Frustration

Yarrrggghhh! It's been eight weeks since I started the Synvisc injections, five weeks since the last one. I didn't find out until after the third injection that it would be "a few weeks" until it took effect. Well, it seems clear now that it is NOT going to bring me any relief. I'm angry. I think if I had known before I started that it would be two months, I wouldn't have tried and just would have have a cortisone shot instead. I feel that I've wasted the last two months. I've been able to do almost nothing. Most walking (such as from BART to symphony or ballet, or shopping unless I can quickly and easily get to a cart to lean on) has been with my walker. I've had to give up my deep water aerobics and am amazed at the amount of flab and lack of muscle in such a short time.

So, on Monday I'm going to get a cortisone shot. Then I'll meet with the knee surgeon the following Tuesday (the 19th) and probably set a date for knee replacement surgery. I had been ready to do this seven months ago when my back got so bad that it was obvious that surgery came first. I'm not looking forward to more surgery, but I am looking forward to being able to walk and put on socks!

It is possible that there is good news about the back surgery. I took my last Percocet (half a pill) Tuesday morning. I do have nerve pain in my hip and down my leg, but it is not unbearable. I'm reluctant to be too optimistic until I'm sure all the Perc is out of my system and until I do some real walking. Am assuming that the cortisone shot will work for a few weeks and that I'll be able to go back to the pool, take longer walks with the dogs, and do some other exercises. I want to get the muscles as strong as possible before the surgery in order to hasten the recovery process. If my nerve pain does not get any worse after a few weeks of exercising, then there is actually a chance it will get better eventually. I have a phone appointment with the spine surgeon on the 20th. I would like to get an MRI to see if there is any bone growth or whatever that is causing the pain and might get worse.

And, yes, my regular back arthritis has been very bad recently. Hope it's not so bad that I won't be able to do the exercising and walking.

I'm sad today. I was planning to go to Swarthmore this weekend for my class's mini-reunion, but I cancelled a few weeks ago. I really wanted to be there for many reasons.

Haven't been able to sleep lying down since the surgery, so finally broke down and ordered a very expensive adjustable bed with a very expensive mattress from European Sleep Works. (And to top it all off, they don't have a full bed, which is the largest my bedroom will hold, and the twin is extra-long. This means buying all new bed linen that is hard to find. The twin XL seems to be either cheap and awful for dorm beds or outrageously expensive with no choice of color. More frustration!) They can't deliver until July 10th, so I'm stuck on the couch until then.

Just think, if I have the knee replacement, you can go through another whole surgery with me!

Love,
Janet