4/23/14. The post where it pours.

4/23/14: had a great Easter and a wonderful visit with my family.  I know it's been a few days, so I won't go into too much detail playing catch up.  My foot has felt particularly bad the last few days and I'm not sure why, because I haven't done anything different.  Except bake all day Saturday.  And wear heels for five hours on Sunday.  And spend 14 hours in a car.  And walk for three hours at an outlet mall.  And forget to do my PT exercises.  On second thought, maybe I am sure why.

I woke up this morning ready to turn over a new leaf.  We are six weeks away from a once-in-a-lifetime vacation and it's time for me (and my bank account) to go on a diet.  While getting ready this morning, I started scheming.  This evening would involve carefully planning meals and an exercise schedule (within my limits, of course) for the next six weeks.  No splurging, no eating out, no drinking.  If I stick with the plan, I should have just enough time to be trim enough to wear a swimsuit, and just enough money to enjoy the trip.  What could possibly go wrong?

http://youtu.be/VmW-ScmGRMA

I went to my doctor this afternoon to discuss the nerve conduction study results and next steps.  I have spent the last week trying to convince myself, without success, that this was just inflammation of a nerve I damaged nine years ago and an epidural would do the trick.  My doctor did not appear to be any more convinced than I was.  He talked in more detail about the nerve damage and Type 2 CRPS.  Based on my history and the failure of the nerve blocks to provide any relief, he did not see any use in trying an epidural.  He advised me that any treatment will be palliative, not curative.  (In other words, it can't be "healed", but they can try to treat the symptoms.  I was not terribly surprised by this because of the research I'd done and the information he'd already given me, but it's still not what I wanted to hear.)  I'm not going to talk in detail right now about his recommendation for the next treatment step, because it is pretty complicated and I am still doing research to decide if I want to do it.  In the meantime, though, he has a couple of ideas that might provide temporary relief while I figure out a long-term plan.  And for that I am grateful.  I'll share more in the next few days as I start to make decisions.

Great news, part two: we have to buy a new air conditioning unit.  Our AC has been on the fritz for the last two weeks and after much detective work, the repair company discovered the issue today, and it is fatal.  Mere months after the warranty expired, of course.  And we are forecast for highs of 97 this weekend.  For those fans keeping score at home, in the last month we've had to do major repair/replacement work to the AC, garage door opener, garbage disposal, elevator, and security alarm.  Oh, and my car.  (I know, I know - first world problems.)  Everything seems to be broken right now, including me.  

When it rains, it pours.  We celebrated our misfortune with cocktails and sushi.  I guess the diet will start tomorrow.