Quick Update - Little Bad/Little Good - 04-30-2012 01:36 AM
Well, when it rains, it pours. I lost my job March 22. I had dental work done (3 root canals) and apparently it wasn't covered by my FMLA or ADA leave, so they canned my a$$. I feel like I have a million pound weight lifted off my shoulders! I never realized what a brain-numbing, soul-sucking institution I worked for! I was without insurance for a month, so I missed my monthly checkup with my surgeon, and also my psych doctor. Fortunately, I was able to COBRA my insurance (amost $600/month) and I'm covered again. I went back to my orthopedic surgeon regarding my knee pain. I'm scheduled for a total knee replacement on June 4....can't wait!
I've been having problems with trismus since my root canals. I didn't really notice until I could barely fit a spoonful of mashed potatoes through my teeth! I'm also having a lot of jaw/ear pain, so I will be discussing that with my surgeon next time I see him. I went to eBay and bought a Molt mouthgag to help me stretch my oral opening ($14 as opposed to nearly $400 for the Orastretch or Therabite.) I've added a good 8mm to my mouth opening ability in just a little over a week of use. Now that I have my insurance back, I will see if my doctor will prescribe the Orastretch press for me. At least using the Molt mouthgag is keeping me from getting worse (thank goodness for my OR nurse experience...I knew what I was looking for!)
I'm still getting accupuncture for my back pain (putting off the recommended spinal fusion with instrumentation for as long as possible.) I have also been getting treatments for migraine from her. Will discuss my neck stiffness/trismus/pain when I see her next week.
The Cymbalta and Seroquel, light therapy and counseling must be working because I haven't been plotting my suicide anymore (couldn't do that to Dad again anyway.) Accupuncture and pain meds seem to be keeping my pain at a tolerable level, and the promise of no more knee pain is heavenly. And (most importantly) no more Cindy...my b*tchy boss!!!! Truly, my life still really sucks...but my attitude has much improved.
I've been having problems with trismus since my root canals. I didn't really notice until I could barely fit a spoonful of mashed potatoes through my teeth! I'm also having a lot of jaw/ear pain, so I will be discussing that with my surgeon next time I see him. I went to eBay and bought a Molt mouthgag to help me stretch my oral opening ($14 as opposed to nearly $400 for the Orastretch or Therabite.) I've added a good 8mm to my mouth opening ability in just a little over a week of use. Now that I have my insurance back, I will see if my doctor will prescribe the Orastretch press for me. At least using the Molt mouthgag is keeping me from getting worse (thank goodness for my OR nurse experience...I knew what I was looking for!)
I'm still getting accupuncture for my back pain (putting off the recommended spinal fusion with instrumentation for as long as possible.) I have also been getting treatments for migraine from her. Will discuss my neck stiffness/trismus/pain when I see her next week.
The Cymbalta and Seroquel, light therapy and counseling must be working because I haven't been plotting my suicide anymore (couldn't do that to Dad again anyway.) Accupuncture and pain meds seem to be keeping my pain at a tolerable level, and the promise of no more knee pain is heavenly. And (most importantly) no more Cindy...my b*tchy boss!!!! Truly, my life still really sucks...but my attitude has much improved.
