My Wrist Saga

This will be a short update because my wrist is hurting even worse today, which makes it hard to type. I was awake until almost 3 a.m. last night trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. I am one of those people that won't take meds for something unless absolutely necessary. However, I think some Advil may do me good and is worth a try. Perhaps playing Guitar Hero with my sister yesterday was not such a great idea? (Although, I only played 3-4 songs!) On a positive note, I have not yet gotten booed off the stage, and that is while playing with an injury!!! Everyone better watch out when my wrist is better.

Well, anyway, I'm off for more x-rays tomorrow!

*Got the results.......not broken (although I figured that because I was using my hand just fine before the results came in). It was just a bad sprain.

My TMJ

I hate my TMJs (temporomandibular joints). Actually, I hate my left TMJ more than my right...and it definitely hates me.

This hate/hate relationship started when I was in high school. The last day of school during my sophomore year, I woke up not able to open my jaw much past an inch. So basically I went to school that day feeling like a freak. My mom made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because it was soft and easy to chew. But, at the lunch table that day, I didn't feel much like eating. I ripped off little pieces of the sandwich and shoved them through the one-inch opening I could muster. Needless to say, that day sucked.

Since then, I've had bouts of TMJ pain every so often....times of stress or a "certain" time of the month may make it worse. Part of the problem for me is that I have a very small mouth, which my dentist has confirmed on numerous occasions, especially when they can't get the adult-size films to fit in my mouth for routine x-rays (that's always a fun visit). I've learned to cope with it, for the most part, by avoiding too much gum-chewing and by staying away from hard breads and large sandwich rolls.

My dentist fitted me for a night-guard that is supposed to alleviate my jaw-clenching when I sleep, which makes my TMJ pain worse.......oh, yeah, jaw-clenching? Yet another part of the problem. However, I've stopped wearing the night-guard because it was actually making the pain worse and I was waking up feeling as if my jaw was pushed out of alignment; plus there were clicking noises when I'd eat. So, no more night-guard for me.

Although the clicking has stopped, the pain in my left TMJ continues...at times, it feels like a really bad earache. I've been doing some jaw exercises and putting a hot compress on the area to help reduce the spasms causing the pain. Needless to say, I don't think this will ever completely go away for me. I've been reading up on this a lot lately, and other contributing factors weighing against me are that I'm female, I have hormones, and am already prone to neck pain.

Anyone else deal with TMJ pain? Please offer any advice!

Let Me Whine About My Spine

You may remember me talking about the lower back pain I've been having. I posted about it a few times in February; I talked about when it started and the testing I went through. I recently went back to see my Primary Care Physician because I'm still having stabbing pains on the lower left side of my back, as well as weakness and pins & needles in my left foot. So, he referred me to an Orthopaedic Specialist, who I saw today. I brought my MRI scans with me and it turns out I have a herniated disc and mild arthritis in the same area. At least this explains why I haven't been able to do anything overly active for the past 5 months without being in pain!

Isn't it lovely? So, now I am taking a prescription Anti-Inflammatory and will be going to about 4-5 weeks of Physical Therapy with the hope that it will help. Apparently, the disc that is herniated is at the L5-S1 area (L=Lumbar spine, S=Sacrum):


Because I'm so fascinated by this, I took some pictures of my MRI scans to email off to Patrick (my favorite Physician-Assistant-To-Be) and Erin (my sister who just happens to be an Athletic Trainer). Below are a couple of pics...Isn't my spine so cute?? Ha ha!

The arrow is pointing to the protrusion, or the herniated disc:

This is a view of my spinal column from above. In the second
view, I put a question mark, because I'm not sure if this is the
correct scan showing the protrusion (there were so many to
look at!). But, it's cool nonetheless:

Hopefully a Step in the Right Direction

As I've posted previously, I have been having pain in my lower back and down my left leg, I thought maybe due to shoveling snow. However, I'm still not quite sure. I also think it could have happened when I slipped getting out of my grandfather's truck the day after the storm hit. The darn thing is so high up that, having short legs, I couldn't reach the ground...my foot got caught on either the door or the step, I don't know... and I pretty much fell right out of the seat with my foot still caught! Yeah, yeah, I know...I would have laughed at me too.

After seeing my doctor for the second time this past Monday, I had an X-ray on Wednesday and then, yesterday morning, I went for an MRI to try to find out why I am still having this pain. I think that is what is confusing me so much about this...why is it still there?? I've had plenty of muscle pain before...it doesn't feel like that. I was a ballet dancer for six years...I've gone through the nights waking up with a charlie horse in my calf, after dancing for an hour-and-a-half on pointe. This is not the same. I am experiencing weakness in my lower back and left leg that physically stops me from being able to stand or walk for too long. I have pain in the arch of my foot that tingles and tightens up my toes. Even sitting for too long without my feet elevated leaves me sore. My cousin tried to tickle me at breakfast this morning and I wriggled away in pain. This just thoroughly sucks and I can't wait to find out something... anything...just so I know what is causing this and how to fix it. My doctor says he definitely thinks I have a pinched nerve somewhere, but I'm not so sure that explains all the other pains.

Onto the experience of the MRI, though...if you've never had one, it's quite an experience. I am mildly claustrophobic but, decided I would stick it out in the "tube" anyway. They did have an open MRI machine on site, but I didn't see that as necessary unless I really couldn't handle the tube. The radiologist was so very nice and put me at ease. He even gave me headphones so I could listen to my choice of radio station during the testing. Basically, then I had to lie down on a long, stretcher-like table...I was then slid into the tube head-first. That is the freakiest part though--that initial feeling of sliding in...feels like you are sliding into a coffin. The tube around you is only but 6 inches from your face. Once I got in there and took a quick glance at the inside, I shut my eyes and didn't open them again until it was over. During the test I heard extremely loud noises in the tube...buzzing, banging, knocking. If you can get past all of that, it's really not a big deal. Oh, and they do give you an "emergency ball" to squeeze if you need to alert the radiologist for any reason. Keeping my eyes closed was a huge help because I just focused on what I was listening to and didn't think about being closed in...and before I knew it, the 25 minutes was over and I was done. If I ever had to have another one, I definitely wouldn't be as apprehensive. This week, I'll be getting my X-ray and MRI results back, so I'll keep ya posted.

UnHappy Valentine's Day to Me

Not only is it Valentine's Day (which already sucks when you don't have a valentine) but I have to spend it in pain, and virtually immobile. Somehow, this does not seem fair. Unfortunately, I now have a pinched nerve in my back which is causing this pain. I've never had it as severe as this...I've had back problems for quite some time now, due to being in unfortunate car accidents, but this is something very different. Usually, I just experience bad aching in my lower back, which I've learned to manage after going to physical therapy. This, however, is actually a sharp pain that stretches from my lower back down into the back of my left leg. I am worried that it could be my sciatic nerve, because it's stopping me from moving certain ways and makes me feel as though my legs will give out when I stand.

I really didn't feel anything until Sunday night when the shoveling was done. Honestly, I don't think it was the shoveling that did it, though. I think it was from trying to pull the snowblower up our driveway, or from lifting something the wrong way. I can't really be sure. It wasn't the kind of thing where I was doing something and all of a sudden, I couldn't move. It was just something that came on after heading inside for the night.

After speaking with my sister, who is an Athletic Trainer, she advised me to keep putting ice on it, to not lift anything, and to sit and sleep with a pillow or two under my knees. She also wants me to do some light stretching. I'm kinda surprised that this is happening to me now. I would have expected something like this after I was injured in an accident a few years back...but not now when I've been exercising 5 days a week and keeping up with exercises from PT specifically for my lower back. I just don't get it. I'll most likely be going to the doctor if this doesn't get better soon.

Well, anyway, enough complaining for me. I am going to go find myself some chocolate and peanut butter and try to find something on TV that has nothing to do with V-day.

Oh yeah, here are some pictures from our recent party at Tom & Jon's place. Enjoy!
[site closed - pictures removed]