by Dale Shaw » Mon Oct 22, 2012 2:51 pm
I have an 8 am appointment on wednesday to see about my full left hip being replaced. Had the right one done in 2003. when the right one was done, the Dr could not believe I had still been walking due to the pain I must have been in. This one will be done before it gets that bad. I have pain, and a lot of loss of mobility in it. Can just barely get the left sock on in the morning and if everything else if flaring, I get my loving wife to do it.
Since the right one healed, the hip has given me 0 problems. I still could not hardly walk though, as the hip pain had masked my back pain for so long. I was 41 at the time. Upon further tests and bone scans, they found I had Osteo everywhere. I have spinal stenosis, degenerated disc's, bulging disc's and 2 old stress fractures in my lower lumbar. Since then i have been diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis. The methotrexate shots worked, but I found out that is what is causing my Dad's liver failure, and being an 'old school drug, is cheap, so they make very little of it. Humera has the same side effects, but pre-insurance is $1000 per shot x2 per month($2000). after insurance $750 so that is out of the question.
What I do is what I can when I can. I fight depression due to the pain, but have found new meds that help a lot with that. I live at a 5 on the pain level, it is normal now and not a problem, but does wear on you. When I get above that I take a 5mg OXY IR to bring me back to a 5 level. Periodically I go a week with no pain meds to curb the indicative addiction associated with narcotics
If I can keep my attitude and depression in check, I can deal with the pain. I have also developed the ability to sleep at will till the worst of it passes.
The reason I do so much with the cubs is to keep my mind busy and off my problems.
Good luck
Dale Shaw
TN Cub Rescue- Out of the Hedgerows and Barns, and back into the Fields and Gardens where they belong.
Today's generation is so used to getting everything IN a box, they can't think OUTSIDE the box