OK, SINCE CHRISTMAS IS WELL SAID AND DONE, MY GIFT IS MUCH LOVED---MY BIGGEST WISH WAS THIS

CHRISTMAS EVE:

 This is right before I am supposed to cram my feet into a shoe and walk smiling into a resteraunt and have a meal with "Susan" and my brother?????
What the hell do I do???
Their teeny brains go to one thing, of course-I have trouble focusing on  conversation because the bottom photo is jammed into a shoe to make you happy because you can go one place:

NOT ONE NARCOTIC, MISS "HIGH AND MIGHTY:"

CHRISTMAS DAY:
I wore slippers; when he saw my foot....he helped me soak in tepid water and then eased into a slipper and I went to his house and had fun:

MY REAL CHRISTMAS WISH, if I could go back and have one:

Thursday or Friday, I go for my sympathetic nerve block, I want the nurses to tell me if I LOSE MY HOME HEALTH SERVICES completely if it works; but one thing I want more than anything in this world--

Back to HYDROTHERAPY!!!! 

Pain & Suicide:in CHILDREN--Wrong to begin with, but children?

Ok, now, if you think we're being "melodramatic" I will show you more of us that suffer this RSD/CRPS that is so debilitating, and severely painful, and as I can, I will fear sometimes not that I would hurt myself, but I simply go mad:

When you think of living sixty or seventy years with the agony of CRPS?  I'd consider it too, I hate to say 

These poor kids, just a child, in the "dawn of life" have suffered so very much that they "give up."

Dr. Jan Geravalia, Orange County District 1 Florida Medical Examiner says she can see "When someone gives into pain, and the suffering takes over, no amount of heroics can save them, because whether it's realized by them, their medical team or personal physician, I will see them soon.  And sometimes before they've gotten to have a chance to really live.....

She went on to note that in suicide cases; the ones who use a firearm, whether the pain is in the neck, back, chronic jaw and facial pain, chronic headaches, they aim for where the cause of their pain originates from.  "It's so sad-you can see it in their faces.  And they get younger and younger every year," I believe my swiss-cheese brain remembers her saying in the interview.

My PM DOC'S "BLOG" on HOW TO CALL THE OFFICE & PREPARATION FOR A PROCEDURE....:-/

When you’re sick or in pain or need to see the doc, time is of the essence! Now you may not be able to control the pace of the workers at the doctor’s office, but there is plenty of ways to prepare yourself to ensure that you’ll get what you need as soon as possible (continue reading for info specifically regarding Pain Consultants of Washington).

Prepare Yourself!You shouldn’t think of touching that phone without being properly equipped!

1. Pen and paper.
   Why? Perhaps over the phone you’ll be told about a drug, procedure or another doctor’s office worth researching. You just never know when it will become essential and its a great relief to have it before your call rather than rummaging around in panic looking for a pen that actually works and then trying to find something to write on–save yourself the stress.
2. Calendar/Schedule/Planner/etc.Especially when calling to make an appointment, you should get whatever mechanism you use to plan dates and appointments–whether it be your iPhone, Hello Kitty calendar, or your jumbo OfficeMax desk calendar. If you’re using an electronic calendar, make sure to set an alarm/reminder for at least a day before your appointment.
3. Know Your Stuff.If you’re calling a new doctor’s office, there will be a few things that you will probably be asked. Make sure you know the name of the provider (doctor, nurse practitioner, etc.) that referred you to the doctor’s office your calling, your reason for being seen, and your insurance type. It couldn’t hurt to have these three things already written down on that piece of paper in front of you before calling 

Every doctor’s office varies to some degree in what they require for things like scheduling, first appointments, payment methods, and the like. There are a few important things to know about 

• When you call to schedule an appointment, you should call 1-(XXX)-899-XXXX option 2 to reach a scheduler. You will then be asked if you are a new patient or a returning patient. If you are a new patient, we will ask you for the name of the provider that referred you, your reason for being seen, and for your insurance type. We’re dedicated to getting your pain taken care of as soon as physically possible! Our patients are our priority. We believe that people matter and that the elimination of pain makes a difference–we don’t take our job lightly!
• We are an interventional pain management clinic–what that means is we don’t believe in a ‘one-size-fits-all’ kind of treatment. Every person’s pain is unique and may require a different kind of treatment. That is why, with the help of our experienced team of providers, we offer an array of different treatments to help eliminate your pain. We will work together with you to discover the root of your pain and formulate a pain to eliminate it the best we can.
• That being said, your initial consult will last 1-2 hours. The majority of that time will be with one of the nurse practitioners who will thoroughly analyze and investigate the root cause of your pain.
• Paperwork will need to be completed prior to the appointment.  This paperwork can be downloaded or can be mailed to you. Please bring in completed.
• Along with your paperwork, make sure to bring any imaging you have (MRI’s, etc.), insurance card(s), and your photo ID.

FIRST APPOINTMENT

Where are you located/how do I get to your office?
We are located at 12345 444st Way NE SXXXXX, WA, just north of General Hospital in suite D.  

What do I need for my first appointment?
You will need to complete and bring with you the paperwork you received from Pain Consultants of Washington (either via mail or through download at the bottom of this page as well as your driver’s license, insurance card and any pertinent films.  The staff at the Pain Consultants of Washington will have already obtained your previous physicians notes.

What can I expect at my first appointment?  
Your first appointment at the Pain Consultants of Washington is a consultation.  You will see one of our experienced and highly-trained advanced registered nurse practitioners for the majority of the appointment.  They will review your history, perform an exam, review your films and will then consult with Dr. Nelson about what steps are appropriate for you to take.  Together with the nurse practitioner you will then decide what next steps to take. 

How long will my first appointment take?
The length of your first appointment will depend upon the complexity of your case.  Typically patients spend anywhere from one to two hours at their first appointment. We advise all of our new patients to allot two hours for their initial appointment. 

Can I have an injection on the same day as my consult?
A patient’s first appointment is meant solely as a consult and does not typically involve an injection.  However, should the circumstances call for it and there is room on the schedule this is a possibility.

Will you prescribe pain medications for me?  
We are primarily an interventional pain clinic and, while we do sometimes utilize medications in conjunction with injections as a way of controlling pain, we do not typically prescribe medication as a sole means of treatment.  However, we look at everyone’s case individually.  We can address your questions at the time of your first visit.

Why do I see a nurse practitioner?  
Nurse practitioners are nurses with clinical expertise and carry a master’s degree in nursing.  At our clinic, all providers work as a team and under the direction of Dr. Nelson.  Our goal is to provide you with excellent care in a timely fashion.

CHECKING IN

Why am I asked to fill out paperwork at every visit?
The providers at the Pain Consultants of Washington ask that you make them aware, via questionnaires, how you’re feeling at every visit so that they can better assess your progress and treatment.  For injections, you will also be asked to read and sign a consent form and agreement that you will not operate a motor vehicle (if you are receiving conscious sedation).  Filling out this paperwork is an important part of your visit with our providers.

Will there be a significant wait time?
The Pain Consultants of Washington is constantly at work to improve our systems to better serve you, our patient.  However, at times delays are unavoidable.  The staff at the Pain Consultants of Washington will do our absolute best to keep our patients informed of any delay they can expect in the start of their appointment time.

I am having a SYMPATHETIC NERVE BLOCK IN  

2 DAYS, 16 HOURS AND ABOUT 4 MINUTES; BUT WHO'S COUNTING?

INJECTIONS/PROCEDURES

What are the effects of conscious sedation?

The effects of IV sedation can be felt for up to 24 hours and include:  loss of memory, drowsiness, reduced motor control and impaired judgment.

Do I have to bring a driver with me to my appointment?
For patients planning on getting conscious sedation, it is very important that you bring a driver with you to your appointment.  Receiving conscious sedation will leave a patient unable and illegal to operate a motor vehicle.  While you may have your driver pick you up after your appointment, we ask that they also check in with you to sign our driver verification form

Can I eat or drink anything before an injection? 
For patients planning on having conscious sedation, you MAY NOT eat or drink anything within four hours of your scheduled appointment.  This is required to lessen the possibility of aspiration during your procedure.

What should I do with my post-procedure diary?
Some injections are diagnostic in nature.  This means that Dr. Nelson is using the injection to determine exactly what nerves are causing your pain.  The  post-procedure diary is designed to help patients monitor the effectiveness of the injection which will tell Dr. Nelson if he’s located the correct nerves. 

How much will my out-of-pocket be for this injection and how much do you charge for an injection? 
Variations in insurance contracts make the answer different for every procedure and patient.  Patients may contact our billing office at 425.899.6030, option 4 where they can receive CPT codes for their upcoming procedures.  Patients will then need to contact their insurance companies to learn what their out-of-pocket expenses will be. 

Didn't find the answer to your question? Many important questions may be answered on our blog.

HMMMM, THIS WAS ON YOUR BLOG!!!!!   www.painconsultantswa.com/blog/

THE FLAMES CONTINUE: THANKS TO THE ARNP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone smack her!!!

My leg continues to feel like it's been tourched--mostly on the upper.

The color change is only slight; but the fire intensity is not--I want to scream, dammit.  I gotta do something.  I am going crazy!!!  I feel like I am fucking on fucking fire!

Whooo, catch this-I probably shouldn't record but they record my phonecals whether I like it or not, do they not?????

THE FINALLY HEALING HEEL

Groan Out Loud..

 If you want to know if this  HURT????

Ya betcher ass it did!!!!

And the nurse is on her way over..............

ta fucking do it again.  Gimme my nerve block 1st dammit!!!

IS IT MANHANDLED OR HANDLED WITH A CATTLE PROD--OR BOTH???

SWOLLEN KNEES

 

And I am supposed to be having a perfect day?  After this examination--see the back of my foot?  Five minutes before the camera went on, the (quite heavy, at least from my view; accidentally slammed into this foot, covered only by a guaze dressing, my flannel slipper, and a light layer of canvas of the cast boot, worn to keep the bottom of my foot dry--more of a security to hold the sole on.....).  This is  my "RSD LEG/FOOT"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAn39s9EoTo

 

`ON FIRE!!!!!  ONLY  ONE I CAN SEE.....

 RSD LEG (right, duh; feels like fire and ice at the sane time)

ALWAYS ON THE DAMN WEEKEND AND AFTER HOURS

I still can't wrap my brain around looking "relatively normal and so no one believes you!!!!                                                         

THE HEALING HEEL!

I'm in pain; I want to go to bed and sleep now.  

Right-sleep. Dream is more like it.  The sort where actually dream!!!

Known generally as REM!

God, do I miss it!!!!

Today:

Gross, huh?

PCW Blog (Coz I am lazy 2day and bored) 10 ways to save your back!

Back injuries stand as our nation’s number one workplace safety problem. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 195,150 reported cases involving back injuries in 2009. You only get one back and it is imperative that everyone is informed about basic things you can do to keep your back healthy.

1. Posture

Your mom was right. The way you carry yourself has an effect on your health. Good posture may not be exactly what you think it is. To learn more about maintaining good posture, visit this great resource:
http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Posture

2. Smart Lifting

Even lifting something that doesn’t seem too heavy, when lifted improperly, can create an enormous amount of strain on your back. There is a proper way to lift bigger objects. You should however avoid picking up things that are over 30 pounds. They key in smart lifting is keeping the back straight–let your legs do most of the work. Both of your legs serve as strong support systems for your back. Do not bend down with your knees straight over your waist! The tension caused here on your back is horrible.

You should rather bend down with your knees and hips while keeping your back straight. If this method of picking up things is new to you, it may seem a little weird or awkward at first, keep practicing! Maybe you can even make a dance out of it.* **

3. Good Eats

You’ll see magazines all over with titles like, “10 Foods  For A Healthy [body part]“. More often than not, you’ll find people more consciences about their heart, brain, liver, kidneys, etc. (there’s even an article on “how to keep a healthy appendix.” Not kidding). The spine does seem to get somewhat neglected, but it the spine needs good nutrients just as well as any other part of your body! So what foods make your back happy? Glad you asked. Look for foods containing Vitamins A, B12, C, D, K, Iron, and of course, calcium. For a list of explanations as to what these vitamins and minerals do for your spine and what foods you can find them in, check out this great article here.

4. Stretching

Much of lower back pain is caused by muscle imbalances–that is, one side is developed more than another. This problem can be avoided by stretching and properly exercising your back regularly.

5. Sleep Well

The human body was not designed to run on less than eight hours of sleep. When your body is running on low sleep, that’s more damage done on the main frame of your body. More nights of quality rest means less wear and tear on your spine.

Additionally, it is critical that you get a good, comfortable mattress to sleep on. We spend a lot of our lives sleeping in our beds. A stiff, firm mattress will cause you to wake up with a tense back. Avoid this by getting a bed of good quality that will support the natural curves of your back.

6. Warm Up

Before engaging in activity, get your whole body warmed up–especially your back!

7. Chill Out

Stress affects your muscle tension. When you are unable to manage your stress, your muscles–especially your back muscles–pay the price. Set aside a time for rest, relaxation and restoration. This will improve the overall health of your back.

8. Sit Well

The majority of jobs are sitting jobs. It’s important to have proper support and posture. Find good ergonomic solutions to maintain a healthy spine shape–if you are unable to obtain an ergonomic chair with lumbar support, you can roll up a small towel and use it to maintain the curve of the lower back. Supporting the lower back while sitting will help air flow, alertness and your overall health.

9. Beef Up Them Muscles

Strengthening your leg muscles and abdominal muscles will take more pressure of your back muscles. Everything working together in equilibrium is much healthier than letting one part of the body do all the work. Diversify your muscle building time investments, beef cake.

10. Watch The Weight

We may not recognize the damage that extra weight has on our backs, but if you lug around a 15, 20, 30, or 40 lbs. backpack for a day, you’ll immediately see how extra weight will affect the health of your back!

http://pcwhealthblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/10ways/

Courtesy of the Health Blog of Pain Consultants of Washington.