It's an internationally known fact that I am total crap in the morning. There's a very strong element of stay away until I've my morning coffee to it. Who knows this better than good old Pegasus, who has been subjected to my morning fits for almost 20 years now? You'd think that after living in Gimp House since 2002 he's have the morning routine pretty strongly engrained. It really should be automatic. It's the same thing every single morning. I get up, go pee, get him and his lead sorted, roll to the door with him behind the wheely, open the door, then, unlatch the screen door, back up, let him go out ahead of me, hook him onto his nice long chain that is locked onto a ramp railing. Every day. Every single day. For some reason, known only to him, he didn't quite get the behind the chair part and his lead got wound around the left wheel of the wheely. Now, I'm in a wheely because I kind of can't walk. The chair can't go forward or backwards, I can't stand long enough to sort the lead. Uh oh. Trouble accompannied by lots of yelling, shouting and cussing. I did finally manage to wrestle the chair into the living room, and put the wheely's cushion on his 'bed', fold the wheely, tip it over and release the lead. I had released him from the lead before the wrestling part. Right. Lead in hand, wheely upright, cushion in place, and this time he gets it right, and I can go make my coffee and calm down.
He's pulled that trick before, but never gotten the lead wrapped around the wheel. If I have anything to say about it, he won't get another chance.
Old gimps can learn new tricks from old dogs.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
THE ADDICTION PROGRAM
My addiction training program worked out very nicely and my pharmacist said that he wished more people used it. According to him, most folks just want to get rid of their pain, and don't give any thought to what they are getting into.
*I* on the other hand, thought about it long and hard.(cue applause) I also didn't want to go through what went through back when we were looking for an NSAID and every single one I tried gave me impossible side affects without stopping the pain until we found that Naxcyn (naproxin) did the job. The fact that it eventually gave me a nice peptic ulcer is what lead me to trying several non NSAIDs, none of which worked for more than a dose or two. That's when I started thinking about moving into the world of addictive pain murderers, and asked the doc for one of the oxys. He gave me a prescription for 5mg of oxycontin, which most pharmacies don't keep on hand. The one I went to said that they would have some for me the next day. I promptly decided to take Naxcyn until it came in, which I did, figuring that one or two couldn't do much more damage to my stomach, and that I might finally get a good night's sleep. I did take one that night and the pain was gone within half an hour and I slept quite well that night.I took another in the morning, and again, no hurting. I picked up the 5mg and took the first one at around 1500, then, read the little mini book that comes with it. I should have done that first. It's quite specific about taking them at 12 hour intervals. So, I got to to delay taking the next one until I got the timing right. In fact, I started taking just one a day, instead of two. You really should work your way up the dosage ladder very slowly and pay close attention to your body and it's reactions. That first dose kept the pain down to a low roar until the next morning, and, most importantly, I didn't seem to have any bad reactions to it. I knew it would be ok. I finished the 5mg box in 11 days because after the first day, I decided to try the two a day regimen like the doc prescribed.
I asked him to up it to 10mg on the grounds that the pharmacy always has 10mg and higher in stock, and that it would wonderful to get rid of even more of the pain and I wasn't having any bad reactions to it. So, after the doc had a quick phone consultation with the pharmacist, who told him that he really didn't know when he'd get the 5mg in, and that he thought it was a very bad idea to have me taking Naxcyn while waiting, he agreed, and I went down to get it.
Thing about pain is that it has a purpose. It's to tell us that something is wrong. I was hoping that the 10mg would get the pain down to a very dull roar so that if anything else went wrong, as things tend to do with me, I'd know it. Pain killers don't discrimminate. They knock out pain, and too many times you can miss something important because you can't feel it. Right. The 10mg gets the pain right down to where I want it. I can feel that the pain is still there, but it really is much less and lets me get through the day easily and I am sleeping ever so much better at night. What a relief that is after the last year and a half!
So, my addiction training program was a great success. I have the pain under control, my body has not had any bad reactions to it, and I haven't had that buzz or high others had warned me about. And my pharmacist ( a great guy in any event) loved The Plan and said that he intends to start recommending it to newcomers to world of narcotics.
Works for me! And I highly recommend it to anyone contemplating entering the world of junkydom!
*I* on the other hand, thought about it long and hard.(cue applause) I also didn't want to go through what went through back when we were looking for an NSAID and every single one I tried gave me impossible side affects without stopping the pain until we found that Naxcyn (naproxin) did the job. The fact that it eventually gave me a nice peptic ulcer is what lead me to trying several non NSAIDs, none of which worked for more than a dose or two. That's when I started thinking about moving into the world of addictive pain murderers, and asked the doc for one of the oxys. He gave me a prescription for 5mg of oxycontin, which most pharmacies don't keep on hand. The one I went to said that they would have some for me the next day. I promptly decided to take Naxcyn until it came in, which I did, figuring that one or two couldn't do much more damage to my stomach, and that I might finally get a good night's sleep. I did take one that night and the pain was gone within half an hour and I slept quite well that night.I took another in the morning, and again, no hurting. I picked up the 5mg and took the first one at around 1500, then, read the little mini book that comes with it. I should have done that first. It's quite specific about taking them at 12 hour intervals. So, I got to to delay taking the next one until I got the timing right. In fact, I started taking just one a day, instead of two. You really should work your way up the dosage ladder very slowly and pay close attention to your body and it's reactions. That first dose kept the pain down to a low roar until the next morning, and, most importantly, I didn't seem to have any bad reactions to it. I knew it would be ok. I finished the 5mg box in 11 days because after the first day, I decided to try the two a day regimen like the doc prescribed.
I asked him to up it to 10mg on the grounds that the pharmacy always has 10mg and higher in stock, and that it would wonderful to get rid of even more of the pain and I wasn't having any bad reactions to it. So, after the doc had a quick phone consultation with the pharmacist, who told him that he really didn't know when he'd get the 5mg in, and that he thought it was a very bad idea to have me taking Naxcyn while waiting, he agreed, and I went down to get it.
Thing about pain is that it has a purpose. It's to tell us that something is wrong. I was hoping that the 10mg would get the pain down to a very dull roar so that if anything else went wrong, as things tend to do with me, I'd know it. Pain killers don't discrimminate. They knock out pain, and too many times you can miss something important because you can't feel it. Right. The 10mg gets the pain right down to where I want it. I can feel that the pain is still there, but it really is much less and lets me get through the day easily and I am sleeping ever so much better at night. What a relief that is after the last year and a half!
So, my addiction training program was a great success. I have the pain under control, my body has not had any bad reactions to it, and I haven't had that buzz or high others had warned me about. And my pharmacist ( a great guy in any event) loved The Plan and said that he intends to start recommending it to newcomers to world of narcotics.
Works for me! And I highly recommend it to anyone contemplating entering the world of junkydom!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tarzan Rope
Some of us gimps have trouble getting up in bed. THe 'normal' ones amongst us install a proper trapeze contraption like they have in hospitals over their beds. Me, I install a tarzan rope that I bought in Maine, not knowing what in heaven's name it was. All I knew was that it was purple, so I bought it and when asked by several other shoppers what it was, simply told them that it doesn't matter what it was. It's purple and that's all I need to know about it.
I usually don't have trouble sitting up in bed and can to sit ups, pretty much forever. When I got sprung from my last hospitalization I had trouble sitting up because my stomach was sore from repated shots of Clexane. That was when I realized what the purple thing I'd bought in Maine was for; it's a Tarzan Rope. See?
It might look a little odd, but it works and it's not dangling in my face like a proper trapeze would! It sure did come in handy the morning after I forgot to take my meds, and my back did not want to hear about sitting up or anything else. It's even more fun if you can do a proper Tarzan call! That's really fun if someone else is in the house! Hmmm, my box spring is getting a little tatty. I've only had it since 1985, and moved 5 times since then, so I guess it's allowed to look like that.
I usually don't have trouble sitting up in bed and can to sit ups, pretty much forever. When I got sprung from my last hospitalization I had trouble sitting up because my stomach was sore from repated shots of Clexane. That was when I realized what the purple thing I'd bought in Maine was for; it's a Tarzan Rope. See?
It might look a little odd, but it works and it's not dangling in my face like a proper trapeze would! It sure did come in handy the morning after I forgot to take my meds, and my back did not want to hear about sitting up or anything else. It's even more fun if you can do a proper Tarzan call! That's really fun if someone else is in the house! Hmmm, my box spring is getting a little tatty. I've only had it since 1985, and moved 5 times since then, so I guess it's allowed to look like that.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
ADDICT IN TRINING
As usual, there is nothing 'average' or 'usual' with me medically! I've been happily cruising along on 2.5mg of rat poison daily and the clotting levels have been just fine. Then, Sunday rolled around, as it tends to every week or so, and I went and got a blood draining for a clotting level. It came as no surprise that my clinic's site refused to let me in to check the results. That was most annoying as I had a feeling that something would be way off. There was absolutely no leackage from the stick site. That's a first for me. There is usaully at least a small leak, but, not a drop on Sunday. Then, last evening I got a call from my doc telling me to not take any rat poison and to show up for a repeat draining today. My INR was 6, which is high, but makes absolutely no sense in light of the no leakage on Sunday. For once I followed doctor's oeders without arguing, and just came back from the repeat drainage, with strict orders to call my doc at 1700 for the results, which, if today's leakage is anything to go by, should be spot on.
I wonder, if as St. Gracie suggested, the levels might be cockeyed because of my new addict in training regimen? It's not like anything can be ruled out with me, but I have my doubts about that one. The only thing I can really attribute to addiction training is the case of the squits I suddenly developed on Sunday. According to other addict friends, constipation is what usually happens, so, what do i do? I go and develope the exact opposite. My cleaning lady is here now. When she finishes, I'm going back to the clinic to have a nice long chat with the doc about this stuff. I was in a rush to get out of there and back here so I wouldn't miss her. The state of the floor is embarrassing even to Pegasus. There are clumps of dried mud everywhere and scraps of paper that he liberated from the trash bin next to my bed. I just ignore it as I roll over and around it. Addicts in training are not expected to clean floors when they have a cleaning lady who actually shows up once a week or so!
I wonder, if as St. Gracie suggested, the levels might be cockeyed because of my new addict in training regimen? It's not like anything can be ruled out with me, but I have my doubts about that one. The only thing I can really attribute to addiction training is the case of the squits I suddenly developed on Sunday. According to other addict friends, constipation is what usually happens, so, what do i do? I go and develope the exact opposite. My cleaning lady is here now. When she finishes, I'm going back to the clinic to have a nice long chat with the doc about this stuff. I was in a rush to get out of there and back here so I wouldn't miss her. The state of the floor is embarrassing even to Pegasus. There are clumps of dried mud everywhere and scraps of paper that he liberated from the trash bin next to my bed. I just ignore it as I roll over and around it. Addicts in training are not expected to clean floors when they have a cleaning lady who actually shows up once a week or so!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
WHO KNEW?
It's amazing how cheap and easy it is to be become a 'legal' addict in Israel. We've pretty much run out of pain killer options, so my doc suggested that I try oxycontin. He did warn that it's highly addictive, (yeah, yeah, I know) as he was printing the prescription. I charged downstairs to my clinic's pharmacy, but they don't keep it in stock down there, so I had to go to a Superpharm (kind of like a Wallgreens) and they don't keep it there either. The head pharmacist did call around and found some that would be there the next day, but I had to get the prescription changed because he can't give out 20 of them in one go unless the doc specifies a reason for that much. So, yesterday morning, it was back to the doc who just gave me a new one that specified 2 per day for 10 days and that solved the problem. And they only cost NIS 13, which is around $3.25. I'm going to go nice and slow with it and start with 1 a day, like those vitamins. Cheap, innit? In the mean time my doc has sent off for official permanent approval for me to take it. That should be ok as my pain is my lower back which is slowly disintegrating, and left leg which needs both knee and hip joints replaced. They can't do that because you need the other leg to be able to go through rehab after the replacement and that leg is partialy paralyzed, so the replacements are a no go. My sawbones told me several years ago that it would be a matter of pain management. I took Naxyn (naproxen) for 10 years, then found that it caused a nice little ulcer which lead to all the nonesense with the coumadin. I did try a few other non NSAIDs which did nothing for the pain. So, here I am an addict in training! At least it's cheap.And after taking one, it works. It's also the lowest dose, 5mg.
I did finally get a solid night's sleep last night. Constant pain can do wicked things to a person. It really sucks about the ulcer because the Naxyn does work quite well. But, I am thankful that there is something else. It really doesn't matter if I do get addicted because there are really no ther options at this point.
I did finally get a solid night's sleep last night. Constant pain can do wicked things to a person. It really sucks about the ulcer because the Naxyn does work quite well. But, I am thankful that there is something else. It really doesn't matter if I do get addicted because there are really no ther options at this point.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
OUCH
Please don't ask how I manged to do this. Let's just leave it at; it takes a special talent that I apparently have. As I was manuevering Harley to get off the ramp and head into town, he suddenly took it into his head that it would be ever so much fun to dump me off his seat and onto the ramp. He had more success with that than I did with getting up from the ramp. There I sat, with my legs dangling over the edge of the ramp, waiting for one of the crew that's working in the flat across from mine to come out. After a few minutes, the foreman came out, with the foreman from the renovation of Gimp House. When I saw that Ali was there too, I knew all would well. The two foremen and another guy from the crew tried to get me up, but didn't succeed. Ali went off and found an nice strong board and got two more guys and after I'd scooted back to sit on the board, they managed to lever me up. I ended up with a scraped left ankle bone a sore right arm and the usual aches and pains in my back and right leg. They were so sweet, and waited until I got off the ramp with Harley. The 2 guys who really don't know me, wanted to help me back off the ramp, but Ali told them that I'm quite able to do that on my own.
I headed straight for the clinic to get my monthly meds and have a chat with the sugeon about that test he wants done, but that I can't get to too early in the morning. I also wanted the nurse to put something on the new scrape. I found my little bottle of spray bandage and she sprayed me, so, that's all set. The surgeon said that he'd sort out something with the test, and my regular doc had to leave, so we'll do the meds tomorrow. We also have an issue with my pain meds. THe last two I tried are useless. He said that if he gave me one of the oxys, there might be an addiction issue. Like that worries me? I've only been on pain meds for 11 years. Duh. He did say we'd sort it tomorrow. Ok, so I wait another day. It's just pain.
After that, I picked up a carton of fags, and went to my favorite grocery store to pick up a few things.
Now, I'm home and my bed is calling me. It'll have to wait until I get that cake I've been planning baked. When it's out of the oven, I will answer the call of the bed.
I headed straight for the clinic to get my monthly meds and have a chat with the sugeon about that test he wants done, but that I can't get to too early in the morning. I also wanted the nurse to put something on the new scrape. I found my little bottle of spray bandage and she sprayed me, so, that's all set. The surgeon said that he'd sort out something with the test, and my regular doc had to leave, so we'll do the meds tomorrow. We also have an issue with my pain meds. THe last two I tried are useless. He said that if he gave me one of the oxys, there might be an addiction issue. Like that worries me? I've only been on pain meds for 11 years. Duh. He did say we'd sort it tomorrow. Ok, so I wait another day. It's just pain.
After that, I picked up a carton of fags, and went to my favorite grocery store to pick up a few things.
Now, I'm home and my bed is calling me. It'll have to wait until I get that cake I've been planning baked. When it's out of the oven, I will answer the call of the bed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
