Some times we all need a little help

This morning I spent in the company of the NHS, or in other words at my GP surgery. Nothing unusual there, it is so frequent at the moment I have expect to find my name etched on a chair soon. The doctors visit was fast and furious and the annoying blisters on my hand are nothing more than stress related eczema, It was the secondary appointment with my physio that was enlightening, after her initial shock or more like horror at the state I was in. She almost sent me straight back to the GP, until I pointed out he was already 30 Min's behind and I do have another appointment for back review on Friday anyway. Then she ummed and ahhed for a good few minutes before daring to suggest a course of action. After much pondering and deliberation I am now on crutches and will be for the foreseeable future. Whilst this is seeming to have a very positive affect on my spine and certainly I am more mobile I am now suffering full blown CRPS in my hands as they are having to take the strain.

Its early days but after an initial panic moment where I nearly ended up on my way to hospital at least my physio found a way out of it. Yes its going to be tiring for a while and painful on my hands, but long term it may reduce the duvet days, or if nothing else give me some mobility till pain management clinic in 3 weeks. How ever I did get some explanation which helped me understand some of the issues I am having. I am no medic but I am going to try to pass on the little gems I gleamed. For starters anyone with CRPS will tell you the pain you feel may not be in an area of injury, there is a reason for this. Imagine your pain atoms are little people who are over hyped on say energy drink. They wont sit still, and because of this they are always over reacting whether or not they need to. This also has an interesting side affect and explains one of the nasty side effects I am having. Because these little atoms are over active they are also bouncing around in your brain crashing into things, not necessarily related to pain. The most common of this is your sensory receptors. Hence in my case I can't stand even salted butter at the moment. This is a strange reaction until I was told a medical example. which I will pass on.

There was a baker who unfortunately lost his arm in an accident in his bakery. After months of intensive medical treatment, he was home and living a fully adapted life but for one thing, every Saturday morning he was left screaming in pain from his missing arm. The doctors were totally baffled there was no medical reason for his pain, and there was nothing he was doing on a Saturday that would obviously trigger such a reaction. Until a neurologist asked him to list everything he ate said the works on these days particularly in the the few hours before each attack. Every Saturday morning the mans workers at the bakery would delivery a fresh out of the oven loaf of bread to him. It was the scent of the freshly cooked bread that was triggering the attack of pain as it became a sensory memory of the accident.

Now that is an extreme case of how CRPS and very intensive pain can do in long term damage to the body. What's worse is the people like myself whom have a high pain tolerance, as we don't vent the pain and release the energy building up from the over excited atoms. So the reaction goes inward attacking other things like the sensory receptors.So there is the explanation, and I hope that helps those who suffer or live with those who do.

So today although very stressful, and  despite adding more potions and lotions to my ever growing supply, it has presented me with a big learning curve. So I have gained some metal work to help me move about, which it itself is going to limit me from doing things like Surrey Street as I cant pull a trolley on crutches. It does mean my overall freedom will be long term increased. Yes I am still facing an MRI and possibly an operation as a last resort. But for now, after accepting the fact I couldn't continue with out help we have taken a big leap forward. Now where is the radox, my arms are killing me :)