HistoryKat
11-20-2007, 12:22 PM
Hi y’all,
I’m Kat, I hope to learn a lot here about how to handle this newest problem. So here goes my introductory post.
In 1997 (on a Friday the 13th no less!) while divorcing my abusive ex-husband he broke into my house and shot me from behind while I was running away from him. You can read the somewhat fuller story of that morning by going here http://www.katherinereece.com/abuse.html I try to be open about my past to help people realize how frequently this sort of thing happens.
Anyway, the gun was a .22 and a problem with being shot with a small caliber gun is that the bullet ricochets. The bullet bounced through my pelvic area, broke my right ischium, turned left and lodged itself in a mass of nerves and blood vessels. This is my most recent x-ray. http://www.paradoxdesigns.com/bullet_xray.jpg
Every doctor I’ve seen over the years has been clear that the bullet can not be removed due to its location. They are afraid of doing more harm.
I did remarry four years after the shooting to a ****wonderful**** man who takes very good care of me and is extremely supportive and helpful with all the problems caused by the shooting.
I recovered pretty well at first, but over the years this bullet among my nerves and the damage it did to certain nerves, including my sciatic nerve, when I was shot have caused me to develop neuropathy. Which brings me here, since the neuropathy caused me to develop IC.
I was just diagnosed last week by Dr. Alex Childs at the Pelvic Pain Center in Brookwood Hospital at Birmingham, Alabama. My GP didn’t know what the source of the new pain was and in my searching I ended up there. Great place, great nurses, and Dr. Childs was fantastic. If anyone gets a request for a Doctor in Alabama I can not recommend them highly enough.
I already take Lotensin for high blood pressure and I have a Lortab prescription for pain, I currently average a Lortab a day, but after 10 years of pain I have a pretty high tolerance for pain (dentists *so* love me! lol). Bad days are, of course, worse and I have had to go in for pain shots.
Dr. Childs started me on Amitriptyline, Elmiron, Vistaril, Cymbalta, Neurotin, Tegretol, and Baclofen. I’m supposed to start one new med a week to help pinpoint which med is causing any side effects. I’ve read some threads on Cymbalta here so I’ll also add that he did tell me to take 30mg each day the first week and then up it to 60. I started on the Cymbalta this week as he gave me samples to start on that. So far no nausea.
As far as the person and not the sicknesses! I’m a 48 year old, married, short fat and happy Grandma of one incredibly beautiful and astonishing smart granddaughter who just turned five ~sobs~ named Anna http://www.paradoxdesigns.com/family/img/2007pp07.jpg here’s my little cowgirl wannabe at a petting zoo last month.
When I quit smoking seven years ago I picked my crochet hooks back up (my Ma taught me when I was 12) because I needed something to do with my hands besides smoke! I crochet mostly for babies, and Anna of course, but I’m currently trying to figure out a 1869 crochet pattern for a gorgeous shawl and boy has the style of writing crochet instructions changed!
As you might guess from my name I am a major history geek, but ancient history only. My primary area of interest are the preceramic cultures on the north coast of Peru. I founded this website that was featured in Archaeology Magazine http://www.hallofmaat.com/ making this old lady mighty happy! I had to give up day to day control of the site to a friend last year due to pain but I still participate as much as I can.
Anyway! Thanks for having this place…. and I hope to learn lots here.
Kat
I’m Kat, I hope to learn a lot here about how to handle this newest problem. So here goes my introductory post.
In 1997 (on a Friday the 13th no less!) while divorcing my abusive ex-husband he broke into my house and shot me from behind while I was running away from him. You can read the somewhat fuller story of that morning by going here http://www.katherinereece.com/abuse.html I try to be open about my past to help people realize how frequently this sort of thing happens.
Anyway, the gun was a .22 and a problem with being shot with a small caliber gun is that the bullet ricochets. The bullet bounced through my pelvic area, broke my right ischium, turned left and lodged itself in a mass of nerves and blood vessels. This is my most recent x-ray. http://www.paradoxdesigns.com/bullet_xray.jpg
Every doctor I’ve seen over the years has been clear that the bullet can not be removed due to its location. They are afraid of doing more harm.
I did remarry four years after the shooting to a ****wonderful**** man who takes very good care of me and is extremely supportive and helpful with all the problems caused by the shooting.
I recovered pretty well at first, but over the years this bullet among my nerves and the damage it did to certain nerves, including my sciatic nerve, when I was shot have caused me to develop neuropathy. Which brings me here, since the neuropathy caused me to develop IC.
I was just diagnosed last week by Dr. Alex Childs at the Pelvic Pain Center in Brookwood Hospital at Birmingham, Alabama. My GP didn’t know what the source of the new pain was and in my searching I ended up there. Great place, great nurses, and Dr. Childs was fantastic. If anyone gets a request for a Doctor in Alabama I can not recommend them highly enough.
I already take Lotensin for high blood pressure and I have a Lortab prescription for pain, I currently average a Lortab a day, but after 10 years of pain I have a pretty high tolerance for pain (dentists *so* love me! lol). Bad days are, of course, worse and I have had to go in for pain shots.
Dr. Childs started me on Amitriptyline, Elmiron, Vistaril, Cymbalta, Neurotin, Tegretol, and Baclofen. I’m supposed to start one new med a week to help pinpoint which med is causing any side effects. I’ve read some threads on Cymbalta here so I’ll also add that he did tell me to take 30mg each day the first week and then up it to 60. I started on the Cymbalta this week as he gave me samples to start on that. So far no nausea.
As far as the person and not the sicknesses! I’m a 48 year old, married, short fat and happy Grandma of one incredibly beautiful and astonishing smart granddaughter who just turned five ~sobs~ named Anna http://www.paradoxdesigns.com/family/img/2007pp07.jpg here’s my little cowgirl wannabe at a petting zoo last month.
When I quit smoking seven years ago I picked my crochet hooks back up (my Ma taught me when I was 12) because I needed something to do with my hands besides smoke! I crochet mostly for babies, and Anna of course, but I’m currently trying to figure out a 1869 crochet pattern for a gorgeous shawl and boy has the style of writing crochet instructions changed!
As you might guess from my name I am a major history geek, but ancient history only. My primary area of interest are the preceramic cultures on the north coast of Peru. I founded this website that was featured in Archaeology Magazine http://www.hallofmaat.com/ making this old lady mighty happy! I had to give up day to day control of the site to a friend last year due to pain but I still participate as much as I can.
Anyway! Thanks for having this place…. and I hope to learn lots here.
Kat