I'm still here.

So, I'm not the best blogger... I'd like to say I'll do better but obviously I can't be sure of that.

In a nutshell the pain comes and goes. Just something I live with. Most of the time I can deal with it pretty well. I actually had a couple of good weeks in a row and I loved it. I promise I didn't overdo it but this week has been rough. The TMJ is flaring up and that's just hard because it makes my ears, head, neck, and shoulders all hurt. I got a massage scheduled so hopefully that will help again.

I ended up having a ganglion cyst removed from my wrist in Dec, a few weeks before Christmas. Very common, just trying to get it to recover. It's getting better but it's in a bad spot. At least it's not so sensitive to my sleeves anymore.

Itching Problems Figured Out

I saw a dermatologist today (finally.) She said

I have derma...something or other. I can't remember exactly the word. Basically I have too much histamine in my blood. Apparently it is very, very common and different things trigger it in different people. In fact she has it too but she didn't say what triggers hers. Taking an antihistamine daily should keep it under control. Hope it doesn't get too bad in the winter since it seems mine is triggered by cold.

I'm still alive

I knew it had been awhile since I posted but I didn't realize I hadn't posted an update on that appt. The dr thought I was fine and just had a flair-up. Anti-inflammatory and exercises. He must have been right - it resolved itself. Still learning my new "normal". Seems my old normal is overdoing it now. Sigh.

I've had several people mention I hadn't posted. Good to know. :) Sometimes I just get tired of whining. But then I guess that's kinda what this blog is for. Sometimes whining is better than holding it all in.

For the most part I'm doing pretty good. (Of course as I write this I have a cold of some sort...) My hip does good most of the time as long as I don't try to do too much. My ears still hurt just about all the time but I know they aren't infected and there just really isn't much that can be done. Although a friend of mine gave me a very interesting article that I plan to take and show my doctor.

I seem to have developed a new problem though. Back in late June I started itching. Nothing consistent and there were no bumps, whelps, or hives or anything. It was weird. At first I thought it was something from some bug bites I got that maybe got into my system. Then it became more of a reaction to water. The worst of it spiked when we were on vacation and I was swelling really bad. I almost went to an emergency clinic. When we got back I went to the dr and did you know there is such a thing as an allergy to water. Man, that would just be the pits. Google it - very interesting, odd, but interesting. So the dr sent me to a neurologist and a dermatologist. The neurologist said my nerve responses were normal. Still waiting for the appt with the dermatologist to come up. But as time as passed, I'm beginning to realize that it's more of a reaction to cold than to water. Just happens that most of the water I came in contact with at the beginning was cold. If I handle something from the freezer for more than just a few seconds my hands will start hurting like you wouldn't believe. If I handle a cold container or item from the fridge too long, they will itch. If cold air is blowing on me for too long, I will start itching. It's really bizarre but am kinda glad it took so long to get in with the dermatologist so I could "analyze" what's happening a little more. It does get old and annoying though.

It starts again

Unfortunately, my hip is bothering me again.  It has been doing really well but about a month ago I started having some pain again.  I figured it was just one of those times that I overdid it and did my best to rest but it has just gotten progressively worse.  It's almost identical to what it was before surgery.  I have an appt on Apr 20.

Jaw Update

I didn't realize it had been so long since I blogged. I ended up going back to the oral surgeon today to have him check me out. I have caught myself clenching my jaws a lot lately. He said that my jaw is healing well but my muscles are very tight. I'll be fitted for a bite splint very soon and that should help with that. I hope it does and I hope it helps alleviate the ear pain.

On a good note - my hip is doing well. Just some minor soreness if I overdo it, which is way to easy to do this time of year.

Still hurts

My jaw/ears still hurt. I'm hoping/praying that it is still just soreness from the surgery. I don't know how long is typical for it to hurt or if there is such a thing as typical. I'm having a down day today and am tired of hurting. Most days aren't so bad emotionally but every once in a while...

Jaw Surgery

I have failed to update you on my TMJ situation. I saw the oral surgeon on Oct 16. He did not like the feel of either jaw. He ordered me an MRI of my jaw and then to come back. I had that done on Oct 23. I saw him immediately after the MRI. The cartilage in my left jaw was almost completely out of place and the cartilage in the right jaw wasn't nearly as bad but was slipping. So I had surgery on Wed, Oct 29 to fix that. It was an outpatient surgery and I came home that afternoon. I've been in a lot of pain and slept a lot since then. It's eased up a good bit today but is still pretty sore.