.

Around 2pm I was on the couch with an icepack. I still fell pretty bad. I took my second dose of muscle relaxer. Neck is SO SO tight.

A hand full of Advil and the second dose of muscle relaxer and I’m feeling better.

Now the vicidin is officially out of the rotation. As long as the muscle relaxer keep up and with the start of PT on Tuesday (can’t wait!) I should be good. Still going to ask about the “bad” days. don’t want to keep taking the same “drug”

Going to bed; pain sucks; stomach sucks

I can’t deal with the pain anymore and the pills are doing nothing but making me sick.

Hotpack and pill

Laying with a hotpack; taking another pill. Neck killing me.

Did a lot of work

I spent a good 3 hours cleaning this morning. The day has been up and down between pain and upset stomach.

Really: I feel good how the day went. I was feeling pretty good in the morning. I pushed my self and paid for it. Sunday is going to be quite; It will be a good day to see how I can feel.

Now I feel quit shitty. taking 1 full pill.

1/2 more

I’m feeling like I shouldn’t fight it; Its pain and it sucks.

1/4 more

Still feel bad. Taking the other 1/4.

Rocked the house

spent the morning cleaning the house before family come over. Feeling a little rough. Taking 1/4 vicidin and muscle relaxer.

Morning Pills

Taking muscle relaxer, and 2 Advil now. Having breakfast and then taking multi-vitamin

9/12/09

General: Woke up not in pain for the second day in a row. Wow! waking up feeling “good” (still tight, sore, need to stretch) is such a change. Amazed how 2 good days could change my outlook.

Pain: In relation to how I normally feel in the morning; none. Honislty; just a little sore; need to stretch. Neck is tight, lower back a little sore, spine feels full

Feeling:

Actions:

Relaxing with a hotpack

Still tight; have a hotpack but all in all it was a pretty crazy day.

Taking the other half

My neck is killing me; taking the other half.

Getting tight

I somehow went though the entire day feeling good(ish) and not needing(kinda) anything more then aleve. I say the pain was tolerable; much better then the last 2 months.

I was supposed to take my muscle relaxer about 1.5 hour ago; I’m taking it and 1/2 vididin now.

Lunch work

Today’s lunch; besides the soup: Muscle relaxer, 2 Aleve, Fish Oil, Multi-Vitamin

Feeling pretty sore in the upper back/low neck and side of neck. Not debilitating (yet).

Took about 10min and stretched.

Prevention

I took a muscle relaxer and got a hotpack. I’m working with a hotpack (and hot coffee)

9/11/09

General: Only woke up once last night with minor shoulder pain.

Pain: Neck: None! Wow..Feeling very good. Still tender to the touch but not in pain all the time. Left Shoulder blade sore.

Feeling: Good, Surprised, Happy

Actions: None

Wanting: My neck to hold up all day.

Daily recap

Have a little headache before going to bed. Not as bad as yesterday. No big deal.

All in all not the worst day. Put myself through some extra undue suffering in order to save medication….frustrating.

Ice pack

Laying with an icepack before bed.

A rough day

Ok; being in pain sucks. Aleve does nothing for the neck and 1/2 of Vicidin makes the pain just bearable.

The muscle relaxer is not having a negative effect on me. I’m happy about that but feel tight as hell. my neck is touch sensitive…looking forward to tuesdays PT.

After feeling really bad all day I took a full Vicadin.

Using a hot pack now to try and loosen up my neck…

Taking: 2 Aleve and 1 Muscle Relaxer

Still trying NOT to take the Vicidon; managing my daily activity for two reasons: one to ensure I do actually need them (of course I do on the bad, debilitating, passing out from the pain days) but on the light days and 2. because I have a fixed amount until next week (I go back to Dr. Joslin and try to get some form of system).

Took new muscle relaxer

About an hour ago I took the new muscle relaxer. I’m not drowsy at this point but the flexeril seemed to make me tired when it wore off. I hope this does not.

Took 1/2 of vicodin

did some stretching.

Still in pain.

My neck is really tender to the touch and sore. (the sides)

Took 1/2 of vicadin

Worked for 1.5 hours. Pain in neck/back makes it hard to concentrate. Have to ration until Wednesday.

Signed up for PT

Signed up for PT. Start Tuesday @ 10am. I’m looking forward to it. Feel like PT is only place that understands how much I hurt.

Called dr joslin

Called office, explained yesterdays dr (need to get name) required follow with dr. Joslin. Can’t get appointment sooner then I have.

Very frustrated. Going to check on status of record request and request them transfered to new dr (dr t? ).

Keeping next Wednesday appointment with dr. Joslin.

Not sure if I should follow up with same day sick line. Called few times with no answer.

Going to sign up for PT

Ava’s pre-school orientation time changed. Going now instead of this afternoon.

Taking 2 Aleve

General: Trying to get ride of headache before taking anything else.

Pain:

Feeling:

Actions:

9/10/09 – Waking Up

General:

Pain: Across shoulders, Down neck from base of skull to middle of shoulders. More pain in left then right. Same pain from last night including headache.

Feeling: Frustrated, Scared

Actions: Start PT, Call Dr. Joslyn

Wanting: To get on a system/schedule with someone. Thinking PT will help.

60$ co-pay

New muscle relaxer has a 60$ co-pay…yickes…just one more of the many things I am doing to get better…its feel like such a fight.

At CMG 24 Hour Urgent Care

Just requested my records; I need to get a handle on this situation if no one else is.

Note: my blood pressure is high again.

Just saw Dr. (Need to get name; my prescriptions have 2 different Dr’s names on the bottles…odd). I started the story back with Dr. Shapiro and rattled off, in as much details as I could, everything I’m doing and have been through. I asked a few questions about who I should be seeing? Jennings or Joslin? And needing to get into a regular cycle of seeing a Dr. (I thought I was in that with Jennings but I guess not! Fuck).

On the way out I made an appointment with Dr. Joslin for next Wednesday. Its the next opening they have.

I also asked about will Dr. Joslin see this visit? I hope that since Dr. TWONAMES explicitly wrote that I should from now on (which is my hope) see my primary care Dr that I could call and get in sooner rather then later…I mean its on my chart!

Called to see if I could get in to see Dr. Joslin

I called Dr. Joslins office; she does not work today. I asked what the protocol should be and the receptionist suggested I speak with one of the urgent care doctors’.

I was transferred to Dr. O’Neal (who I saw before) and he said to come in.

Omw to CMG again.

Upset with the situation. I thought that I was working with Dr. Jennings from here on out. I am in pain and don’t know were to turn. I feel like I’m not being treated fairly.

This is when I decided to start logging all events related to fixing my neck/back/shoulders.

I want a copy of all my records and from here on out I’ll be logging every and all events related to getting better. I’m very upset and frustrated.

Dr. Jennings office called

Just got off the phone with Dr. Jennings office…WTF is going on there?

1. Still no MRI; I’ll have to go it it myself.
2. Botox: no problem there; they are checking to see if its covered.
3. No prescription refill.

The receptionist from Dr. Jennings office said they have no record of me taking vicidon; its clearly on the paperwork I filled out and it should also be in my records from CMG (Clarkston Medical Group). Offered another muscle relaxer; and I’d be happy to take it if it does not make me as tired as the flexeril. The receptionist said they only have record of Tylenol; so I asked if that could be refilled. The receptionist said she would get back to me with the answer to my 2 questions:

1. will the new muscle relaxer make me less tired then flexeril?
2. What is the status of my refill?

Called Dr. Jennings Office

Just called Dr. Jennings office. After giving the receptionist my name and info she said “they already called it in” to which I responded “great; but I have a few other questions I’d like to speak with someone about”

I gave the office the questions (MRI/Botox) again and asked to be called back.

A relief to know my medication was called in.

Did not hear back.

I did not hear back from Dr. Jennings office today.

Called Dr. Jennings

Called Dr. Jennings with three questions.

• Did Dr. Joslin send over the MRI
• How do we go ahead with Botox injections
• Request a refill