Healing is a Bumpy Road... Part 2

When I began this blog as part of the April A-Z Challenge (see April 1), I was looking back on nearly four years of severe chronic pain. In January, my physical therapist and my pain management doctor agreed on a place to inject cortisone, and the results were magnificent. My pain level went from 7-8 (out of 10, see Pain Scale, right) to 0-2. It was awesome to be essentially out of pain!

In mid-April, I began to have severe pain in a new place (see April 18, "Oh no!"). After 3 weeks of investigating everything below the bellybutton (not a fun investigation), we began to treat this new pain as "referred back pain." The treatments began to work. However, just as I was breathing a sigh of relief, my back pain returned, as bad as ever. So, I've slipped back into the severe, chronic pain that I've experienced since May of 2007. UGH!

This time around, though, I remember what it was like to feel good. I know that it's possible for my pain to abate. I look forward to that time coming again. In the meantime, I'm doing everything I can think of to recreate the painrelief from January. Injection last week, and another scheduled for next week. Physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage (one of the perks of pain) on a regular basis. Eating well (I actually started South Beach last week), and sleeping well.

I'm hoping to have another breakthrough in July (or before, please). I'm trying to be "cautiously optimistic" without being unrealistic. Savvy but not crabby. Hopeful but not crazy. We'll see...