Cooking with Arthritis

I am honored to introduce you to this weeks member Sick of the Pain. She is a very brave woman, a hero in every aspect. This woman may endure great pain but it has not stopped her.Through her writings she is helping so many. Please welcome her.

Thank you Melinda for wanting to feature me in your member of the week. I told my husband earlier that you must see something in me that I dont. And he got a little angry so he must see it too. Hopefully I was dealt this awful pain card so that I can help others that have it too, Or the ones that need to be diagnosed and are going to go thru test after test,all the doctors and specialists coming up empty handed, or finding something and literally taking pieces of you out at a time, surgery after surgery, until theirs nothing left inside, all shaking their heads, then send you to the next specialist who knows exactly what it is, then the whole roller coaster starts again. Always ending the same. That goes on for about 20 years, Well thats how my story is anyway! I'm hoping that maybe I can help some or many save themselves 20 years of not knowing whats wrong with them. You'll hear many times that its all in your head, you can feel them all looking at you the same. Friends and Family, loved ones all think maybe your a hypochondriac and the drs probably think it too. All the millions of excruciating trips to the ER because your pain meds just cant even take the pain away a little bit. They also end the same, drs and nurses all think maybe your just a street junkie searching for narcotics. But you know something's terribly wrong with you! There is! It is called Interstitial Cystitis and it is very real and very horrible, and its not deadly, but during a flare your not to sure of that The pain that comes with it, is for me constant 24/7. You think the pain cant get any worse day to day but it does. Sometimes you can take a little walk without feeling like your bladder's going to fall out. Other times you cant take walking back to the bathroom again. You may have to go to the bathroom up to 50 to 60 times a day. Which makes fibromyalgia that much worse, because you really cant get a good night sleep if your up all night going to the bathroom, sometimes when you jump out of bed in the middle of the night your legs and hips and all your other joints wont go as fast as you need to so you dont make it in time, but thats another story! Luckily with the right Urologist he will get you on the right meds, if your insurance will pay for them that is. (The urologist doesnt have to be a he, mine just happened to be one) There is a couple meds that can help alot with that, I'm down to probably 14 times a day and up 2 or 3 times a night which is great. Trust me. I also have endometriosis, so it was a toss up for all those years whether it was a gynecology problem or a urology problem. Both Dr's being positive it was the other ones problem. Meanwhile I'm still stuck in the middle dying from the pain and no one cares, but us. Finally they did a hysterectomy. (not wanted) I kinda liked having that part of me, but you'll do anything if they promise you, the pain will stop. Which I've been told so many times! After my 6 week check up, I went back to my gyno, he said how do you feel. (smiling) me-(crying) said exactly the same only now the pain is worse and I still bleed when I go to the bathroom. And 20 years of H E double hockey sticks. My gyno told me he thought I had IC and told me all about it. I thought finally I'm cured!! Yeah right!! so he sent back to the urologist who laughed at me and said who told you that. Now, here's where you let all those years of anger out, your going to have to do it. Use your power within!! There is a test called hyrodistention of the bladder, make them do it! Even if it is a waste of his time. You are worth it! Its the only one that can prove you have it. And, unfortunatly it sometimes doesn't. But thank god for me it did. He told me without a doubt I do have it. Also unfortunatly they make one pill for it Elmiron that could take up to 6 months to show any improvement. And your hair will probably fall out and you'll gain weight. but who cares, at this point! Right?? And everyone with the disease is completely different so theres not one cure all. You have to try everything till you find something, that might ease your pain some. I wrote 2 other articles about IC if you want to read more about it. Because I could go on forever! http://hubpages.com/hub/interstitial-cystitis-pain and the other is http://hubpages.com/hub/interstitialcystitis I also have severe fibromyalgia which is common, lots of times where theres one theres the other. Hateful Migraines, Arthritis, allergies, IBS, Skin Sensitivity, and Asthma. But the best part is I have an awsome husband who loves me inspite of it all!! And three completely wonderful daughters. All four being the love of my life! So in between crying and suffering and sleeping. Look at the good things in your life! Slap a smile on your face! And in the wonderful words of Joe Dirt you gotta Keep on Keeping on!!