I have spent the last week with less than four hours of sleep a night. It makes for the most horrible day when you already hurt and spend anywhere from 2 to 16 to 24 hours in solid, burning, throbbing, stabbing, crushing, electric pain. Sometimes I think it would be easier if my ribs were not involved, if they didn't throb or burn or stab all over (including UNDER, close to my lungs) as well. At the worst stage of pain, I have to give up and lay down flat and wait. I may wait ten minutes before things settle, I may wait six hours. I have no idea what makes the difference in the pain or why.
This week I will finally get to see a physiatrist, a pain doctor and a physical therapist all at once. Maybe she will have some tips, since I have spent this last week crying and furious that my body is so against me.
I wear two back braces now, altering when and how I wear them as an attempt to give the added support I need at times, but also leaving them off to allow for muscle strength. The issue with wearing a brace non stop is the muscles will get weaker which, in turn, makes the disc issues worse.
I faintly want a neck brace, more to help me learn how my neck should be held and or resting, as the discs there are compressed, which isn't good. Thankfully, as far as I know, my neck doesn't cause me any added pain.
I am fighting my insurance again, as the great insurance gods only give me a three month prior authorization (or less) to see any one out of network doctor. And, as any good insurance can, they also authorize and don't tell anyone that they have done so. As an added laugh, they "partially authorize", which is something neither I nor my doctors' offices have heard of. The insurance staff also get hostile whenever I call and ask about the status of a prior authorization. "You aren't supposed to call about that." is a literal quote....honey, I pay for it, I can call and ask anything I want! lol.
