Many of you have asked me to write an update on my chronic illness journey after starting with my new dr.   I just saw him again on the 17th so I thought I’d post it here in the middle of the month of thankfulness.  I do this partly because I do have things to be thankful for and partly because I’m still struggling, both with chronic illness and being thankful.  As I’ve mentioned before, I often write these posts as much for myself as I do for others.  Things have both gotten better and worse since I shared my video on my 35yr struggle with chronic illness. So here is the good, the bad and the ugly truth about my latest health update.

First a Reader’s Digest Version of my non chronic health updates:

Many of you have asked about my accident and my gallbladder issues this year so….

It’s been over ten months since our car accident in January.  I put this under non chronic health issues, but really this is not something that will ever go away. After months of physical therapy and at home therapy, I am still in pain.  The therapist said that, if it hasn’t gone away by now, it probably won’t.  Some of the time the pain isn’t too bad, but I do get shooting pains in my knuckle and palm of my hand where the knuckle was smashed into.  I also get shooting pains at the base of my middle finger.  I’m still relearning how to type as my middle finger criss crosses over my ring finger–not only looks rather ugly, but it makes for a slow and imprecise typist.  It doesn’t seem to find the E and C key’s very well. I also have considerably less strength in my left hand so I drop things from time to time.  It’s most painful and stiff in the mornings, to a lesser degree at night, but it’s a constant issue that will probably never go away.

I am happy to report the good news that I have healed very well and fairly quickly from my gallbladder surgery.  And equally happy to report that, despite being told that I would have to watch what I eat for the rest of my life, I have had no trouble whatsoever eating anything I like!  The scars are minimal and, though I’ll never be a midriff model, my battle scars make me feel strong.  My short-lived weight loss to 98lbs has been reversed and I’m equally ecstatic that I have not gained all of my former weight back!  I do weigh a bit more than I probably should, but my dh says I look thin and it must be muscle.  That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Chronic health issues:

Recap:

For those who have asked…yes, my new dr has added to my list of chronic issues…because the more the merrier! LOL  So along with my Hashimoto’s Thyroid Disease (which appears to be mostly controlled at this point.  YAY!), I had been previously diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Insomnia, Adrenal Fatigue, Peri Menopause, Reactive Hypoglycemia, and Arthritis.  Is that all?  I think that’s all.  Joining Team JoJo this year is Osteoperosis and Chronic Inflammation.

The Good:
On the whole, I’ve been less tired, needed fewer naps and felt more energy since starting treatment with my new doctor. I still have days when I’m fatigued either from stress from 2014’s life events or too much running around, but they are fewer these days and it seems to take more to get me down. My skin is less blotchy and has a rosy glow. As you can see, <=== I also have a few more days where I can do my hair up nicely.  Seems the humidity is less severe here in NW Indiana in the winter so it’s not an epic battle of the curls, though I could show you pictures that would make YOUR hair curl! 😀

My hot flashes, stories of which had progressed to such a degree as to become the stuff of legend, became both less frequent and less severe last week. They are most troubling now in the mornings and at night.  Apparently, I needed to vary where I apply the bio identical hormone cream or the body gets used to it and it isn’t as effective.  Now he tells me!

The hormone cream and oxytocin together with the melatonin and calming tea and essential oils have me waking up (the final wake up that is) feeling quite calm and peaceful.  I’m less sad, don’t cry at toilet paper commercials and manage to do a bit of exercise.  While I have gained a bit of weight back, my pants are still loose.

The bad:

My headaches are back with a vengeance. In fact, my entire body feels like it’s on fire.  The dr said it was a combination of stress of going through all of the 11 life events of 2014 and the additional chronic inflammation.  He gave me an additional prescription supplement to take that has turmeric in it among other things.  I’m praying this does help because many fibro sufferers report WINTER as being just one long fibro flare and I now live in Siberia Americana better known as NW Indiana.

The dr also told me to start back up on a supplement he had previously prescribed that I had to stop taking to allow my gallbladder to heal.  Frankly, I forgot what it’s for, but I’m looking forward to feeling better in some, as yet, unspecified way. 😀

My insomnia is still pretty bad.  Though I am sleeping more, I’m finding it difficult not only to stay asleep but to GET to sleep now.  The dr gave me a prescription for magnesium to add to my night time sleep regimen.  I’m praying that one day I can report this baby slept all through the night.

The Ugly:

Along with my left hand’s deformed middle finger, I am experiencing some nausea which is quite an ugly thought.  The dr thinks it was all the ibuprofen I was taking so he told me not to take it anymore. The prescription he ordered for the inflammation should take care of the pain naturally.

 What’s next:

As I am writing this, I hope to receive a phone call telling me that my back ordered vitamins (and the magnesium) are finally in. My dr, again, assured me that he would fix me. LOL  I love how caring he is and how much time he takes to understand how I’m feeling.  He always gives me a hug and assures me he can get me feeling well again.  I can hardly believe I was able to find a dr like him after 35 yrs of medical drs who didn’t care, didn’t know or couldn’t do anything.  Not to mention the naturopaths who cared enough to charge by the 15 min interval, said they knew and did nothing.

I’m to see my dr in another two months to follow up, at which time, he may give me a cream that is supposed to tighten up my skin.  Facelift in a bottle?  Sounds good to me!

Thanking God for leading me to my new dr and praying for continuing progress as I’ve yet a long way to go.  What progress have you made this year?  What has helped you?  How has God lead you to that end?  I’d love for you to share your story.