I finally got to go out in somewhat of a social setting last night. My cousin and uncle were up visiting from another state and I went to my aunt's house to have dinner with them. It is nice to be able to catch up with what they are up to since I do not get to see them very much. My uncle is getting up there in age and even though he seems to be in pretty good health it is always nice to be able to get his advice on life. I think that even though I am older than a lot of people out there, I can always learn something from someone who is older and wiser! I would like to think that I am continuing to grow as a person.
I felt pretty good as far as pain for awhile and then my left knee started hurting and after a couple of hours my hips were hurting and then my back started hurting. I guess the pain medication started wearing off. Oh well, that's just part of the daily routine.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Trip to the Doctor's.....
I went to the dermatologist on Monday and my family doctor on Tuesday. The dermatologist removed a mole from behind my left ear because she felt it looked a little funny. My family doctor ended up changing some of my medication and I also needed some paperwork filled out. I hate asking doctor's to fill out paperwork since they already have so much from the insurance companies, but, I guess sometimes it can't be helped. I also went and had some blood work done on Tuesday afternoon. They checked my liver function, cholesterol level, sugar and kidney function. I received a phone call from the doctor's office early Wednesday morning and everything came back normal except for my cholesterol level. I already knew that my cholesterol level would be high since I have had a problem with cholesterol since my early 20's. I guess heredity plays a bigger part than I had ever expected in my health. I am going to see a specialist on September 30th just for this problem. I think that this doctor just specializes in treating people who have high cholesterol who don't really respond to other forms of treatment.
I went to my cousin's wife birthday party on Wednesday. She is not much into parties, but, I enjoyed just getting out and socializing a little bit. The weather here is great and it was nice to get out and enjoy it. I am definitely not looking to the winter. I love snow, but, could do without the really cold weather. Ever since I have had this disease it is miserable when it gets cold. Every part of my body aches. I am looking forward to the day when I am back in charge of my life instead of having this disease control every part of my life for the last several years. My advice to anyone who has this disease is to stay as active as much as possible and to live life to the fullest. It is hard to do that sometimes when the pain is unbearable, but, if you can please do it! Also if you are in pain and are not getting relief from a certain pain med then tell your doctor and insist they give you something to control your pain. If they refuse to do that then go seek out a doctor who specializes in treating chronic pain. It is your life and you need to live it as free from pain as possible.......
I went to my cousin's wife birthday party on Wednesday. She is not much into parties, but, I enjoyed just getting out and socializing a little bit. The weather here is great and it was nice to get out and enjoy it. I am definitely not looking to the winter. I love snow, but, could do without the really cold weather. Ever since I have had this disease it is miserable when it gets cold. Every part of my body aches. I am looking forward to the day when I am back in charge of my life instead of having this disease control every part of my life for the last several years. My advice to anyone who has this disease is to stay as active as much as possible and to live life to the fullest. It is hard to do that sometimes when the pain is unbearable, but, if you can please do it! Also if you are in pain and are not getting relief from a certain pain med then tell your doctor and insist they give you something to control your pain. If they refuse to do that then go seek out a doctor who specializes in treating chronic pain. It is your life and you need to live it as free from pain as possible.......
Sunday, September 19, 2004
Another day, same old me!
Well here it is a beautiful Sunday and I am sitting here watching some football on television and I am trying to focus on the things that I can do to make myself healthier and not concentrate on the things that I can't do. That is pretty hard though. I was asleep foe like 12 hours last night. That is pretty strange since I am not on morphine at this time. I guess being on so many medications finally catches up with you. Also I think your body says it needs more sleep than at other times! I also am trying to get my sleep pattern straight, since I use to work the night shift before I contracted this disease I can't seem to be able to sleep at nights. I feel so much better if I go to sleep at night and wake up at 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning. It makes me feel somewhat normal.
I have a cat and she is so bored she is asleep on my bed as I am sitting here writing this. Sometimes I think that she is my only friend! I guess it is easy to feel that way when you don't have a social life and you are pretty much confined to bed. I advise anyone who suffers with this disease to try and stay involved with your family and friends as much as possible. I have tried to do that, but, unfortunately it hasn't worked out that way I had hoped. I am going to the dermatologist tomorrow and to my family doctor on Tuesday. Then it is off to the new pain doctor on the 29th and to the doctor who specializes in treating high cholesterol on the 30th. Oh, I also have to have blood work done tomorrow also. I have to fast for 14 hours before I go and that makes it kinda tough. But, another day and another step closer to reaching the end of my nightmare! At least I hope........
I have a cat and she is so bored she is asleep on my bed as I am sitting here writing this. Sometimes I think that she is my only friend! I guess it is easy to feel that way when you don't have a social life and you are pretty much confined to bed. I advise anyone who suffers with this disease to try and stay involved with your family and friends as much as possible. I have tried to do that, but, unfortunately it hasn't worked out that way I had hoped. I am going to the dermatologist tomorrow and to my family doctor on Tuesday. Then it is off to the new pain doctor on the 29th and to the doctor who specializes in treating high cholesterol on the 30th. Oh, I also have to have blood work done tomorrow also. I have to fast for 14 hours before I go and that makes it kinda tough. But, another day and another step closer to reaching the end of my nightmare! At least I hope........
Friday, September 17, 2004
Cheer arrives in the mail!
I got good news today. I went and got my mail and I had a friendly letter from the I.R.S. waiting for me. They say that I owe $794.00 from my tax returns from the tax year 2002. I had to liquidate my 401 K and when I filled out my taxes I filled out the proper form stating that I was disabled and that should have excempted me from the early withdrawl penatly. Federal taxes already had been withheld before I received the money. But, I guess old Uncle Sam doesn't agree with me on that one. I have until October 13th to reply and tell them that I disagree with them and send in the corresponding proof or I am in big trouble. I really don't know what they could do to me since I am as about as poor as you can get. But, I always try to stay off the radar and hopefully will get this straightened out as soon as possible!
I went and filled out my paperwork at the pain doctor and I have my appointment set up for September 29th. I also had to stop by the family doctor's office to have them fax the referral form over to the pain doctor's office which they were suppose to do 3 weeks ago. My family doctor has tried to help me out by prescribing Vicodin for the pain, but, my disease has progressed past the Vicodin stage. I was taking Morphine and Methadone just a few months ago before i stopped going to the previous pain doctor and Vicodin is quite a step down from those drugs. But she was trying and some pain medication is better than none. I don't like to take Vicodin anyway because it makes me nauseated and you should eat something when you take it. I just don't eat that much. Most days I only eat 1 time a day and it is hard to force yourself to eat when you are not hungry!
I went and filled out my paperwork at the pain doctor and I have my appointment set up for September 29th. I also had to stop by the family doctor's office to have them fax the referral form over to the pain doctor's office which they were suppose to do 3 weeks ago. My family doctor has tried to help me out by prescribing Vicodin for the pain, but, my disease has progressed past the Vicodin stage. I was taking Morphine and Methadone just a few months ago before i stopped going to the previous pain doctor and Vicodin is quite a step down from those drugs. But she was trying and some pain medication is better than none. I don't like to take Vicodin anyway because it makes me nauseated and you should eat something when you take it. I just don't eat that much. Most days I only eat 1 time a day and it is hard to force yourself to eat when you are not hungry!
New Title for my Blog
If anyone who has beem reading this blog probaly has noticed that I have recently changed the title for this blog. I did this even though osteonecrosis and avascular necrosis are the same disease it is probaly more commonly known as avascular necrosis. I thought that it might help more people find it if they are searching for information on the disease as my main goal for the blog is to educate and hopefully help the thousands of other's out there who are living with the pain and destruction caused by this horrible disease!
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Off to the Pain Doctor
Well I am off to another pain doctor. I have to go and fill out the initial paperwork. You know where they do the F.B.I. background check on you! I was orginally going to a pain doctor before and they had me on morphine and methadone. Which I guess was good for the pain, but, bad for everything else. I slept for 20 hours a day or more and the medication had some very unwanted side effects like constipation!!! (gross....I know)
But, you have to take the good with the bad and deal with it. I decided not to go back to that doctor after the office staff was very rude and treated all of the patients like children. I mean I am going to be a senior citizen in like 2030 and do not deserve to be treated like I am in pre-school. The only thing they didn't do was pin instructions on my shirt for my mother. And I am surprised they didn't do that!
Anyway, I hope to have much better luck with the new doctor. My family doctor has been prescribing pain medication for me in the meantime and you know how they are about pain meds... they freak out that the DEA is going to be knocking down their door at anytime. And you can't blame them. The DEA needs to get their act together and realize that people with chronic physical problems have to have there pain issues addressed. There is to much suffering going on needlessly and hopefully one day they will wake up and get with the program.
I also received good news from the Social Security office concerning the review of my case before the judge. Apparently they have organized all of my paperwork and sent a letter to my attorney asking if there is any more evidence from my doctor's that need to be sent in. I called my attorney and she said this is common and that I should be receiving my court date sometime in the near future. So I am praying that everything goes well and I win my case against the bloated and uncaring goverment!
I just want to say that my family doctor is the best......She is very caring and understanding. It is the federal goverment that has a problem and not the doctor's! We have a very good patient and doctor relationship based on what I feel is mutual trust. Which is the most important part of any relationship that has so much at stake!
But, you have to take the good with the bad and deal with it. I decided not to go back to that doctor after the office staff was very rude and treated all of the patients like children. I mean I am going to be a senior citizen in like 2030 and do not deserve to be treated like I am in pre-school. The only thing they didn't do was pin instructions on my shirt for my mother. And I am surprised they didn't do that!
Anyway, I hope to have much better luck with the new doctor. My family doctor has been prescribing pain medication for me in the meantime and you know how they are about pain meds... they freak out that the DEA is going to be knocking down their door at anytime. And you can't blame them. The DEA needs to get their act together and realize that people with chronic physical problems have to have there pain issues addressed. There is to much suffering going on needlessly and hopefully one day they will wake up and get with the program.
I also received good news from the Social Security office concerning the review of my case before the judge. Apparently they have organized all of my paperwork and sent a letter to my attorney asking if there is any more evidence from my doctor's that need to be sent in. I called my attorney and she said this is common and that I should be receiving my court date sometime in the near future. So I am praying that everything goes well and I win my case against the bloated and uncaring goverment!
I just want to say that my family doctor is the best......She is very caring and understanding. It is the federal goverment that has a problem and not the doctor's! We have a very good patient and doctor relationship based on what I feel is mutual trust. Which is the most important part of any relationship that has so much at stake!
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
A new day
It's the start of a new day and here I am stuck in the same old same old! My life is pretty much filled with laying in bed for 231/2 hours a day and taking pain medication to handle the pain associated with this disease. I also have about 14 other prescription medications that I take. I know that it seems like a lot and it is. But, you have to do what you have to do..... I take medication for pain, depression, nausea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, because my stomach hurts, because I hurt. You get the point! I think the worst thing is I can't even do a whole lot of exercising since it just causes me to hurt even more. That pretty much sucks. I am trying to keep a positive attitude and I tell myself that I have to deal with what life brings me. Some times it is really hard to stay positive, but, what other choice do I have. Give up? I don't think so! I am just hoping that tomorrow brings me a little closer to this nightmare being over!
Monday, September 13, 2004
Questions?
If anyone has a question about Osteo necrosis I would be more than happy to answer them. I think that since there is a lot of recycled information on the internet it is hard to be able to get answers some time. And the reason that I am doing this blog anyway is to provide other's with the condition with maybe a little more information than they had before! So, please do not hesitate to e-mail me your questions. My e-mail address is rognisea@gmail.com
Back Again!
It has been awhile since I posted on this blog and I decided to update those of you who might be reading it. I recently went to my orthopedic surgeon who did the core decompressions on both of my hips. It had been a little over a year since I had seen him and I went having made up my mind to have my hips replaced. I know that it is a huge decision to make, but, I have had enough of the pain and since I am still fighting for Social Security disability I thought that I had better get on with my life.
Well I insisted that he take an x-ray of my hips to make sure that there wasn't healing going on, and surprise he said that they looked better than they did before. Although he did not have my previous x-ray's or MRI he thought that we should wait. I admit they don't hurt as bad in warm weather,but, cold weather is a killer. I think I have some arthritis that has set in and the cold makes parts of my body ache that had never ached before. I told him this winter will be the real test. Hey, I am in my 30's and I want to lead as normal a life as possible. But to everyone out there that shares this affliction with me you know that is virtually impossible especially in the later stages of the disease!
I am still waiting to receive a court date for my disability case and am barely making ends meet. I don't know how the goverment expects people to be able to live with no income. I think it's very sad that the goverment gives so many benefits to illegal aliens and so few benefits to American's who had paid their share of taxes. It just doesn't make any sense what so ever. I paid into the system and now when I am down and out it is like pulling teeth to receive the benefits you have earned. Is this a great country or what?
Well I insisted that he take an x-ray of my hips to make sure that there wasn't healing going on, and surprise he said that they looked better than they did before. Although he did not have my previous x-ray's or MRI he thought that we should wait. I admit they don't hurt as bad in warm weather,but, cold weather is a killer. I think I have some arthritis that has set in and the cold makes parts of my body ache that had never ached before. I told him this winter will be the real test. Hey, I am in my 30's and I want to lead as normal a life as possible. But to everyone out there that shares this affliction with me you know that is virtually impossible especially in the later stages of the disease!
I am still waiting to receive a court date for my disability case and am barely making ends meet. I don't know how the goverment expects people to be able to live with no income. I think it's very sad that the goverment gives so many benefits to illegal aliens and so few benefits to American's who had paid their share of taxes. It just doesn't make any sense what so ever. I paid into the system and now when I am down and out it is like pulling teeth to receive the benefits you have earned. Is this a great country or what?
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