Thursday, September 18, 2008

Out Of It

During our trip to Bristol, TN for the Nascar race I suffered from neck pain. I've had this before but Tylenol didn't help. I was also nausiated from the pain. I've been hurting off and on now for about 5 months, but up until now I hadn't been nausiated (if I am going to be nausiated I should be that way becuase I had too much to drink).

The Monday we got back I made an appt. with Dr. Sylvia. After x-rays it was determined that I have a bone spur between vertebra #5 & #6. I got a little nervous when the first x-ray tech asked if I had injured my neck and when the second tech asked the same questions I really began worrying. Dr. Sylvia come and got me and let me look at the x-ray and sure enough between the vertebra there is a bone spur (calcium)deposit. By where it is located at I can have pain anywhere between my shoulder blades (feels like a pinched nerve) all the way up to the base of my skull (pain makes me feel like I have a blood pressure headache when my blood pressure isn't up). She prescribed me a muscle relaxer, steriod pack (you are allowed 3 steriod shots in a 1 year time period and this would be #3) and physical therapy.

I took the steriod pack and it has not relieved any pain and of course the muscle relaxer works but it makes me drowsy, so therefore I rarely take it. On August 29 I started physical therapy. After the first visit the therapist stated that it was going to be more of a project. We have to loosen up the muscles in the back and neck and then we can work on improving my posture & strengthening my neck.

After the first visit I hurt so bad that it was tough for me to bowl (yes I did get the okay to bowl). Therapy has its good days and its bad. When I went to therapy this Wednesday I came in hurting and finally today it has stopped. Again, I don't mind dealing with the pain but when I am sick to my stomach that is a whole nother story. I go again tomorrow and then M, W, F of next week. During all of the therapy my pain has not really gone away. I have better days then some but most of the days I have some type of pain whether it be in my shoulder blades or at the base of my skull. If I am still having pain on Monday I think I am going to go ahead and get my last steriod shot for a while.

Once therapy is through I am going to do 1 month of home therapy. After that if I am still in pain I am going to have Dr. Sylvia set up and MRI. The x-ray is good but you are looking 2 dimensional at a 3 dimensional item. I can bowl but the end of September my travel league bowled 6 games and by the end of the third game I was hurting. I know the only way to get rid of the bone spur is surgery, which I am really not wanting to have, but I now have to decide how much of this dull, pinching, headaching pain can I stand.

Last night I took a muscle relaxer and today at 12:00 I am still groggy. I KNOW I can't live much longer with that.

2 comments:

The Perry Family said...

Thanks,Karen. I haven't told the others, but we are getting a doublewide. I was so upset about the house and even more upset about getting a doublewide. You know how people stereotype and talk. I know I shouldn't care what others think. But, it is beautiful on the inside, has 4 bedrooms, 2 bath. We have to order it so it will be 3-4 weeks before we get it in and then turning on the water/electric and getting a septic tank put in while take a bit. We will still be in the country which is what I wanted, still have a 4 bedroom house, which is what I wanted and we are together as a family and that is what really matters. :)

p.s. been missing you at the bowling alley this year!

bowling1 said...

Heather, anytime you are in Monticello after 5:00 you are welcome to come by and see what we did to our "house". We added a 2 car garage that actually connnects to the house. We added a front porch and have bricked the bottom. From the outside it looks like a "house". I even had one lady argue with me that we moved it.

We got our house years ago when the quality wasn't where it is now. When we decided to remodel we had the painter come in and where you had the thin strips that hide where the wall sheet rock come together remove the strip, tape & mud the crack and then paint the walls. Now there are no strips and it looks like a "house" wall. We also had him remove the wainscoat so we have painted walls ceiling to floor.

We pulled up all of the carpet and laid down the quickloc flooring. In the foyer, kitchen and bathrooms we went with a slate look and for the living room, dining room and bedrooms we went with a good grain look. We added tract lighting down the center of the house in the living area. Our living room is open from the front of the house to the back. We actually have a living room and an area with a couch so you can look out the back door.

We have a 16' x 24' back deck. The beginning of October we will roof the back deck (tin roof like you would see down in the bayou's of Louisiana).

Where we really spent money was on our cabinets and remodeling our kitchen. We added an island that has our stove/oven. The height of it was made to compliment the height of the bar stools we already had (that was my ideal). Every single cabinet that was in the house was removed and real wood cabinets were put in their place. We replaced all of the counter tops with Hymax/Corian. Our sinks are actually made in to the counter top. This ran about $21,000 alone (no I did not pick the MOST expensive).

Jason picked out all new appliances (I just told him I wanted a heavy duty washer & dryer). All new light fixtures (either bought at Lowe's or Paint & Lighting Plus here).

One thing that Jason did that made us both happy is all of the "fake" trim (top and floor) and doors were removed and we bought and stained REAL WOOD. That is something Jason said he will NEVER do again :) :).

What it would have cost us to build our dream house (with us doing the majority of work), we were able to remodel our 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, around $43,000. I know that sounds like alot to put into trailer but trailer is now a home!

I've actually re-financed it about 8 years ago and in 6 1/2 years it is paid off! The thought that before we turn 50 we won't have a mortgage payment and can move our mortgage payments into retirement options...or bowling balls....or motorcycles... is something I have trouble grasping.

I say let those people who sterotype & talk....I at least know I can afford my house and do the things we do!

I hear that this year Tuesday nights has 6 teams. I think the only league that didn't loose teams is Monday nights. With the way prices of everything are going it is hard for a family to afford gas, bowling, equipment for 34 weeks.

I must say I really enjoy Thursday night. On Tuesday there were a couple of people who...um...er...hmmm..that would be better left to a in person conversation :).

Any way, I truly admire you and Chris for knowing early enough that your dream house was going to be a bit more than what you could afford. Who knows.....in 20 years the prices might be right and we may can pull our blue prints back out.

Have a great weekend!