tracy's pointe: another little neck of the woods

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Tuesday, June 24

Hello There!

by tracyd on Tue 24 Jun 2008 11:39 AM EDT

Update: I mentioned that I have a new category over on my sidebar. I have changed the title, though I failed to mention the title to you in the first place. Welcome to: "Waypoints For Mental Wellness".

Hello All ~

The knees continue to be a mess; and unfortunately, the specialist I started with last year is quite conservative about doing surgery on me because of my age and my weight.

So the deal is, I began the synthetic shots last Thursday, and have had quite a miserable reaction to them. They are produced with chicken fat; and, no, I am not allergic to chicken or feathers of any kind. But, my legs have been stiff and swollen, and I have been so unable to walk normally, that I finally bought some Benadryl a couple nights ago just to see if some of the problem might subside. Sure enough, the stuff worked; at least enough for me to walk more normally, though I am still really sore in my calves and my thighs.

This is not good. I am scheduled for an MRI on my left knee on Friday. This is because for the past couple months I have really had a tough time with the left knee locking and sharp pains in the bend, etc. This. Is. Not. Good. I phoned the doctor's office yesterday morning and left word with him that I refuse to continue with the shots. I received a call back from the office, to find that he would not want me to continue the shots; so, I didn't have to be so abrupt in my message to him. It's just that I'm really suffering dammit; and I'm tired of all the misery at this point. I will have the MRI with this doctor because I am in mid-stream right now, and then I will make an appointment with him to talk about the results of the MRI. If he still resists doing more for me, I will start over yet again, searching for another specialist who will not wish to continue letting me suffer.

In other news, my job is great! I am networking and doing lots of speaking engagements in which I share the goals of our program, and tell some of my personal story of survival in managing my own mental health diagnosis. Spiritually I feel good; if I could only get better physically now.

The book project I am working on along with the 6 other people across the state who were also chosen, is going well. I will be doing my interviews and sharing on July 18th, in Charlottesville, VA. This is a big deal for my life, and I hope it all continues smoothly and serves the purpose for which it is intended.

On my sidebar over there to your right, I have created a new category! I will be listing places and people that will serve as good resources for those folks who are managing mental health issues. Take a gander, and feel free to share with those you know who have a diagnosis, or simply questions regarding resources. Also, if you have a family member or friends who you know might benefit from these links, please let them know. Some of the people I have already listed, are pioneers of the wellness and recovery models that are being used today in our mental health systems across the country.