Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!olivea!oliveb!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000!Frank.Whitney From: Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Whitney) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Doctors visit Message-ID: <15452@bunker.UUCP> Date: 6 Nov 90 04:12:15 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org Distribution: misc Organization: FidoNet node 1:261/1000 - Nerve Center, Pikesville MD Lines: 94 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 11548 [This is from the Spinal Injury Conference] > WELL, we went back to see the doctor again yesterday am and I ASKED >Dr. Lowell just WHAT was he injecting - I put it in such a way that he >couldn't NOT answer me . He told me that he was injecting Buddy's >back with a non- steroid Cortizone (whatever that means). Dr. Lowell was >much kinder this time 'round (actually even smiling a little) and was a bit >more communicative (wonder if the letter from our attorney had anything to >do with that ). I'd ask to see what he is being given in the physicians desk reference better known as the PDR. I've never heard of a non-steroid Cortisone. Also you might want to check out the long term effects of using this drug. It sounds like his doctor is going to keep him on this medication for quite a while. You might have to judge whether the benefits outweigh the negative side effects of the drug. After all the Cortisone does not cure the problem it only hides it. The letter from the attorney could also have been a factor in his treatment this last time. > Anyway, I'm now wondering why Dr. Lowell is injecting Buddy's lower >back with the Cortizone when his problems are C4.C5,C6 area - Buddy's >complaint is lower back now and leg pains (but our other doctor in Miami >says all this discomfort is caused from his neck injury). Dr. Lowell says >the injections will help him walk better and ease the pain - it DOES work >(for about 2 weeks), then it's right back to the old pain, stiffness and >unstable condition again. Has anyone else expierenced this ?? > > Buddy will never walk correctly again - he will never be free of pain >- he will never NOT have the muscle spazms .... I'm just wondering if all >the doctor visits, injections and hassle are even worth it when he HATES to >go see the doctor anyway .... It seems so useless (and I fell helpless to >help him). My wife feels the same way about her neurologist. She has MS and he keeps telling her that there's nothing that can be done to help her. It's really frustrating for us to see all of the research monies going into other diseases and the treatment for MS is basically the same as it was 40 years ago. MS generally hits someone in the prime of their life and it doesn't kill or infect others such as the AIDS virus so there's no real push for money or the sympathy that some of the other diseases get. > I guess maybe I sound a little down this morning .... I WANT to help >him, I WANT to make him feel better and I just don't know how. It breaks my >heart to see him suffering. And he works SO hard to keep moving around (I >guess that's the heart breaker). This is my BEST friend, my confidant, my >lover, my better half I'm seeing suffer and it really hurts me to see him >this way when I can't do anything about it. (See, I can say all these Boy can I relate to that. My wife has MS and it's very troubling to have to watch someone that you care for continue to get worse and know that it's never going to get better. Jeanne tries so hard to do things and sometimes it just doesn't work or she would have been better off not even trying because of the frustration and mistakes that she makes. The big thing is that she knows that I love her and accept her as she is. Sometimes the only thing that you can do is to just be there and help console them when they get down. I'll never forget seeing a show where they were showing a person with MS skiing down a slope. They were saying all of the things that this person was able to do but they neglected to show him start or finish his skiing. When I see something like this I'm very observant what they didn't say was that he maintained his crouch position by having his legs strapped to a bent bar under his legs. This really pissed me off because my wife didn't see the bar and was thinking that she wasn't trying hard enough. When I explained to her how he was able to ski she felt much better about herself. It just made me angry to think that their were an awful lot of people that didn't see that bar and how did they feel about themselves. >things to you all - you understand ..... I just put on a 'happy face' to him >and pretend that all is OK - I certainly don't want to upset HIM!!). I'm really concerned about your having to always put on a happy face so that you don't upset Buddy. This is a tremendous emotional strain believe me I know of what I speak. For years I've not said anything and it's really a strain. I think that sometime in the near future we're going to need counseling so that their is as little hurt as possible. I've always been sort of the quiet type when it comes to personal relationships. This then leads to stress and sometimes very undesirable results. > Thanks for letting me post this message ... I feel a little better now >- and THANKS ALAN for starting this message area ..... I know you all have >drawn support from it and I have drawn support from you all !! Thanks for sharing. It really helps to have a non-judgmental place to speak your mind. I know that this conference has really helped me through some really hard times and I'm sure that it will continue to do so. Being able to talk to others is a real blessing and sometimes a lifesaver as well. I hope that things get better for you or at least they don't get any worse! I hope that I didn't ramble on to much. Love, Frank. -- Via Opus Msg Kit v1.11 -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000!Frank.Whitney Internet: Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org