Some very, very good news.

I haven't used the wheelchair in 3 days. My feet hurt like hell after a little while standing or walking, but I can be on my feet long enough to get where I'm going.

How awesome is that? :woohoo:

Tomorrow I'm going for day number 4. :)

That's great, dude. :D

It's very nice. I'm hoping to get back onto the crutches full time, and maybe even get back to using just a cane. That would be totally awesome. :)

:woohoo:

:hug:

or the new meds, or a combination. I'll figure that out with a bit more time. But I'll take all the good news I can get. :7

I hope it's the meds. That would mean that this is a sustainable improvement.

:hug:

I'll have more time to work on the scooter. :evilgrin:

have said they're totally going to turn it into a Federation starship somehow. Sometime this summer.

After they do that, if you can help me get some speed and a good horn on it, then on the days I need it I'll really be able to run the tourists off the sidewalk.
:evilgrin:

so you are on some new meds? This is great news, Thomcat

Warm weather is always a plus with rheumatoid diseases. I know even my fairly mild fibromyalgia is far worse when the weather is cold, especially if it is cold and DAMP

After a year and a half on Rheumatoid Arthritis meds they tried me on Lyrica, and that's what might be making the difference.

If so, then that's pretty definitive evidence that my diagnosis should have been Fibromyalgia.

But I'm not ready to jump to a conclusion yet. I react too severely to weather, so it really could be the heat-wave we've had.

What awesome news!

I am thrilled for you!

I hope you can continue this way, sweetie!

:hug:

:hug:

I can't tell you how excited I am about this! I'm definitely trying hard to improve my distance and duration on my feet. I'm determined.

I just have to do it safely. I don't dare get stuck somewhere because I walked there and can't walk back.

But we'll see how far I can push this. :)

:hug:

:bounce:


May I borrow it for a few days. ;)

:P

:hug:

:toast:

:toast:

First round is on me. :)

that's so excellent. I'll cross my fingers that it is the new meds and that you're going to keep getting better. What great news.

Crossed fingers, good vibes, any encouragement I can get is welcome. I feel like I'm killing myself to get through the whole day on crutches, but I want to prove to myself that I can do it just one more day, and then one more.
:)

I'm a stuborn bastard. It's one of my nicer traits. :P

I've been absent. What's going on? (I am so freaking happy for you).

Starting in December 06 or January 07 I began losing the use of my hands and feet. I went from using a cane to using crutches. Then I had to modify the crutches to be able to hold them because my hands kept getting worse. Then my feet got so much worse and more painful that I couldn't walk.

LionessPriyanka did a DU fundraiser here in January 08 to raise money for a scooter for me so I could still get around. It raised so much money that I was able to upgrade to a power wheelchair, which is what I really needed anyway.

I've been using that wheelchair almost every day since then.

My doctors ran tests last year and I tested positive for one of the markers for Rheumatoid or Psoriatic arthritis, so that was my diagnosis. First they thought it was Rheumatoid, then they thought it was Psoriatic, but in the early stages they're identical so it really didn't matter which one they thought I had. The treatment was the same.

Recently my doctors finally figured out that their diagnosis was wrong. I've been taking the wrong meds for the last year. So I eased off of those meds. My doctors decided to try me on Lyrica, the Fibromyalgia med, just as a test to see if maybe it would help. It might be helping. If this continues, and it turns out to be because of this med, then my doctors and I just got very lucky. :)

So that's where things stand now. (pun intended) :P

Jeepers freaking creepers. Congrats, Thom. Congrats. Sometimes luck turns our lives around, permanently. I hope it will be so in your case. :hug:

I'm so very glad to hear it!

Try not to push yourself too much.
:hug:

:)

Thank you. :hug:

:woohoo: I am SO happy to hear you're feeling so much better! And it is wonderful to see a thread from you with good news - you've had way too much shit thrown at you recently. Here's hoping the improvement is because of the new meds, and therefore is something to build on. I could kick those doctors of yours for not figuring it out sooner, but at least this might be real progress. :hug: :hug:

Hooray!


PS - the brother in law I mentioned to you a while back has psoriatic arthritis - it manifested in his back, and he was in excruciating pain until the meds got balanced. He's OK now, but it was awful for a while.

:)

I hope I continue to have good news.

The side effects of the Lyrica are pretty significant. But if I can walk again I'll accept those side effects. :)

That is terrific news! :applause:

I'll keep my fingers crossed that this means things are finally under control.

I guess I'm been pushing myself a bit to hard. :(

But a day on muscle relaxants and rest and I should be on my feet again. I can do this. :)

:hug:

Here's to more days out of the wheelchair. My granddad hated his limited mobility when he reached the end of his time with us (emphysema).

Take care of yourself now and all the best.

Mark.

I woke up this morning and found out I've been pushing a bit too hard. I apparently threw my back out last night. I guess because I have become un-used to walking on the crutches.

But once I get my back taken care of, I'll be back on my feet again. This is just a minor stop. I'm going to get my mobility back. :)

but take a break if you need one. What can I say? I'm a worrier. ;)

I'm really happy for you, though. :hug:

Back pain sucks. x(

I'm staying home, taking muscle relaxants, and soaking in the tub a lot today. :(

But this is just a temporary thing. Tomorrow I get out there and walk some more.
:)

:hug:

I know how much you were looking forward to another day of walking around. Hang tight, and keep taking those breaks when you need them.

:hug:

:)

At this rate we'll be dancing all night at the wedding. :7

:hugs:

with you in my lap. (what an awesome picture that would make!) But it'll be worth it to have a first dance with you instead!
:7

:hug:

Ooohhh, that would have me in a Reverse Cowgirl position, yes? You don't see THAT at a reception every day!

We might want to rethink this.

:rofl:

No, you definitely don't see that very often. :P

What great progress you've accomplished! I'm overwhelmed at your dedication and fortitude. You are an inspiration.

:hug:

:hug:

I don't think it's because I have any great amount of those good qualities. It started because the elevators in the subway were down so I couldn't get my wheelchair onto the train to get to work. Instead of adding half an hour to my commute by using the busses I decided to test myself on crutches and see how well I'd manage. After that, I was just being stuborn and kept going. :P

I definitely have a stuborn streak.

:hug:

RL

:hug:

But take it slowly, ok? It's a major transition so be gentle on yourself. But this is awesome!

Khash.

I woke up with horrible back pain, probably from pushing myself too hard on the crutches. So today I'm staying home from work and letting muscle relaxants and heat do their thing.

Tomorrow I'll be back on my feet. :)

:)

Thank you. :hug:

It could be the change in weather. We went from having a lot of rain to having a dry hot-spell.

But we're expecting rain this weekend so that will give me a clue whether it's the meds, the weather, or a combination of the two.

If it's the meds then I'm hoping for continued improvement in the next few months. :)

That is ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY GREAT NEWS!!!!!1111!!!!!

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

I am so happy for you :loveya:

that if this continues I'll be in even better shape when I come up to visit you. :)

I'm really looking forward to this summer now. I'm glad you're going to be part of it. :hug:

I need to check on hotels for you.....

And you're awesome!

:hug:

You would know awesome, so I'll take your word for it. :)

:hug:

I wish you the best of luck.

:hug:

I just have to be smart and careful about this. One day at a time. This is very exciting, but kind of scary too.

I'm enjoying some of the benefits of being stuborn as hell. There are times it's nice to have a properly directed bad attitude. :P

:hug:

:thumbsup:

I hope I can sustain this and have more good news soon. :)

:hug:

:hug:

Today I'm on some enforced rest and down-time. I guess I have been pushing myself a bit too hard. So today I rest and recover. But then I continue walking tomorrow. :)

Thom, that is so excellent!

Especially after the misdiagnosis/medication mess. I take it that situation is under control??

I'm so glad you're feeling better! :hug:

Time will tell, but I'm optimistic.

Today is a bit of a back-slide because my back has gone out on me. After the meds and hot-packs do their thing I just need to increase my daily back stretches and excercise a bit. Walking on crutches puts a bit of stress on the back.

Tomorrow I will be walking again. :)

:hug:

Hope you get a day 4 of standing & walking...
and a day 40,000 for that matter! :hug:

and the right meds I hope you're mostly right.

40,000 days is 109 years through. I don't think I'll get quite that lucky. :P

:hug:

That's fantastic, man! :woohoo:

:P

I hope I have more good news to post soon. :)

:)

:)

Yay!

:toast: :bounce: :hi:

I'm going to walk up to you and give you a hug. :7

:hug:

:hug:

:hug: :party: :toast: :hug:

Yay! :7

:hug:

That sounds great, but I want pictures once the chair is tricked out as the Enterprise. You'll need a shirt like this:

It'll be kind of awkward if the chair finally gets tricked out and I'm not using it anymore.

I can only hope I have to good fortune to have to deal with that kind of awkwardness. We'll see. :P

I'm glad to hear it. Is it because of the change in meds?

:)

:kick:

Thank you. :)

:)

:P

Not that I'm jumping the gun and expecting miracles, mind you. But I'm being optimistic. :hug:

I hope your improvement continues!

I definitely hope so too. :hug:

I could use somebody to sit in and run a cool NPC for an evening some time!

I would love a chance to do that. :)

:woohoo:

Good luck on day 4... and get someone to rub your feet for ya... you should have a line of volunteers. :)

I seem to have thrown it out of whack by walking on my crutches so much. :(

Time to increase my back stretching and excercises for a while. Tomorrow the progress continues. :hug:

:bounce:

:7

I'm down today, recovering from stressing my back. But I'm optimistic, and this is going to continue. :hug:

:hug:

:hug:

I hope there is more good news coming if this continues. :)

:hug: I did read that you are in pain today, but you have made such amazing progress!!!!! I am so happy for you. :hug: :hug:

Great news, Thom.

:woohoo: :hug:

:hug:

It's really wonderful that other people are excited about this two. I felt a bit weird yesterday being so excited about being on crutches. :P

:yourock:

:hug:

It's definitely wonderful! Hopefully I can keep this going. :)

and I seem to have missed the wedding announcement. who is getting married? (p.s. you can still let D.A. sit in your lap... even if you are erect.)

I got to speak to Dangerously Amused on the phone recently. I apparently made a very good impression because she asked me to marry her.

She's so incredibly awesome that of course I said yes! She posted about it last Sunday. So now we're planning a wedding in October. You're invited! :P

:hug:

:hi:

It definitely is. :)

:)

We'll see tomorrow.

And this this the first thing I see!

This is great news!

A little back soreness from being ABLE to over do it is a nice problem to have.

Rest up!!

I never thought of back pain as a good thing before, but I'll deal with it for a while if it means I'm going to be walking more. :)

I hope your break from here was productive. Welcome back. :hi:

:applause:

:hug:

:hug:

Hopefully this is just a start. There has been so much bad news over the past year it's nice when there's good news mixed in there too. :)

This is wonderful for you!!!!!


:hug: :hi:

maybe you shouldn't over do it all at once....

baby steps.. big ones though!!!!


:woohoo: :woohoo: :applause:


lost

I'm not sure I know how to do those? :P

I'm definitely trying to be careful about this. I'm walking a few blocks at a time, at most. No long distances. But I'm going to try to increase those distances a little bit each good day.

to what do you attribute it? i may have missed a post (or 2).

Irregardless . . . Hip Hip Hoorah!!!

It could be the good weather, or the new combination of meds, or a little of both, or maybe I'm just recovering from whatever it is I've got. :shrug:

Time will tell. :)

i certainly hope this continues and you're on a permanent upward swing now.

Good for you!

:hi:

If this continues, I'm debating whether or not to go back into Physical Therapy. Maybe it'll help me get the most out of this.
:shrug:

:woohoo:

:hug:

Continued best of luck with your everything, Mr. ThomCat.

:hug:

good luck tomorrow and keep us posted :D

If I can keep this up, it'll be wonderful to have good news to post. :)

but damn, the hills are still steep there. take care and don't take things too fast.

:)

And I'm being very careful on the hill. I'll take a cab if necessary. There's no way I want to ruin this by hurting myself by falling.

What is making you more able to get around?

:)

I'm on a new combination of meds. The warm weather is here. And it's possible that whatever I've got is just going into remission for a while.

I'm hoping it's the meds. That would mean that this is sustainable. it would be really nice if I can keep this up.

:bounce: :hug:

:P

:hug:

I just got home from hanging out with friends in Manhattan, and I got there and back on crutches again! :7

There were some stairs involved, and those have wiped me out, so I'm staying off my feet for the rest of the day. But it was still a success!
:)

:)

:)

:hug:

Back is better, I hope?