Stress test and leg circulation test passed with flying colors!

[Carolina]

Dearest Sjogren's Angels;

So I had two tests on Thursday, both involving treadmill stress.....me with the horrid cold.

Cardiac stress test, and complex leg circulation tests with a zillion cuffs up and down my legs, even on my big toes.  And then doppler readings

But my cardiologist called me BEFORE THE END of Thursday, to tell me that both test were FINE!

Why my toes are red, or my blood pressure went up, who knows?

Oh I was delighted I could do each of the big deal treadmill tests.  My knee is healing at last!

Wednesday I had the nerve velocity conduction test on my arms and hands, and the needles in the muscles thing.

The doctor did the needles in the muscles thing, and he told he me exactly what he was testing and what he found.

There is a place on the right side of my cervical spine where a pinched nerve keeps the muscle from responding.   I don't know what the spine doctor will recommend, if anything for that.

They also found the beginnings of carpal tunnel, but I don't notice anything.

I see the rep for the traction device and the tens device next Tuesday morning, for my neck.
Mammogram next Monday morning.
Orthopedist next Thursday about the trigger finger I have in my left thumb. The cortisone injection didn't cure it.  So I guess I'll have the minor surgery.

Sweet jeebus.................................good thing I'm retired.

So it seems I am a collection of problems.  I had hoped for a unifying diagnosis, something auto immune, that would explain everything including my deafness.

Oh I'm loving the extended wear hearing aids.  Inside my ear.  So much easier than taking the exterior fitted ones on and off and fiddling with batteries and dropping them and combing them out of my ears and blah blah.  And fearing that I will lose them.

Goodness is this an extended update?

I'd love to know what people have experienced with tens units?

i tried the lidocaine patch, but it's sticky and rolls up and comes off.

That's all I can think of now.

I'm just waiting this cold out, no physical stress.  I'm too tired for that anyway!

Hugs

Elaine

[newhorizons]

Elaine, Stress test and leg circulation test passed with flying colors!Way to go Sjoggie friend...

More than I can do with these knees of mine...

Today, both are aching; so off to bed to put cold packs on lower back and back of knees and heating pad to upper spine and another one on front on those P muscles and tendons in upper chest?

Ah, was told numerous of times in PT but too long and difficult word to pronounce or worst of all spell correctly!

Why all the neuro testing on you? 

Ah, again...gone, time to take Cymbalta. Btw, what time of day do you take yours?

Joy

[Carolina]

Rest rest rest Joy!

Hot and cold........thank goodness we have them readily available to us.

Yes finally my knee, which had surgery on April 16 last year is coming around.  I was getting worried, but the orthopedist I saw here looked at all the photos of my knee from the surgery and said it just takes time when you're older.

You KNOW, I know that objectively.  But it can't mean ME!!!  older?  "just 69" but to all those 'baby faced doctors' I am older.  Objectively I am older.
But I feel so rebellious when I'm told this is what comes with 'age'.

Yeah, osteoarthritis so sucks, and there's not a darn thing to do for it, but ease the pain, and some surgery. 

The ortho looked at my knee pictures and said, yep you have severe arthritis and the next thing will be a replacement. ACK 

He said that soooooo calmly.   

Well, I'm hoping I don't live that long, at least at some level.  Tho' know everyone does it fairly successfully today.

The neuro testing is to determine the extent of the damage from my severely deteriorated cervical spine.   If things aren't too bad, surgery isn't an option, just traction and pain relief.  May injections, dunno.

Most doctors look at my MRI and CT scan results and immediately ask why I haven't had surgery yet.  But they haven't been orthos or spine specialists.   

Now that we've ruled out all auto immune possibilities, it is clear that my leg and feet problems are 'idiopathic' (also I'm not diabetic).

My lumbar spine is arthritic, but not to the point of causing what I have in my feet and lower legs  I don't have sciatica for example.

It turns out that LOTS of people who aren't diabetic have this leg and feet thing.  Who knew?   So I just have to exercise, wear the proper shoes, and walk carefully.

And i don't have the numbness and problems with my arms.    So we will treat the neck conservatively, no doubt.

In other words, deal with the symptoms, most of which is pain.   And I can't take opioids.  which a major difficulty.

I'm really trying to work out how to come to terms with aging with some equanimity.   i feel a bit lost in this, probably too much moving around in the past four years.    And retiring at 58.   i had my older grandchildren every summer for 9 years, 6 weeks.   So that was a major thing to do, and we travelled to visit each family (Paris and Honolulu) and my huband worked full time until May last year

I think for some reason that having him at home makes it all harder.

Anyway, I'm feeling rather useless, and caught up in physical stuff.   I keep waiting for a break in the action

i am in two book groups, a group doing a play, a newcomers club, and exercise at the Y.  And my son, DIL, and three grands are about 12 miles away.

I'm probably doing enough, but feel a bit 'lost'.

Oh well.   I shouldn't be hard to find!   i'm tall and big.   

hugs

Elaine

[Patze]

Congrats Elaine! 

I'm glad to hear things are on the mend, wow, that is good news!  And don't forget to keep us updated!

And I'm jealous of your hearing aids!  Yeah, I need them, but can't seem to find the time or money for them, ugh (it's always somethin' or 'nother, ain't it? ).

Take care and "keep on keepin' on"!

Patze