Lumbar Sacral Extreme Pain for TOO long & hoping CT Scan does finally show something!

Feeling "Crazy" if We don't Find out WHY I am in so much severe pain with my hips down to my knees

This may sound totally insane, BUT in a way I HOPE they DO FIND something on the CT Scan I had yesterday on my lumbar/sacral spine or somewhere there causing this extremely horrible pain. This has been just miserable, and I am so tired of putting up with it. If I stand too long, walk too long, sit too long, driving in a car over an hour is really the worst, and if the weather changes "just a little" I am just in tears. I am NOT saying that I "want to have something wrong with me" (as if sounding morose) I just WANT TO PROVE IN MY OWN MIND AND THE DOCTORS, THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG!!!! NOT THAT I think the doctors don't believe me. I had the right hip injected Monday and the main orthopedic surgeon was so (OVERBOOKED it looked like with NEW patients) although my appt was made 3 weeks ago, he was me briefly then the PA came in and asked if I wanted to "wait on the doctor" to do the injection or if it was okay with me, she could do it, because he was so swamped. I had already been there a couple of hours OVER my appt time.

I had noticed when I walked in about 15 minutes before my appt, there were like 5 or 6 NEW patients (must have been) from what was said they were ALL filling out new patient forms!!!!! Which if I HAD CANCELLED MONDAY on the day of the appt, they would have been peeved at me, but they can put a patient off for hours, and they always have an excuse.. yeah (HE OVERBOOKED TO MANY NEW PATIENTS AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME DAY!!!) NEEDLESS TO SAY I had the CT can done yesterday, and I see the Orthopedic surgeon in Dallas on Friday that does my spinal stuff. My Pain doctor ordered the CT for me so he could give me the order and I could have it done here rather than making a trip to Dallas, or going to the Orthopedic surgeon FIRST & he would have wanted the CT anyway, so it would take longer, and I would be out more time, and trips to Dallas.

Anyway, on Monday the PA which I asked her why I had so much pain, with bursitis, and I questioned her about "tendonitis" and other things "that could be inflamed" along with the bursa causing so much pain, for so long... plus more than likely there could be "fluid" in the bursa's (I noticed they started "popping" a few days ago when I walk, and that fluid will make the bursa hurt worse. So, she did give me a better idea what "what maybe going on

I also it dawned on me yesterday, that when I had the last CT Scan which was "special".. I can't recall exactly when it was done, but I had it done at Medical City in Dallas, and it was with dye, but it was a different type of CT Scan... since I can't have an MRI anymore, they did that particular type of CT AND that doctor asked me if I had "back surgery" before. I said well YES, but at the "cervical spine" nowhere near my lumbar spine, and he said it almost looked as if I had a "laminectomy" done on both sides. I am actually "missing" a lamina in the very lowest part of my L-5 part of the spine, where it connects with the S-1..

So, they think I had been born without those. For some reason they never spotted them before, they said it could be now because of aging, and the Lupus/RA and degeneration of the lumbar/sacral spine it is now showing up. So, I have to wonder now since that was I believe about 4 years ago and that report said it was "worse" than the one done about 3 years previously.. so from about 2011, then one in 2015.. now 4 years later 2019... I have to possibly figure that has now gotten bad enough it is causing problems.. All I know is that I don't want to feel "nuts" but find out what the hell is causing so much pain!!!!!!!

Fourth of July Already here, Time flies by too quickly, Cervical neck ongoing getting well over surgery, lumbat/sacral surgery, osteoporosis,bursitis.RA,osteoarthritis, and living....

SUNDAY ALREADY! SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE HOW THE DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS ARE FLYING BY SO QUICKLY. I am so "bored" with everything. I did put up my window "cling" that looks like stained glass. I love it, found it when I first moved into this house and put it on my front windows. It has been there about 10 years or really I guess more like 11 years, and it still looks awesome. So, I decided to put it on more windows, especially those that face where the sun comes in especially in the evenings. It looks wonderful and comes off easily, never fades, and does look like stained glass. I have 3 brand new mini blinds, that I've had for weeks for the office. One of mine was just about to come to pieces so I ordered all three new, so they would be the same. The others were old and getting to where even trying to wash them would be nuts. 

The less expensive ones are much to difficult to try and wash, and it is less hassle and cheaper to just buy new ones, since these have probably also been here 10 years or more. Right now after the rain from day before, and the cloudy weather over the past several days everything is so wet, between rain and dew, it's hard to get outside. I thought about going over to the walkway the city built buy one of the small lakes, not far from me... I broke down and bought new athletic shoes, Sketchers, a couple of weeks ago to walk in. I have some but they were really not enough support to walk very far in, so I broke down and bought better ones since I really need to be walking as much as possible. But, my street is so damned bumpy, and narrow, it's difficult to walk down it, and not get ran over. 

People run the stop sign right here at my corner one house down from me, and it's a wonder someone has not killed someone as fast as they drive down this street, especially with the kids out of school and the ones on their bikes, that are too young to really be riding out there with no parent supervision, but I see it all the time. A week or go, I looked outside and one little girl, about maybe 8 to 10 was riding right down the middle of my front lawn!!!! I was so pissed, and stepped out and told her I had better not see her, nor any of her friends riding through my lawn again! Parents don't watch and don't care, they just let them do as they please. It was so rude, and I told her, don't you know it's rude to go through someone's yard without permission? She just stared at me, and finally rode off. 

Anyway, I am not sure about the whole hip and thigh pain. I am thinking now since "both" hips have pain in them, and almost in the same spot, my left one I can trace the pain in it... and I think I may have either bursitis in both of them (which I have had before I broke the right hip) and have had them injected before, a couple of times. In fact about 4 years ago, I did have severe pain with both of them, and my orthopedic surgeon at that time, did inject the both of them at the same time. A bit later, my new Orthopedic surgeon, who does my neck, and did my right shoulder replacement told me it is my lower back making my hips hurt, and L-5 and S-1 and bursitis may or may not be the problem. I surely don't look forward to any other spinal surgery, especially lower spinal surgery, since so many horror stories come out of back surgery. 

But they have improved their process, the way the do the surgery, and what they have including "artificial discs" they can put in place of discs that have ruptured. That is what they did with my neck in the first surgery. One of the levels, he put a disc in place. The other are "fused" with cage and chips of bone from the bone spurs I had, rather than using artificial materials, or donor bone, they try and use your own, even if they remove it from a hip. I read they can do that, but with me having such severe osteoporosis, I imagine they don't take a chance of getting bone from any place else on me. Of course after the fracture to the right one, they would not touch it, but my issue is after reading, I am wondering down the line if I may have to have a total hip replacement, where he repaired it with the gamma nail and screws. I've read and that maybe what is already happening, that hip is developing arthritis in it, after the fractures and repair. 

So, between bursitis, which can even be "infectious" where they have to drain it, and probable arthritis, that could be what is causing pain in the right one, and my left one maybe effected by either osteoarthritis, or even the RA, which is what my 1st cousin had, RA that caused him to have finally both hips totally replaced. I've been trying to keep up and keep busy, but when you cannot or should not do things where you have to hold anything over your head heavy, etc, it's difficult to find things to do.... after having my neck in the brace for so long, I have come to realize how much you do that effects you having to move your neck up, down, sideways, and every which way, from driving, to putting up these blinds, to even sitting at the computer, potting plants, and even laundry, cooking, cleaning... you name it, even taking a shower, or like me wanting to have my hair cut, she usually has to have me bend my head forward to get it short and cropped in the back, but I need it cut so badly, so I may have to have her improvise, cut it and just do as much as she can without me having to bend my head forward etc... I don't think I can go another week with it as crappy as it looks. 

Honestly, I've almost thought about "razoring" the top and sides myself. I do usually when it is cut very short, and she razors it. So, I've thought about using mine and just get the horrible ends off of it, until I can see her. I just don't want to "chop" on it too much and then she can't cut it like I want. I let it grow out again longer, but now with it so hot, I like it really cut short... where I can put my "goo" on it, spike it up and go... no brushing, hardly no blow drying it, by the time I wash it, towel it off, and run my fingers through it, it's dry and I can put my "goo" in it and go.... no fuss no muss... I love it that way, and the way it is now, I am really better off doing it like that, especially if I am having more surgery in the next few months... I am really not sure what the hell I will do about my lower back... when it gives me so much hell, and I am in so much pain, I want to sit in the floor and scream, cry, and feel as if I am going insane, I want it "fixed"... but the idea of a lower brace, probably much more "time healing, and getting it well enough to do things," then I want to "back off" no pun intended, and say I will just put up with it... but I also know it won't get better over time... it will just get worse....

Rheumatologist visit went well, start Enbrel when insurance approves it, still pissed at Congress, dealing with severe pain in many joints & trying to get the word out for everyone to write Congress & let them know about the business of insurance, cutting "entitlements" and more...

I had a very "good" visit with my PA yesterday at my Rheumatologist office. She FINALLY BELIEVED AND SAW JUST HOW SEVERE my RA has gotten since September last year. She immediately saw the severe swelling and inflammation in 16 of my JOINTS! 

 

I also have "synovitis" in between several of my finger joints on my right hand, swelling in my ankle is somewhat from the RA, and the stiffness, weakness in both hands, my ankles, hips, feet all related in some way to the RA and Lupus. She has put me on Enbrel. She felt the Xeljanz would not "touch" the severity of the RA now. She said if the Enbrel worked somewhat in about 8 weeks or so, she may consider putting me also on the Xeljanz also, to help the Enbrel. She said we would "try" to get me off the daily Prednisone, due to my osteoporosis being so bad, and she agreed it probably has something to do with my fractures of my hip. My Orthopedic surgeon said the same and so did my PCP. They felt although the fall was very hard on that hip that I may not have had a fracture if I had not had the severe osteoporosis that I do. 

 

I see my Cardiologist next week, and if she says it is okay for me to be put back on one of the pills for osteoporosis, although mine is already severe, it "may" help to protect me from just having a joint "break first" then me fall. That happens at times with severe osteoporosis. It happened to my Grandmother. She did not fall 1st then her hip break. It broke and then she fell. My parents next door neighbor also had that happen. She was just walking down the hallway in her home, and her hip broke. So, thus the reason for trying to get me off the Prednisone and hopefully on one of the pills, like Fosamax. I cannot have the injections again. 

 

Once you have those for a few years, due to the other issues that can cause, with a particular type of complicated femur break, I would have to just go on the pills instead. I see my orthopedic surgeon next Monday to hopefully begin getting me prepared and okayed by my insurance for my neck surgery. I am in so much pain, honestly all over, I can barely stand to move, yet if I sit for just a bit, then I am so stiff, I can barely get up and try to walk. So, it's damned if I do and damned if I don't. Plus now not only am I fighting those damned red "paper wasps" already, but the yellow jackets, and last night those damned "salamanders" showed their asses on my porch. I happened to have my fly swatter and knocked the hell out of him. Hopefully that is one less, it was a grown one so those are the ones that can breed the little devils that can breed in dozens very quickly. Then the gnats are nuts, the "May flies" are crazy, fire ants... dammit without any "winter weather" all of the "bugs" are just everywhere. We still don't know what this "bite looking rash" is... she thinks maybe some type of dermatitis, but I still think it is shingles... just not as strong of a case of them due to the Valtrex, which she said they do use for the shingles. I hope the insurance approves the Enbrel quickly and gets it out to me... I am in such severe pain, it is horrible....

These are the very issues, like insurance and the Enbrel, and "cutting things like Medicaid and other entitlements to those who need the insurance so badly due to severe and chronic illnesses, many that need expensive medications and continued medical care that means "Specialists". We also NEED the NIH to be able to have funds to continue research on so many illnesses... things are just a damned mess with our government and only us, the PEOPLE can do something about it!

Getting tired of yet another Acute Severe Pain from my Elbow to my hand for two nights - joints, nerves sick and tired of pain, surgery, and it taking over my life!

Well dammit it happened again this morning about 4AM!

 This searing, burning, tingling, pain from my elbow down into my hand and my hand seemed to be "swollen".... of course that is the elbow I had "tennis elbow" in in the late 90's about 1998 or so and had surgery. You can feel the screws etc where it was repaired. I know before it gave me problems about 8 years ago, and the diagnosis was it needed surgery again. BUT, so happened, it began to not hurt as badly, thus I avoided surgery. NOW, though I found out this has to be a "nerve" issue just as I thought. For some reason the nerve "ulnar" nerve that runs down into the elbow and then down into the wrist and hand has have a narrowing of that space it is in, or the nerve is impinged at the elbow... and it happening at night is the primary time this happens.

We usually bend our elbows at night, so that is when it entraps the nerve, causes the pain that is so severe, and the numbness and tingling... like my arm is asleep but rather than just "tingle" it burns like it is on fire and no amount of rubbing it, moving it etc helps. I got up, took everything I could take including my bolus this morning, and caught it before it was as bad as the morning before, and finally it eased enough I could sleep for a bit.

But, I know some of this has to do with the "old surgery" and that elbow beginning to wear and tear for one. due to my right shoulder, and arm after the complete reverse shoulder replacement on the right side, I use my left arm, and hand because up until now it was stronger, and I could do more with it... my right one I do well to hold a plate without me helping to hold it with my left hand etc.... so either that nerve entrapped is due to wear and tear of me having to almost overuse my left arm, or that elbow is definitely wearing down from the surgery before, and it could be a splint keeping it straight at night "might" help but as bad as it got and so quickly... dammit why could it not have happened on Sunday night?

Then I could have talked to my Orthopedic Surgeon who did my hip and actually he did the surgery on that elbow in the 1990's... so he would be familiar or have documentation about that issue. Now i don't know what to do. Do I just "wait and see" what happens? Or do I go ahead and be seen for it and what is happening? Now I was just going to be "set" to have the neck surgery, which will help with MUCH of my ongoing shoulder, arm and hand pain on both sides BUT it won't help that nerve in my elbow...

Plus I go to different doctors for the neck and shoulder replacement, than I did for the elbow issue years ago and then he repaired my hip. I thought yesterday, it was just a "fluke" thing because I've been doing so much with both arms, between yard stuff, and cleaning out that back room, putting that cabinet together, but I did use my cordless drill to screw those screws in etc... not a regular screwdriver that would definitely contribute to what is going on with this "new damned mess"... my joints SUCK, SUCK SUCK... and I am SO SICK AND TIRED OF surgeries, but I cannot live with the pain, the atrophy, the weakness, the loss of being able to type, to do MANY OF the things I love to do so much.... I am just at a loss now what to do.... and to top it off the past three days I CANNOT SEEM TO GET WARM! I know the weather is nuts and it is cold, especially with the wind, but dammit I just cannot seem to get warm, not unless I get on the sofa, sit on my butt in there with the heater going and watch TV! Well hell, I cannot waste my life away watching the television and sitting on my butt all the time.... this just sucks!



 Here is the UR: is to exactly what is going on:

http://handtoelbow.com/ulnar-nerve-compression/

Chronic Pain, Weather changes, how they effect us, spinal neck surgery, cardiologist, orthopedic surgery and more....

It was such an awesome day yesterday! Shorts on outside, even did some "mowing" in the back yard with my weed eater! LOL! Yes, the darned WEEDS are so tall, there was no way to get a mower through them, so I had my cordless weed eater out there trying to get them down enough, so I can mow them, plus see how many fire ants are there. I had a bed a discovered in and around one of my front trees and it was "hidden". The other day I found it and it was almost knee high within that tree!!! So since I've been trying to take Peanut out to walk him, and getting things ready for the new puppy (who will be grown by the time I get over doctors appts and be able to pick him up)... after the battle with either shingles or something "biting" me... I have yet to figure out the welts on my arm, on the left arm and a few down my left side... just weird. I had windows open and it was amazing! Then I go out late last night, it was thundering really closely, close enough I even shut down my computer, and it was almost "cold"... we had a front come through and I did not realize it was going to get the chilly outside. So, I am closing windows, and this morning wrapped up in my robe again, and Peanut and I were on the sofa all wrapped up and too cool to even get up -

 I finally got up and warmed up some coffee, and it is just cloudy, damp, almost misting rain and darned cold outside. I just put out one of my huge plants, my fern yesterday because it was hating being inside, and I am in fear the darned thing was going to die, if I didn't get it outside on the porch. So, I heave it outside, but it will be fine. It looks like this is just a "fluke" as far as "cold" and we are going to warm back up... but it sucks... I HATE THE TIME CHANGE! I wished they WOULD LEAVE IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER!!! It always messes my entire "internal" clock up and takes me two weeks to really get adjusted to the change. I know for some it does not bother them, but it really messes with me. I thought it was Sunday at 1st yesterday as I had posted LOL.. so then I did change my clocks last night, but I didn't sleep at all. I woke up every half hour it seemed, from having nightmares and stupid dreams... I hate nights like that. I had been doing so much yesterday inside and outside, I think I was almost too tired.... so that probably contributed to my not being able to sleep very well. 

I am so tickled at Peanut, he would not even eat "breakfast" with me... he went and got back on the sofa under the blanket and went back to sleep. He is getting pretty good about walking on the leash outside, if I can keep him from "eating" every weed or rock he sees! He is so bad like a toddler about everything on the floor or ground he thinks he should put in his mouth. It worries the heck out of me, especially since I've been putting out weed killer in places and putting out the granules for ticks, fleas, and other creepy, crawly things that shall be coming soon.... anyway, I go back to my Orthopedic surgeon tomorrow for my recheck on my hip. My pain pump is refilled and he upped my meds,


 I think I told all of you, and hopefully I will be able to get my neck surgery scheduled soon. I have an appt with my heart doctor in a couple of weeks, so she will have to sign off on the surgery also. My Orthopedic surgeon who does my spinal surgery is PICKY AND A STICKLER for me having all of my doctors say it is OKAY, and I have to have a chest Xray, a current EKG and such, before he will do the surgery, which is a good thing, just a pain in the butt to get all of it done, right at the time before surgery.... anyway, hope all is well with you in your corner of the world. I am probably going to be back on the sofa with Peanut covered up part of the day LOL! cold for me also and I am tired I guess from everything I've done over the past few days....

Catching Up, Letting You know what is going on in my neck of the woods, and telling you I am still here and will be working on my blog.., so don't give up on me....

 

 What's Going On with Me, Facing Surgery on my neck and lumbar spine, The RA getting worse, going to the "casino" hopefully & giving you a thumbs up I am STILL HERE!

 

 

 

https://www.winstarworldcasino.com/

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=17685

I've got my reservations to go to Winstar on Monday and stay overnight. Of course I've tried to go at least 3 times over the past couple of months., and something always either happens, or the Lupus Flares on me, so I have to postpone my trip. I DO have many things to attend to, and feel guilty even running off overnight. But, unless this "cold" or whatever the hell hit me a couple of days ago, I hope to be able to get away for a day and night. Lord knows I need it. Actually I need about a week's vacation away from everything. But, then I have the fur-kids, and they already give me enough grief when I leave for a few hours, even with the "sitter" coming in a couple of times a day, they would be a total mess, if I left for that long.

Ironically, now that I am just "me" and "them" (Bub's and Peanut) I spend more times "talking" to them, or talking to me, or singing if I am in the car, or I go into the stores, and I am constantly trying to "quietly" talk to myself. My way of making sure, I don't forget anything important when I go out and do errands.

I've got several decisions to make, some of them have got to be made SOON, like about my Humana insurance. Open enrollment will end on Dec. 7th or so, so I have to make up my mind whether to keep what I have or go to a different plan and so forth. Some things are probably going to change now as far as my insurance, etc. I feel my best thing is to stay with what I have now, even though a couple of my own doctors are not "preferred providers"... this plan allows to me go to a "non-network" provider, and the insurance will pay some after I meet the deductable. That seemed to be okay last year. The only real issue is that my special orthopedic surgeon, unless things change is NOT a preferred provider, so I have to pay his portion of surgery out of pocket, but I know last year that was not all that bad, and the hospital WILL get paid as a preferred provider, so, that makes it a great deal better. I've learned after my hernia surgery, when my doctor was NOT a preferred provider, but the surgery center was, he was kind enough to knock down the price on his end, so I didn't have to pay him a great deal, and in fact I think they sent me back a little bit of a refund.

But, of course, since I put off TWO surgeries last year, both of which this orthopedic surgeon is the ONLY one I trust to do anything to my neck or spine, I will have to encounter bills from him for that. By the time one surgery is done though, I should meet that deductible thus that way, I may not be out of pocket a great deal for the 2nd one. My neck is a must. Plus I don't know what we are going to do about the RA. My right hand, of course my "dominant" hand, is in such horrible shape now, that after trying to stir something, or cut a couple of small limbs, or paint on a wall for even a half hour, cannot open jars, and I can't carry much of anything with that hand and arm. The swelling had increased so much between my thumb, forefinger, and now I have developed a "lump" on my forefinger, which is probably from the RA, and that arm and hand, wrist, continue to grow weaker all the time. I FORCE myself to use it, so I can keep at least some strength in it, but it will almost "lock up" at times, with the RA, so bad. I had a follow up with my Rheumy about 6 weeks ago, and they put me back on the MTX, but it is not working at all. The dose is not as much as when I was on it before, but I don't think it will be the answer.

I also suspect that some of the pain, weakness, and so forth are from my neck, rather than just the RA. With one almost completely flattened disc, and another one probably almost as bad, those in themselves can cause the weakness, pain, stiffness, and some of the symptoms... plus now I find it harder to turn my head, my shoulder blade is beginning to have that "burning sensation" from the compressed nerves in my neck, and now even sitting here for a little while trying to type, that hand, arm, shoulder blade, and even down into my "side" are hurting and feel like muscle spasms, especially in my right side. Of course everyone with any type of joint, cartilage, and bone issues, know that when this weather changed, it did NOT help matters.

As I mentioned at first, I'm either fighting off a cold, or hopefully NOT some type of throat infection. I even almost felt as if I was losing my voice, late yesterday afternoon, and my throat has been kind of sore, along with my lymph nodes once again hard as marbles under my ears.

So, that is why I said I "hope" to be able to get to go to the Casino without having to postpone it again, since my body is trying to fight off "something"... here in town there are a growing number of strep throat issues, along with what they may call it scarlatina, It is a very red rash that goes along at times with strep throat, and there was an article last week in the paper here that our doctors are seeing many cases cropping up...

Out of everything I HAVE had, (I hope I don't jinx myself) I've never had "strep throat".... I had horrible tonsillitis & had those taken out when I was about 12 or so. But, I've never tested positive for strep throat, which is a good thing. You can be a "carrier" though and not have a case of it. Neither one of my kids had strep either, ear infections, they outgrew, but not strep.

Anyway, I am actually working on a "list" or in the process of, the things I need to get done (LIKE GET MY HUGE HOUSE PLANTS IN) before the weather gets too bad on them... and believe me, almost all of them, especially 3 of them are so huge, thank goodness I have this "roller type dolly" made for plants to try and get them in the house. My Palm tree now that has put on 3 or 4 new prawns over the summer, stands taller than my front door. And my fern, that started from a half dead 2.00 one I got at HEB is about 20 feet or so in diameter, and they take up a great deal of space, and are very heavy.... plus I have 4 HUGE Airplane plants, that are as large as I've ever seen so they also are extremely heavy and bulky... so again I am glad I bought that plant dolly a couple of years ago.

The BEES are about gone! He came back out last week and collected as much honey out of that bus as he could reach. It was between two of the heavy metal pieces inside the bus, and he had to cut into all of that to get to the main hive, found the queen, and he said there are now more than 40,000 bees, that came out of that bus!!!!

But NOW, getting someone who has the truck, trailer and wench to pull that piece of heavy bus up onto a flatbed, and haul it to Maverick or someone they can sell it to, will be a chore. I've tried to get the word out, because I am sure with all the heavy metal in it, it would bring some bucks, if you could get it hauled to somewhere like that, that buys scrap metal.

Anyway, there are always a billion and one things you can find that need to be done when you have a home.... I had almost forgotten I STILL HAVE THAT DAMNED BROKEN GLASS in my back bedroom... that I have almost solidly taped in with Duck Tape, and have cardboard over it, but I fear at anytime it could come crashing out of there. I could put a new piece in myself, but needing someone else to help hold it up while it is "pinned" in and then glazed or hell I've put some caulking in a couple of mine in that back room for now. It helps to sturdy that old glass pane stuff, for now, and really those 5 windows need the other "storm type windows" put over them like the rest of the house...So again another project... they just keep coming and coming...

I have got to get busy, so I close for now.... again still lots of stuff needing to be done, taken care of, and so forth... thus the reason I am not here very much. I am online some, looking things up and so on, but I don't have a great deal of time to post on FB. I do well to post on my blog, and do a couple of other things...

Hope all is well with each of you.... Me....

DOCTORS WHO TAKE MONEY FROM PATIENTS UNDER THEIR OWN LOOPHOLES....

This is so "long" to go into but get this... MY "orthopedic surgeon" who did the surgery on my neck, and "was" supposed to do the other next week, is ONE MY INSURANCE AS A PREFERRED IN-NETWORK PROVIDER, UNDER HIS BUSINESS NAME (DALLAS BONE AND JOINT CLINIC)... So, for TWO weeks I hAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH HIS ASSISTANT because they keep saying they are NOT a preferred provider... I HAD PROOF FROM HUMANA, I HAD REFERENCE NUMBERS, I CALLED THEM MANY TIMES YESTERDAY I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH HUMANA FOR OVER 3 HOURS.... AND FINALLY FOUND OUT HE 'GETS' BY with saying he is "not in network" BY FILING UNDER HIS OWN TAX ID NUMBER rather than THE BUSINESS NAME WHICH IS AN IN NETWORK PREFERRED PROVIDER!!!! So, that means rather than me pay $325.00 FOR MY SURGERY... 

they want OVER $1,200.00!!!! They want the deductible which ONLY APPLIES ON OUT OF NETWORK PROVIDERS AND THEN FOR ME TO PAY 40% of the bill!!!!! I KNOW THAT HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF A RIP OFF.... HOW CAN HE BE UNDER THEM AND IT IS HIS BUSINESS... ALL OF HIS PAPERWORK READS DALLAS BONE AND JOINT CLINIC AT HIS ADDRESSES, AND I THINK HE AND ONLY ONE OTHER DOCTOR IS THERE... SO HOW CAN HE HAVE "TWO" TAX ID business NUMBERS, AND IT BE LEGITIMATE NO ONE ELSE WOULD HAVE TRACED IT DOWN LIKE ME!!!!!! 

Everyone else would have just PAID OVER 1,000.00 and went on so he MAKES A LOT MORE FROM THE PATIENT IN HIS POCKET!!!! I am GOING TO SEND AN EMAIL TO MY CONGRESSMAN, AND WHOMEVER I NEED TO... I THINK THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG, AND HE IS A GREEDY ASS, WHO DOES NOT DESERVE TO TAKE PEOPLE'S MONEY IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS MORE RICH... I NEED THIS SURGERY, BUT HELL I CAN BARELY AFFORD 325.00!!!! HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO COUGH UP 1,200.00 because he is a greedy selfish miser.... I CRIED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, ALL EVENING... I AM SO MAD, BECAUSE US LITTLE GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF THE RICH!!!!!

How MUCH MORE Can one person stand?! Chronic Illness, Dealing with Life's other issues, & not just losing your mind or collapsing in it all....

Honestly gals and guys... I am concerned that I am either getting "worse" when it comes to the RA,Lupus, and so forth... or I have something else really going on with me... I've just had all kinds of "new" symptoms... first of all, I am having moratl heck with my fingers, worse than ever before. My right hand has a couple of very swollen places between my middle finder and my "pointer" finger next to my thumb. Plus my thumbs are really bad again. Plus, I woke up in such severe pain in my lower back and down my legs this morning, I really thought I had a kidney stone again. It was almost like a "cramp" or what we used to refer to as a "stitch" in your side. But, rather than it kind of working itself out, it went on for a couple of hours, and even now it is not the best .... plus I have this worsening of the "weakness" type o feeling in my legs, almost like they are jello and feel as if they could just "collapse" when I am up walking. I've also had BOTH of my ankles again not so great, but my right one as always, is so swollen and hurts like I sprained it or something... and I still have that "odd" kind of pulling pain underneath my right arm and into my arm pit then kind of a bit around to my back.... my stomach is just a mess... as if I was having or trying to have "spastic" colon issues, but it has been 20 plus years since I had one of those attacks. I used to have them when I was younger and of course they always called it a "nervous stomach" back then. But, it is of course down into my lower intestines, like they are trying to cramp up... and then there is this almost too weird to try and explain, "severe" fog... brain fog, memory fog... and now it is just so bad... I walk around almost as if I am in a daze... and my memory is horrible the past couple of days... but I feel almost "detached" from myself... and I've had that happen a couple of times in the past 10 years or so... where you almost feel like even though "you are here"... you almost feel as if you are looking "down" upon what is going on... and really not "in" the situation,., I know there are terms for it... kind of one of those "fight or flight" responses, that our "mind" uses when we are way overly stressed... and when that "breaking point" begins to be felt... then we seem to "detach" from it all, and become a "quiet observer" because it is just ALL TOO MUCH to deal with... thus it is a mechanism to keep us from going completely bonkers... and my "LISTS of LISTS"   keep getting longer and longer, yet I am further behind more every day.... It seems EVERYTHING right NOW is "priority",.. yet none of us can do 100 things all at once, and really "survive" going nuts....plus the night terrors have been so bad, this place of feeling so totally like a "failure", feeling like I don't "fit in", that people "dislike" me, and they look down on me, because I am not "enough"... Just about every night terror I have has this same theme... either I am "not good enough" for family, or some job, or some group of people I am around, or my "spouse".... hahahaha ..... now you see where I am coming from... I feel that now my life is HALF over or MORE THAN half over and I'VE NOT ACCOMPLISHED  a damned thing I have wanted to... the list of things that my home needs is endless... now many of those that I would LOVE to be able to do... I know are not feasible for me to even give thought to....yet when I get so "bent" as I love Matchbox 20's song, "Bent"  - I feel exactly that way "bent"... I have always thought no matter whether my family, a friend, someone I worked with, associated with... or anyone for that matter, that I am just "not enough", "not worthy",,, I've NOT done, this, that or the other... and that I SHOULD be accomplishing so much more... and the more I try to do, the more BEHIND I feel as if I am..... BUT TWO GREAT THINGS!!!!!! NUMBER1 - I GOT MOM'S INTO PT! And it is here in Ennis AND THEY TAKE THE INSURANCE!!! whew!!!! NUMBER 2 - She is scheduled to go see the pain doctor next Thursday so they can schedule the injections... SO HOOOORRRRAAAAAYYYY!!!!! THAT were two of the things I was most concerned about... so those are good to go.... NOW I MUST being to decide WHAT TO DO ABOUT MY LUMBAR/SACRAL spine fusion!!! I "THOUGHT" I MAYBE able to put if off for a while... but, as badly as the pain has been even worse than before the test was done... I don't think putting it off is an option, well not for long... I think just as my pain doctor said, get it fixed NOW... for it will only get so much worse, and I do not want to wait until I am even worse... then my recovery time OR even (and this may happen anyway) I think when he does surgery, it will be a HUGE worse MESS than any test showed... it never fails for me... it always is like that.... anyway.... I am still knee deep in stuff to do... but it am just totally wiped.... more to come...

Costochondritis - another "possible new problem"? With Me and the Lupus, RA, Sjogren's, Osteoporosis, one may never know....

I "think" I may have "Costochondritis".... I started having pain under my RIGHT arm a couple of days ago, and kind of around to the front of my right chest... it hurts to take a huge breath in, or if I hold my arm a certain way etc... it can bring on the pain. I noticed a moment ago, I had the hiccups... and OMG! WHEW!! Did that ever make it worse..... I figured I must have "pulled" a muscle underneath my right armpit and then around and it even hurts some into my back, but not like right at the arm, where your armpit meets your chest, and then a bit around to the front. an NO, I do not think this is a "heart related" issue at all. I already thought about that, but since I've had 2 of those, I am pretty well, educated on certain things to look for if heart related... that is why I am trying to stress this is under my right arm, kind of around to my right chest, and then into my back some also. I went to pick up Tazzy - my Pug, a couple of days ago. I have to help her onto the sofa,She no longer can jump, so she puts her feet up on the sofa and then I gently pick her up so she can get on the sofa. The other morning, I kind of had an "off" moment, where I lost my balance in helping her up. I really didn't think much of it until I began to get out of the shower a bit later and OMG I was like WHAT THE HECK????? Then of course I have been so busy doing about 15 of more things around the house etc... so I am already sore and achy due to all I am trying to accomplish also. But, ALL of it woke me up at 5AM! MY hips, lower back, my shoulders, under my right arm, and I was so achy and so stiff I didn't think I could even get up and do anything. I really didn't do a whole lot today, other than a few very "easy" things.... anyway, I had not even tried to look up what the "symptoms" might mean, so a bit ago, I though in between a movie and getting some sherbet I would look it up.  I think it appears almost like I do have "some swelling" on back on that side... it appeared to kind of look "puffy" comparing it to my left side under my arm.  The Costochondritis and was about the 1st thing that popped up and that seems to kind of describe what I am feeling. I gather since I am on pain meds, corticosteroids etc... that unless something else plays out or I get worse, or have different symptoms it will dissepate on its own over a few days. If not, I have an Ortho doctor appt on Wed to discuss my "test results" from the discogram, plus Mom is going to the same doctor about her hip severe pain, and cano't barely stand any pressure on it Then we also see our PCP at the same time o Friday, next week... so I will have a chance to ask about it, if it is still here by then.... Happy Fourth to ALL!!!!!!! May our Nation and World over find peace and harmony, and NO threats of any kind.... that is truly my 4th of July holiday wishes... I am probably spending mine either doing some stuff around the house, or resting, depending on how I feel tomorrow morning.... Hugs, Rhia Steele​

I continue this ongoing saga of Lumbar spine issues, bad weather that I am SICK OF, am Happy to see more people coming to my blog, and things about Autoimmune and Arthritic Illnesses

Well, here I am again... another weekend that "appears" to look like all hell is going to break loose. Which again is really irking the crap out of me, because I do not want to have to POSTPONE yet another trip to the Casino!!!

I've already been through this a couple of times, last weekend, it was supposed to be "earth shattering" weather and it did NOTHING.

Now here it is Mother's Day, and again the forecast (extended) is showing rain, rain, rain, storms, floods, and more crappy weather.

Actually, I went, got out my brand new white jeans that I've been wanting to wear, and they still have the tags on them. I also have a beautiful top that just looks awesome with them, plus add in my rhinestone studded sandals, a bit of makeup, a necklace and earrings, and I am set to go to Winstar!!!

Well, I call my Mom, and she has not even "given it much thought" of us going. Yada, yada, yada... about how bad the weather is supposed to be Sunday, and thinking we should postpone... well now we are looking at much later in the month, when I had doctors appointments in Dallas - two of them back to back on the 20th and 21t! Neither of which I can miss at all. One is to have my pain pump refilled, the other is my very LONG AWAITED getting to see my Rheumatologist again. It has been months and month, and months since I saw him. In fact due to something, in fact, I believe I had double pneumonia and was supposed to see him. I had to reschedule and the other appointment was like in December of 2014!!! So, it has taken me patiently waiting now for 6 MONTHS just to get into see him. I can see his PA of course much sooner, but seeing him, especially since we are possibly thinking of a medication change... I MUST NOT miss this appt!

I am NOT happy about this "discograph" business. From all I've read it is NOT a "comfortable" type of test. It is also much more invasive than having epidural steroid injections. So, that raises the risk of a spine fluid leak, or infection more than the injections. I see that depending on the scan and how far it needs to go, it can be anywhere from an hour to 2 or 3 hours, depending on what all the doctor orders. I know Medical City Hospital in an Excellent place. So, that in itself does not bother me. But, anytime now when you have a "compromised" immune system, whether autoimmune related, or whatever the case may be, you really are trying to "avoid" anything that could have the potential of causing infection, especially into the spinal fluid, blood and so on. 

When you are sick, the hospital is the very place you want to avoid usually. Because the others around you maybe having many more types of illnesses that could potentially cause a worse infection.

I've not really had many issues, as far as surgery goes. I usually do well under anesthetic. As far as a surgery, I have not had any massive complications. Yet, when you combine the AAI, the prednisone, the Orencia, and other meds I must take, then there is the rise in whether an infection could happen, rather than someone who does not have immune issues, or is not on medications that could cause you problems later.

I also know this is going to be one of those types of tests that no matter what I already have had done in the past 6 weeks, which was the CT Scan and then the epidural steroid injections into the Transforminal space around those vertebra, that shows that is the place of issue, this doctor STILL is going to insist that I have this other stupid test done.


Of course yes, I could "find" another surgeon. Well, that could lead to the exact same situation, and also could lead into me not having the "best of the best" as far as my Orthopedic surgeon go. He is the one that truly remedied my shoulder pain and my neck pain. Without him, I honestly don't think I would have made it.


To me, he is the "gold standard" in surgeons for these types of problems. Although once again his bedside manner is about like a jackass, and he is an argumenative, and thinks he knows absolutely everything, and patients as far as he is considered need to "follow his rules" and NOT try and tell him anything you may know.

So, it is trying to decide what is worse to deal with when it comes to having him as an Orthopedic Surgeon.

I've got to go to get dressed and run to "Wally world". I need a belt to go with some white jeans I would like to wear, thus there is about the only place here to look. Then I have to run Jim over to the Clinic in Waxahachie about some of his meds.

More to come.....

Where do you Go? Hip, lower back pain - CT Scan shows "something" yet it seems like now enough to cause this type of pain...

I've been going over and over this stupid CT Scan from a month ago. I wished I could get more information, but when I look up what is being told on it, I am getting a "google" search of all types of issues. Some of them may pertain to me, and others I am not sure of.

I am sure of a couple of things. I almost am to the point I cannot sit at my computer. If I sit here more than 10 minutes, my hips, butt and lower back just throb, burn, ache, and it feels like very deep bone pain.

Nothing has really changed since the injections (Transforminal Epidural Steroid Injections) which were two weeks ago, as of tomorrow. I thought I had felt a bit of relief that first couple of days afterwards. But, then I began to notice my hips once again feel like they are on fire if I sit for very long at a time. I can get up, walk around for awhile, then the pain comes back, resonating kind of from my tailbone, down into my hips, around the outer part of my thighs, and often into my calves and down into my heels. I notice if I try and get out in the yard to pull weeds from the flowerbeds, pick up things and put them in our trash cans outside, try and break down small limbs from the trees and also trash them... after a bit, again that deep down kind of like a burn starts again. So, if I sit for too long, especially here at the computer, or if I go and walk or stand is the worst for a long time, my hips and very lower back just hurt like hell.

I am still in the thinking that I have two problems... the hips and then my lower lumbar spine about where it joins at my tailbone. That is actually where the CT picked up some issues, I have vertebra I think, that has "slipped forward"... plus I have the Retrolisthesis


which is also meaning it has slipped the opposite of what many of them do... plus I have known about my "crooked spine". Now the levoscoliosis I guess is enough that it shows on the scan. All of which even though don't appear on the CT as being horrendous, as before they have done Scans, X-rays, MRI's that show not so bad. Then they decide to open the joint up and take a look, and sure enough the "arthritic" degeneration and damage was where it was not seen on those scans.

http://www.spinal-foundation.org/conditions/vertebral-slippage... 

It has been exactly two weeks ago today, since I had the "Transforminal Epidural Steroid Injections" in my very last Lumbar spinal vertebra L-5 and then I believe S-1 shows issues also.

I thought right after the injection that it felt better. Yet, after a couple of days, I began having the same types of issues, pain when I sit for very long at the computer, pain if I stand too long in one place, or even if I walk for a long distance, especially like shopping... where you stop, then walk a few steps, and over again....

My thoughts are that I have two issues, as I've said all along. I feel both hips are a part of this, simply because this is what has happened a couple of times over the past 6 or so years. It seems about once every two years my hips act up, probably more like bursitis. Which, my orthopedic surgeon seems to think that "bursitis" of the hip would not cause all of the pain I am having! WELL, I have news for him. I've had it before and it hurts like hell. So, where he gets off thinking that my hips are not the issue and my back is, I am not sure...

Anyway, I am headed to Dallas in just a bit to follow up on those injections. While I am at my pain specialist, I will ask him what his opinion is on having this discogram/discograph... that the ortho doc seems to think I should have....

When I return, I will update everyone on the situation!