Moscow journey February 26, 2015

   Well, I'm obviously not very good at blogging since I'm confident I posted in January and once in February and cannot find either post.  That means I need to catch up on what has happened since December.  After being told I have a recent fracture in my pelvic bone and that I could not go to physical therapy, I was given permission to start physical therapy in the third week of January.  I feel I've made progress since I started therapy with Dawn and Marjorie.  I am still having problems with spasticity in my left leg which affects my agility and flexibility.  Dawn suggests that I have a Botox injection in my left hip to reduce the tone in my leg.
    I am pretty mobile around the house and have resumed some cooking and clothes-washing but am not able to get out of the house by myself.  John has constructed a temporary ramp with which he helps me get outside on my rollator.  My immediate goal is to regain independence and be able to get outside by myself, put my rollator into the car, drive to a store or someone's house, get the rollator out of the car, and walk into a store or house alone.  That sounds so simple, and I was doing all of that before we left for Russia in June.  I was regaining those skills but my fall in November threw me back into the ditch.  I am attempting to get back to the place where I was in October physically.
    I can see Dawn's skepticism when I told her about HSCT, and I told her today that I will print out some info from George Goss, the knowledgeable man who has spread the word about this procedure, to convince her that HSCT is a proven process.  She stated that she isn't convinced that it has been effective for me.  I told her that the effectiveness doesn't fully manifest itself until 8-12 months after HSCT.  She then indicated that I should work hard at my exercises to use this window of opportunity to its best advantage.  I agree with her on that issue and need to get busy!

Moscow Journey-December 11, 2014

    I continue to use the wheelchair (lent to us by a close friend) and I walk with my back bent like a 95 year old.  On the bright side:  I've lost 24 pounds since I weighed in the second day in Russia.  For how many years have I fought to lose weight?  Of course, when I weighed 123  pounds in high school, I thought I was fat!  In any case, I now weigh what I weighed four years ago when M.S. Came back into my life.  I can't enjoy the fact that I've lost weight because I'm so inactive that nothing is toned.  I just live on the belief that I will heal, begin to walk normally again, and my fractures will heal.  Here's where my faith in God comes into play.

Moscow Journey- December 2, 2014

     I saw the orthopedist today, and the pelvic fracture is"healing nicely".  He saw no signs of another fracture, so I guess all my pain, whining, and complaints are in vain.  I told him about having difficulty straightening my left leg and problems in walking. The doc explained that using the wheelchair and sitting too much causes the problems I'm having with my left leg, BUT he cautioned about being too enthusiastic about walking!  Soooooo, I need to walk to keep my leg limber, but I must be careful not to overdo it!  I need to use my level of discomfort to determine how much is too much.  I am grateful to know I have no new fractures.

Moscow Journey- November 26, 2014

It turns out I do have a hip fracture but it's in my left hip and the right hip is the one that is/was hurting. Did you reread that?  The right hip stopped hurting after 2 X-Rays, 2 MRIs, and 4 doctor's appointments.  I was told that I should sit or recline to let the fracture heal.  I thought, "That's all I do anyway."  Well, one has to move if one is going to live a normal life, so on my way from the wheelchair to the throne, I had a small fall.  Of course, it was on the left hip where I already have one fracture.  By all signs, I might have another fracture.  The hip and upper thigh are swollen and are extremely painful. I called my orthopedist today, and I was told to come to my scheduled appointment on Monday.  As if I would miss it!  I'm praying it is a very tiny fracture because the doc mentioned hip replacement if I had another injury.  I've had my share of hospitals this year!

Moscow Journey-November 15, 2014

      Well, I seem to be the queen of bad luck.  After getting Dr. Fedorenko's recommendation that I have X-RAYS because of my extreme hip pain, I did so and learned I have three fractures in my spine; they did the hip x-RAYS later and don't have those results yet.  I have MRI scheduled Monday morning and apt. with orthopedist Mon. Afternoon.  Looks as if I'm headed to procedure to inject cement(?) in vertebrae to prevent collapsing.  I'm okay with this because in three days I've gone from walking with rollator to being unable to lift right foot off floor due to excruciating pain in lower back; therefore, John is pushing me everywhere as I sit on the seat in rollator. I need to find a wheelchair for temporary use until I have this procedure. Praying I'll be able to walk again after the procedure is done.  Your prayers are appreciated.

Moscow Journey-November 13, 2014

     Well, after being positive in my last post, I'm back to whining again.  Terrible pain in both hips to the extent I've declined attendance at several events I really wanted to attend because It hurts so badly to walk, even with the rollator. At this point I'm not ready to say I regret having HSCT, but I'm really ready for some positive results.

Moscow Journey-November 3, 2014

I just read my post from Oct. 3 which makes me so pleased with the progress I'm making.  I hurt so badly from the hip and back pain I was actually taking Percocet every four hours for the pain.  Well, now I take one Alleve every 24 hours, so my risk of becoming a drug addict is alleviated! The pain I have now (usually back) is a level 2 or 3 as compared to a 10 a month ago.  God's blessing again!  I see the chiropractor and PTA twice a week.  I practiced walking with the cane, and on Thursday I actually walked about 20 feet with my cane in my hand but not touching the floor.  Tonight we went to a Sunday School dinner and were there for about 3 1/2 hours.  I'm joining the living again!