Wish I Found You Guys Long Ago

I haven't been a member here but a week or so, but I just LOVE it! I sure wish I had found you all long ago!! Everyone has been so nice, and I've found great information already in the short time I've been here.

I've been laid up for 2 years from a severe broken heel, and I sure could have had fun though it all (tv gets old) if I'd joined back then in 2008!! I'm recovering from surgery #3 done in July, and am still mostly stuck in my house. It's been 2 years of extreme pain trying to walk with my sideways foot, therefore I haven't lasted longer than a few steps at a time every day, in between being laid up with my foot elevated above my heart for 4 months after each surgery.

Life since '08 has been the four walls of my living room for the most part. If I can at least live without the pain, I won't care if I never walk again, but I'm still hoping that this latest surgery has finally fixed it, and my foot is back in working order. I'm hoping to start physical therapy (again) sometime next month. The saying goes "3 times is a charm" so just maybe this will be it!

Poor DH had to take over the litter boxes, dog walking, and poop scooping the dog's yard (my duties). I'm hobbling around the house in a big "frankenstein" boot now, so I'm sure he'll be glad to pass those jobs back to me soon! I just ordered some new litter boxes that I think I'll be able to handle since they are made so user friendly. DH is very happy about it.

So, aside from my dear furkids who have been a great comfort as they always are, being on this forum is great! I just wanted to tell you all how glad I am to be here, with my "fellow" cat lovers. My sleep schedule is out of whack, so I'll post at some odd hours for the east coast.

Trying not to sound corny, but I love it here!

Shame you didnt find it sooner, but you got here in the end Hope this last op gets you out and about again, and if you post at funny times remember some of us live on the otherside of the pond and are here at different times

Hi there neighbor, well not exactly neighbor, but our states share a border!! Yea, it is really nice here. I have not met anyone in person, but I feel like we are all a family.

Sorry about your foot. I just recovered from plantar faciitis. Had to wear a boot to bed for almost a year. Know the drill.

You have a good DH to take over these duties. Take good care and would love to see some pics of your furkids.

Welcome to the TCS community. There is always someone around here to talk to. I am sorry about your foot - I had a replacement knee in early July and I am just getting about again, though I still can't walk or drive very far. That has been so frustrating for two months - I can't imagine what you have been going through for two years. I do hope the latest surgery works for you at last.

Hi Sherry,

Isn't it a wonderful feeling to find somewhere you fit in, ppl understand you and for the most part, there are many loving, caring members here.

I can sympathasize with your situation, mine is on here somewhere but without wanting to turn this post to "about me" I'll shorten it: In May 06 I injured my upper back at work, In Feb 07, I woke and couldn't move my arms. I haven't worked since Feb. due to workplace injuries. I've been through therapies, been dismissed as reaching max recovery for my back, and very recently after 2 failed surgeries for my hands, been told this is as good as it gets. I'm stuck with an upper thoracic injury, and in both arms I have chronic severe Tenosynovitis of my elbows (golfers and tennis elbow) as well as my hands (DeQuervians tenosynovitis).

I understand chronic pain, as do many others on this board sadly It is not something I wish upon anyone.

I hope you are able to find some friends here, some people that share commonalities and can understand/empathasize with what you are going through.

Hopefully this last surgery did the trick, and if not healed you up, then made things livable again, and more functioning. But if not, I am sorry, but would like to extend the offer of, if you need someone to talk to, feel free to pm me. It was/is a hard pill to swallow when you have fought so long, and have the surgeries not work in the end run. That's where I've been. My surgeries have an 85% success rate. I fell into the 15% unsuccess I do hope otherwise for you. But know that there are other ppl around who have been through the same thing (maybe not the same injury/disablement, but the situation) and are willing to help if we can.

Like everyone else has said, welcome aboard, and I hope you continue to enjoy the board and make some friends

Well, we're certainly glad you're here now!

Wow- sorry to hear about your broken heel- does not sound fun at all!!! Well hopefully you are closer to being completely healed up soon!!!! You are lucky to have such a helpful hubby!!!!

Welcome to TCS! Hope your heel heals soon.

Hello cat lover and welcome to this site. Sorry you have been going thru so much pain and I do hope the 3rd time is the charm and you will live a normal life again.

LaRussa, CATTYBIRD, cmedeiros17, Kailie, Milk maid, Thanks for the boost of hope for my foot. It has been a long ordeal, but I know it could be worse, much worse (my sister has big problems), but that's another story I'll probably get to another time.

That's right, Milk maid, I'm catching our friends across the pond! Very cool. I have an English friend here in my neighborhood, who is in England right this very minute visiting her family in Ipswich. I'd give my eye teeth to see England!!

Farleyv, hey back to ya neighbor! Glad to hear you recovered from plantar facilitis - which I understand to be no picnic either! BTW, I LOVE NY! I have only been lucky enough to go there once, for an afternoon/evening in 1997 to NYC. Oh my, when I rode into the city on whichever highway I was on--don't know which since I wasn't driving, anyway, when we rode in, immediately to the right of me was the Statue of Liberty. She took my breath away and I had to cry.

My friend took me to the WTC, but the top was closed that day darn it, for maintenance, so I was only able to stand outside on the walk and look up to the sky above me and see the twin towers. Amazing.

I got to walk down Fifth Ave, see the skating rink at Rockefeller Center (it was December), go to a jazz music restaurant, and a wild bar where ladies bras were hanging from the ceiling (called Hogs and Heifers? not sure--supposed to be a popular place).

Sorry got sidetracked...memories...I swear someday I'm going to go back and see more. I drove through NY to CT, but just highway driving and didn't see anything.

Jennyranson, I hope your knee op was successful. Are you still in recovery or is the not walking from complications? I've heard of so many ppl getting knee replacements. It must be one of the first parts in our bodies to wear out. I hope you soon recover. I know it is very frustrating to be sidelined.

Snake Lady, I'm sorry to hear that you are going through all the pain and different problems too. It is amazing how one injury can sort of have a domino effect on the rest of the body. My foot has caused back/tail bone pain. I wouldn't be surprised if you said your back injury is causing some other chronic pain in other parts. It's awful isn't it. And, if it's not enough to have one thing going on, then another illness/problem has to come along too.

Thank you so much for the offer to talk, Snake Lady. I admit I've had some pity parties at times because it really does get me depressed. Sometimes reminding myself that it could be worse will snap me out of it, sometimes not. You know all about that, I'm sure. Same here--if you ever want to talk, pm me too. Lord knows I'm up at all hours--I only sleep for about 2-3 hours at a time, so I sort of sleep in shifts

I really hope you find some type of therapy that helps get your pain level down. Myself, I've been surfing chronic pain forums to see what other ppl are doing. Have you checked any of them out?

Well, I get long winded sometimes, so sorry for writing a novel here So, hugs to everyone here at my new home in cyberspace!

I'm working on pics of my babies. I have trouble resizing, so I'm checking my Photobucket albums. Soon.

Welcome to the site, I'm glad you're finding it to be a friendly escape from the '4 walls of the living room'. Very sorry to hear you're in a ton of pain and kind of immobilized, I really hope your 3rd surgery will be the charm!

Now get working on resizing those kitty pics!

Originally Posted by Sherry526

Snake Lady, I'm sorry to hear that you are going through all the pain and different problems too. It is amazing how one injury can sort of have a domino effect on the rest of the body. My foot has caused back/tail bone pain. I wouldn't be surprised if you said your back injury is causing some other chronic pain in other parts. It's awful isn't it. And, if it's not enough to have one thing going on, then another illness/problem has to come along too.

Click to expand...

Agreed. I was "blessed" with a back injury at work, then less than a year later my hands and arms went.... it was basically a RSI (repetitive strain injury) which landed me severe tenosynovitis in both arms.

Of course ones upper back tends to affect the shoulders and neck, etc.... yup, truly is a domino effect at times.

Thank you so much for the offer to talk, Snake Lady. I admit I've had some pity parties at times because it really does get me depressed. Sometimes reminding myself that it could be worse will snap me out of it, sometimes not. You know all about that, I'm sure. Same here--if you ever want to talk, pm me too. Lord knows I'm up at all hours--I only sleep for about 2-3 hours at a time, so I sort of sleep in shifts

I really hope you find some type of therapy that helps get your pain level down. Myself, I've been surfing chronic pain forums to see what other ppl are doing. Have you checked any of them out?

Well, I get long winded sometimes, so sorry for writing a novel here

So, hugs to everyone here at my new home in cyberspace!

I'm working on pics of my babies. I have trouble resizing, so I'm checking my Photobucket albums. Soon.

Click to expand...

Yup, done the pity party stage, anger stage, depression stage, etc. and repeat them regularly LOL. I know exactly what you mean, and I do try to remember that no matter what, there's someone else with physical ailments way worse than mine. If I go by what Workers comp says, then I'm technically 24% disabled (injuries alone, not touching chronic pain or other health issues), which IMO there are many many ppl way worse than I am.

I do pretty good on my medications, and finally was able to find a decent family doc back in June. ( doc shortage here in Canada ) Thankfully she has referred me to a pain clinic as we've begun to investigate fibro brought on by both injuries Fun stuff.

Unfortunately the wait times for pain clinics here are at the minimum 12mos.

But I'm just highly thankful for the good doc, and the referral...it is a start. I've done as much as I can on my own. I just finished 4yrs on and off PT, have tried accupuncture, and asst natural remedies. Massage therapy does wonders for my back, unfortunately my private coverage gives me about 10sessions per year.

I manage through pain meds, massage therapy when I can, friends who also have chronic pain issues, and just an extensive psychological knowledge. (knowing how to think positively, and coming to grips with being disabled, etc.)

I have learned to take it one day at a time, some days its hour by hour. If you search around here for my posts, my story is out here ( I talk a lot too LOL ) and some of the things I've gone through related to and not to my injuries/chronic pain.

I have adopted a live for the moment attitude, especially after my dads recent unexpected death (its on here too). That is sometimes the only thing that gets me through a high pain day like today...just taking it moment by moment and being thankfull for what I do have.

As you can see, I write novels too LOL.

Hope to see your furbabies soon, and again, welcome to the board.

Oh Sherry, what a nightmare! But like Kailie said... at least you're here now.

I, thankfully, do not have to live with chronic pain myself, but my DH sure does. He's got a rare brain disease that causes him pain in his head 24 hours a day and on top of that he gets attacks that last about 40 minutes to 3 hours (he's had them last as long as six). Docs describe the peak of his pain attacks as 100x more painful than a migraine.

I didn't realize how... alone I felt in my struggle to support him until I started talking to Chris. If you need someone to talk to about what you're going through, Chris (Snake_Lady) is amazing.

I'm sending heaps and heaps of vibes that this surgery worked! What's next? Physical therapy? How long before you know whether or not the third time's the charm?

Mega vibes headed your way!

Oh - and on days when you're having a pity party or feeling depressed, Chris specifically started the "Positive Post" thread to help those of us who need to remind/refocus ourselves that there are good things going on in our lives.

Glad you are enjoying it here

We're glad you're here, Sherry.

I have foot trouble too, degenerative arthritis in both feet, worse in my left, and bone spurs. I have to wear custom orthotics and go to the podiatrist every six months at the minimum, because even with the orthotics my bones shift.

I know how you feel!!!

When I first joined here there was a sense of relief at finally finding a community that was both absent of trolls (honestly I have never seen one troll here) and full of people who I could communicate with without being labeled the "crazy cat girl".

I hope you come to love it here as much as I have and that you also have a quick and speedy recovery and can get back on your feet and feeling normal in no time! I can't imagine what it would be like to be unable to walk and interact with my kitty.

So sending lots of and your way.

And welcome to TCS.

(I just came out of hiatus)