Where have I been and how am I now???

The first bit was written probably around July-ish and the rest in red is present day.

THE PAIN Pain started about the middle of May. Pain is 24/7 with bouts of intense pain that last for 30 minutes to an hour. The pain has increased as time has gone on. Usually pain is 7-8 out of 10 and the severe bouts are a 11!!! Pain whether it's a 1 or a 12 is always there, no matter what I have taken.

The pain is a constant steady cramping accompioned by sometimes sharp, intense pain. Possibly inflamed. The pain is in my abdomen. The lower intestines tend to hurt the worst. When the pain localizes its in the lower left side (the pain there hurts the very worst). BUT it does localized in the under left breast, under right breast and lower right side. Feels like my intestines are the source of the pain. At times it feels like serious Menstrual pain but I know that can't be due to the full hysterectomy, its usually accompanied by 24/7 Nausea as well. Back pain started in August. The back pain start from the lower front on both side and radiates towards the back to meet in the middle but never quite meets in the middle. It is not just a lower back pain.

MY QUALITY of LIFE My day to day life is non-existent! I get up get ready for work, take Taylor to School (one street over) then 2 blocks over the bypass and another block I am at work, I am the Administrative Assistant for Christ United Methodist Church & their Pastor Mark Carrigan. I work 4 hours, return home at noon and lay down and wait til it is time to pick Taylor up. If the pain is so severe or i haven't slept the night before due to the pain I ask my father to go get Tay for me (he has to come across town, it hurts so bad I can't just jump in a vehicle and drive one block over to get her), I am in PJs by 3 pm. I do not go out unless it is to a Doctor's appointment. On the weekends I stay in bed as late as I can tolerate it and I have missed more Sundays at Church than I can count. I do stay in PJs though the entie weekend.

I would ask to be put on medical leave right now because the pain is so intense but I feel I need a diagnosis before I do that. I try to be at work every day, sometimes I have to go home early due to the pain but i do try to be there. They need me.

HOW AM I NOW After a colonoscopy, cat-scan, Hyda Scan, bladder test, blood werk, and multiple doctor visits with my PCP, OB/GYN, Gastroenterologist I finally had to stop and go see my chiropractor. My back pain had gotten so bad that I had to have something done for it before I was to be sent to a neurologist next for the "Mysterious Pain" and lo and behold after several visits with Leland my pain was now manageable with a low does pain pill & nausea meds. Apparently, I had several vertebrae "out of whack" and they were pinching SEVERAL nerves that were going down to my lower abdomen was and apparently sending all this info to my brain saying "Hey, your intestines hurt!!!" Which was false. So after all those tests, all those visits, all those months and needless to say all that money spent it was my back!!!

I will probably always have to go to the chiropractor every week. I was in a very terrible and serious car wreck back in 1995 where it actually curved my spine and I broke a steel and wooden steering wheel with my face. I suffered some brain damage and to this day I can not do math, that is gone, I'm not even good with a calculator...lol.

I've just started to get out of the house. I was able to go to the Christmas Parade and see Tay in the parade and I escorted my husband to his annual Christmas party for work. I'm still in my PJs by 3pm and weekend are still a time where I rest A LOT. But I feel myself living again. I'm not blogged down with intense pain anymore.

I also started Nutri-System in mid-June and have lost 65lbs and that has helped me feel better about myself, inside and out. So hopefully as I get things straightened out, I'll be out and about more and more.

I joke now to my friends about "Rennie sightings" and "Who has seen Rennie this week?" It's nice to get a life back again. I like living among the living. I'm no longer bound to the bed. My house, yeah probably, but I can get about now. Slowly taking it day by day.

My number one goal is to get back to church and I am going to hit it head on. I miss my church family tremendously. Although it has grown so much since I have been there and I know I won't know many people but there are those who I cherish with all my heart. So here's to my health and may you have a "Rennie Sighting" soon.