Stroke update! My pain update!

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Dad is experiencing forward movement in some areas, but is going backwards in others. He is losing his memory slowly but surely. He no longer remembers how many children he has or the street he lives on. He knows me and my sister are his children or maybe I should say he remembers us but maybe he doesn’t make the connection that we are his children at times. There are 3 of us although my brother is in another part of the country and too far away to visit. Mys sister and I see to his needs.

We found a nice subacute rehab facility. It has large rooms, looks more like a bedroom than a hospital room. AND they do his laundry for free. Yea!

And that brings me to my problem. The parking lot is really far away from the entrance and then he is all the way down a long hall. They are built out on one floor rather than up. That walk is making the pains in my own body much worse and I can’t go every day, not that my sister or he want me to anyway. They both told me to not be so intense and to take care of myself. They only have one handicapped spot and it is taken usually.

My spine pain is much worse and I can feel it move. The pain dr wants a new MRI to see what is going on in there. My last one was in last September. This puts surgery back on the table as a possibility. She has increased my pain meds from 1 to 2 meaning every 3 hours I am taking either a Percocet or a Tramadol. I have to write down when I take them to keep it straight. 4 of each every day to help alleviate some of the pain since Percocets alone are no longer working.

Tessa – advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses, also devout Christian

Author – http://www.finallyawriter.com (this blog contains my old work), new work is on this blog http://www.tessacandoit.com

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What are the treatment options for Fibromyalgia? Also my opinions on Bipolar Disorder.

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What are the treatment options for Fibromyalgia?

Now some of these make work for some people, but in my experience most of us do not respond to any of these treatment suggestions. And the side effects can be worse than a cure.

I have been allergic to some, for example Savella, caused me a terrible rash. Not just hives, but a very nasty and sore rash on both arms when I finally stopped it and it went away.

Cymbalta did not help my Fibromyalgia, but at first worked on my Bipolar depression and then 8 months later I developed psychosis which seemed to be the Cymbalta. My Bipolar Disorder is another problem on its own. I am currently stable and have been for a year or more now. I take Remeron (anti-depressive) and Trilofon (an anti-psychotic). Anyone one taking just an anti-depressant who has Bipolar Disorder or who develops the symptoms should see their psychiatrist and check out taking an anti-psychotic with your anti-depressant because used alone someone with Bipolar will usually see an increase in manic cycles. This wasn’t known when I first was treated with medication for my Bipolar. Now I know why I had such extreme mania. Just remember everyone is different and I am not a doctor just a long time sufferer of Bipolar Disorder (started when I was just a little kid).

Tessa – advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses, also devout Christian

Author – http://www.finallyawriter.com (this blog contains my old work), new work is on this blog http://www.tessacandoit.com

The positive side of a stroke!

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3 weeks ago as some of you know, my dad, had a stroke. My sister and I had never really dealt with a real live person with a stroke. We didn’t know what to expect and I suppose we still don’t really. Every day is a new challenge.

In the scheme of things, his stroke was not catastrophic. He has good and bad days and two good days in a row we celebrate.

He is like a child again and has to be retrained in things we take for granted. We look for the little things that show we are still going forward. His stroke was in the right side of his brain and therefore his left side was affected. He “neglects” it.

We started taking him out in his wheelchair for a walk around the facility and to their outside porch. We pointed out trees and cars and the hospital across the way. He perked up some. That was a good move. Who knew? He seemed so out of it and we just let him be.

Today he went to a new facility. A sub-acute rehab center. When I talked to him over the phone (we have to hold our cellphones up to his ear with the speaker on) he told me about the move and what number his room was and that my sister had gotten him a window bed. He wasn’t there last weekend. There is more hope. We have to learn to re-stimulate him in an interest in his life and future as it is not his time to go.

We have a long road still ahead of us, but now we feel he has an interest in that road and will slowly walk it with us.

Tessa – advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses, also devout Christian

Author – http://www.finallyawriter.com (this blog contains my old work), new work is on this blog http://www.tessacandoit.com

Word Press Happiness Engineers have finally made me happy

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Finally they have have gotten things straightened out. I think anyway, time will tell.

The stress is really affecting me and I have no patience to begin with. My blood pressure has been very high. Dr increased my medication, but it took weeks for it to come down again. The last 2 days have been lower. My sister is taking her time off and is urging me to do the same. We can’t spend the rest of his life spending every day hovering over the hospital staff. She keeps reminding me to take some time for myself.

I didn’t go today and don’t plan on going to Friday. She will get him moved to a sub-acute rehab center Thursday before her vacation begins on Friday.

I played Bingo at my apartment complex. I won a game.

Tomorrow there is a meeting at the complex about the fact that they plan on trying to turn all the public housing senior centers into HUD (Housing and Urban Development) properties instead. Still not sure how this will affect me and my benefits provided currently by Housing Authority. We might be moved, displaced or remain here. Rents may or may not be raised. That is a grave concern for all of us barely squeaking by on our measly government checks. Mine is disability and some are regular social security and others are simply working at low-paying jobs or whatever.

Tessa – advocate for mental health and invisible illnesses, also devout Christian

Author – http://www.finallyawriter.com (this blog contains my old work), new work is on this blog http://www.tessacandoit.com

Doing Housework With Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Doing Housework With Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

One of my biggest problems with housework comes with changing the bed and vacuuming. Changing the bed will put me down in that very same bed for the rest of the day after the enormous amount of time it takes me to change it. I used to change my bed every week. Not anymore. I love a freshly changed bed, but I can’t take it.

Tessa

CBD for Fibromyalgia: Is it Effective, Safe, or Legal?

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CBD for Fibromyalgia: Is it Effective, Safe, or Legal?

WordPress’s Happiness Engineers are not making me HAPPY!

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I have been trying to get things straightened out for quite a while and it isn’t working. I am paying for 2 domains and not only were they both pointing to this blog I have been going back and forth with them about the fact that I paid for 2 domains and expect my blogs to point to them. I did finally get the other blog redirected to the right blog, but even after paying early for the domain it is still not pointing to “finallyawriter.com”. This is pure nonsense. Soon I will be telling them to take a flying leap and refund my money. I don’t have the time nor the inclination to deal with this at this point in my life. I also don’t have the money to be wasting on a Non-Domain blog that isn’t working.

Tessa <who is really annoyed right now>