Here I sit...knee deep in research still in pain!

It has been 18 months since I walked into work and said I needed to stop working as I just couldn't work anymore, the fatigue was too much, the migraines were overwhelming, I was in chronic pain and the my IBS was as usual, a mystery! Since then...I have seen a gastrointestinal doctor and been confirmed I have IBS (duh), had an internist who although he liked me couldn't help me, seen a psychologist who had me on 4 anti-depressants, seen an ENT doctor who feels that I do have some damage from my previous sinus surgery but isn't convince that a new surgery could resolve the pain in my face, I have seen a neurologist, who has confirmed that I have chronic migraines, I then finally (after 16 months) got in to see the rheumatologist and was told that I don't have Lupus, I don't have Fibromyalgia. So here I sit...doing 8 hours a day of research myself, trying to figure out why I have pain daily in my head, feeling so nauseated, dizzy, like I am in a hangover every day, it is a roller coaster feel so that sometimes I am not so bad and then WHAM, I am hit like a MAC truck, wow and the doctors say, this is just normal, I am just normal, this is just a normal feeling, you will just have to be like this for 5-10 years till maybe research figures it out...WHAT, really...seriously...I don't think this is right, I don't think I can do this for 10 years, I don't think Greg can do this for 10 years years, I don't think NO ONE should HAVE to do this for 10 years because THEY can't figure it out! In all my research, they are SO many avenues...which one is the right one to go down, which test do you start with, which vitamin do you take, which food do you stop, which treatment do you start, so many questions and so many decisions and so many things to think and I am overwhelmed and my head is spinning (let alone it is spinning without all the research). I just don't know what to do...seriously, I am really enjoying all the learning, it is for a higher purpose, so that is all good...but I guess I just don't know where to go from here! The vicious cycle is needing to be broken into and slowly changed into the right direction...hopefully I am doing that with now the elimination diet, daily workouts, daily hot tubs, taking a stress management course, researching, reading, praying, praying, praying... All you can do is take one step forward and hopefully that is what I am doing...but I have to say, this can be SO frustrating when the steps you are taking feel like you are going in a backward or at least side-ward motion because so far not seeing a whole lot of process! Kari

WHAT...we have to move!

Well this year has been so interesting with all my health challenges and then the big bomb shell, we have been asked to move! God has a funny way of doing things sometimes and I just have to laugh at His timing and realize that everything works together for good. Our friends purchased a house in November and were wanting us to move in and rent from them till they moved up here in 5 years. Considering my health challenges and Greg's work schedule we just knew we didn't want to throw a move into the mix so we declined the offer...only to find out 2 weeks after they rented the place that our landlords were selling the house and we would have to move by May 1st. WHAT...instant tears to my face! I LOVE this house or more importantly I love the view, I am SO tired all the time that to actually put a move into this was just too overwhelming and I really didn't want to rent again. What were we to do. I contacted a Realtor friend of mine who suggested that we could get a pre-approved mortgage and maybe could afford to buy, really??? So we first went to the banker to see if this was even possible and was pleasantly surprised that this might just work. NOW...to find a house, which was a wee bit of a challenge as there were houses out there but not really where we wanted and or within our price range or not nice at all. After 12 houses, we finally found the one. It is beautiful, has very large garage, LOTS of RV parking, only 5 years old, very nicely decorated inside and it just felt like home. After a number of times back and forth, we got the place! Now we just have to wait 6 weeks to move and have a WHOLE lot of purging, dump runs, packing and cleaning to do before then. GOD IS GOOD INDEED...He knew this house was the perfect one for us!

Face Pain

Well I finally got to see the Super ENT doctor on Feb. 7th...this was such a relief to me because I KNOW that my sinuses are really bad and I need to see him to get things started. I purposely chose not to take drugs before I saw him and as usual I had a headache. He really is a super doctor, very informative, very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Apparently I have 2 problems happening, not only do I have a sinus infection but I had a very aggressive surgery, 16 years ago, and it has cause a lot of scar tissue damage. I am pretty sure that this is what is causing me the pain and will most likely need laser surgery but for now he is giving me a antibiotic nasal rinse to do for 2 weeks and see if that helps. WELL...we are at 2 weeks today and I am sad to say that I haven't noticed a big difference in the pain at all. I still need to take drugs for facial pain, I never had congestion so that really hasn't changed and if it clearly the infection...I have no idea. I guess we will go back and see him in 2 weeks then go from there. Then, of course I just need to have drama, I decided to get my 1st of 2 mercury crowns switched over (I have already had 6 cavities done). I had it done Jan 16th and then had 2 weeks of discomfort but thought that this was because of the temporary being in my mouth, apparently I was wrong. Now that I have the permanent in my mouth, I am still having lots of problems. They say my tooth is fine but that it is the nerves and muscles around my jawline and into my actual Jaw that is causing problems. REALLY...well after 3 weeks now (plus the 2 before hand) I am still in lots of pain and feel that I am living on drugs during the day then at night I add alcohol as I am so stressed with the pain, I can't take it anymore. Seriously, how much more pain can I take...my poor face is just screaming at me on a daily basis. Not sure what to do so we just continue to do the same, drugs, alcohol, ice packs, heat and LOTS of prayer!