Homeopathic Appt. #2

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Well, this’ll be a quicky as there’s not much to tell but I told you all i’d post after every visit so I will stand by what I said! =) This was just a quick 30 minute visit because he was hoping that by the next visit my home stool and urine test kit would have arrived at my house and been sent back to the lab and he’d have the results so that the next visit we could see what’s going on in my stomach, G.I. tract, and whatever the other 2 million things he is testing for are so we can have a treatment plan. Well, by the time I went to yesterday morning’s visit, the tests hadn’t arrived yet. Of course the stool test came today. Go figure. But it’s a three day test (won’t get into details but i’m not looking forward to it! yuck!) and I have a question for the Dr. and a few for the lab before I do it because I don’t want to do it wrong and have to do it again! It looks like a messy process! So, I have to wait till Monday to call them both and i’ll start that day and send it back to the lab Wednesday or Thursday if I get them done by then. Sooner the better because I paid more than I could afford for 12 visits so i’d like to get the most out of them so I don’t have to pay for more (as much as i’d love to continue seeing him on a regular basis, I just can’t do it financially).

Basically all we did yesterday was acupuncture for my neck since it’s still killing me from the spine surgery and he did my hands and feet. He does it differently than I’m used to. He puts the needles in and almost immediately takes them out. It always feels like they are still in there so when he tells me to lay down after he does my neck, I always look at him weird cause I think there are needles in my neck but there aren’t. When I say it feels like they are in there still, I don’t mean it’s because they hurt. It’s the exact opposite. The ones in the back of my neck don’t only make my neck pain better for a little while at least, but they give me a head rush kinda like a really relaxing feeling. It’s great that he does that first and then has me lay down and does my hands and feet and near my collar bone because I’m relaxed and get to lay down! haha

While he’s doing the acupuncture and after he’s done, I talk to him about present and past personal problems, things that are going on in my life and things that have happened in the past that, according to some other drs. like my old shrink and a pain dr., have caused my anxiety disorder and ptsd. I think this is a way of giving him an idea of why I said I have those disorders and why I am so stressed right now so hopefully we can treat that, too. Unfortunately, i thought the massages were included in the package I got but they aren’t. They are having a special till the end of June so I have to decide if I can spend the money. A medical or deep tissue massage would really help me out. They also have Reiki and energy healing which the staff there says is amazing, but again, both are extra. The energy healing includes a little bit of everything and is over $100 for and hour and a half. It’s supposed to be great though. And i’d like to try the Reiki, which is another form of energy healing by placing their hands on or near parts of your body to help treat injuries, diseases, mental issues and while there’s no scientific evidence that this works, I’ve heard several people say they got a lot of relief from it. If I had the choice to pay for one or the other, i’d like to try the energy healer at the center I’m going to. She does several different things during her sessions and I’m really interested in seeing what comes out of it.

That’s basically all we did at this visit. I asked If I should be doing anything to change my diet before we get the test results and he decided to schedule next week’s appointment for an hour so we can go ahead and discuss changes in my diet which I’m assuming will be the gluten and dairy free diet. Not looking forward to that! But, i’ve heard great results from diet changes like this so i’m willing to do it. That will be next Thursday so I’ll be sure to fill you in on that appointment!!  Hope everyone has a great weekend! And thanks for reading and all your great responses!

Much Love from the Bionic Mom, Julie

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

My First Homeopathic Experience

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Hi there! I wanted to tell you about the new route I’m going since nothing else seems to be working. Homeopathy. I’ve tried alternative meds from home from my mom and I researching different things to try. So far the only thing that I am still taking from my moms research is Apple Cidar Vinegar, Organic Raw Unflavored which is supposed to be good for inflammation and energy. I take two tablespoons, three times a day but I still have really bad fatigue. I still take it though because it is good for the immune system and inflammation. (The link I added is the exact kind I order every time. We like this brand the best and it has to be the unflavored, organic with The "Mother". I always order two 32 oz bottles at the same time because with this company they only charge shipping once, not per bottle which saves a lot of money!)

At first I scheduled an appointment with a Rheumatologist but after reading two books written by women with Rheumatoid Arthritis and learning that seeing a homeopath and taking the alternative meds they suggest or provide helped them more than the harsh prescription meds that are bad for your immune system and can damage your liver, kidneys, lungs and other internal organs, I decided to give it a try. I went to my initial appointment last week and so far I’ve only have the one hour with him. It’s not cheap and insurance doesn’t cover this but If it works, it’s definitely worth it! And considering everything that is included, it’s not bad, really. I paid $600 (which I CAN NOT AFFORD so this better work!) for 12 visits and it not only includes seeing the homeopath and the tests he runs to check your G.I. tract and other stuff, but it also includes acupuncture, hypnosis and 5 different kinds of massage therapy.

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Last Bulging Disc Post OP

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Hey all! Sorry, again for being gone so long! I literally have Dr  appts every day, some days two appts. If they amount to any new ailment, I’ll be sure to let you know but as of now we are still just running tests. (the co-pays for all of these appts are killing me!) I am going to see a Homeopath for the first time on Thursday so after that I will tell you how that goes. I decided to make an appt. to see him after reading the book that I posted in my “Things I Love” page called, “My Enemy, My Friend” who saw (and still does) a homeopath most of her life and it helped exceedingly more than the Arthritis Meds. It’s expensive ($100 for the first one hour consultation) so I most likely won’t be able to see him regularly. The co-pays for my other appts. are breaking the bank so paying out of pocket for the homeopath will probably not be an option but again, I will tell you what he says.

Anyway, today I went for my second, and last post op visit for my bulging/herniated disc surgery.  She said everything looked fine in the x-ray. I asked her if the bones were healing or fusing okay because I have the non-union in my foot still. She said it’s hard to tell and we probably won’t see it in the x-ray, however it does take a year to completely heal so it will still take some time.

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The Worst He’s Ever Seen

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Hey everyone. So, as you may know from previous posts, I am seeing a new foot surgeon. I didn’t want to write another post about it until we came to a decision. Well, as usual it’s not good so there really isn’t anything set in stone. Here’s what we’ve been doing so far and what we’ve come up with at this point.

The last couple of visits my surgeon has done x-rays on the right foot that I already had some correction surgery on last year not just to see if the non-union has healed, but also to see what he’s looking at as far as ankle and foot surgeries. Well, to start, the non-union has made no progress in the last several months and this surgery was done last July, 2012. He (my Dr.) has had a rep. come and give me a new bone stimulator which she says should get my foot healed in a couple of months so we’ll see. This one is different than the last one because it works like an ultrasound for your foot. 20 minutes a day and that’s it. Hopefully next visit there is some progress. I AM paying $100 for this thing and that’s with financial assistance!

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A single mom with JRA… Again

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For those of you who have been wondering why I haven’t written in a while, first of all, I’m sorry for leaving you hanging. Aside from my spine surgery still healing, I also just found out that I’m getting a divorce. I haven’t been able to bring myself to write a blog entry until now. I’ve been upset, depressed, anxious, angry and all sorts of feelings as you can imagine. I thought, “How am I going to give advice when I’m feeling like this? How am I supposed to be positive and help others get through their bad days when I am barely getting through the day?”  Then I realized, “Wow. I’m a single mom again.” I have my mom here to help as she has always been but technically I am a single mom all over again.

That helped me to figure out this topic. I’m sure there are a lot of you out there that have some sort of Arthritis, even if it’s not JRA, who are also single parents. Some of you have been for years and some are newly diagnosed so this is a great way for people to get involved and tell us how you do it. How do you be a single mom and take care of the kids and the household chores when you have a bad flare? or a week of bad days? Because of the divorce, my mom has to get a job to help with the bills so she won’t always be here to help me with my daughter when she’s working. Before she didn’t work because she was helping me and taking care of my daughter when I had all my surgeries. Now I may not be able to get them.

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I’m still here

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Hi everyone. I jusy wanted to let you all know im sorry i haven’t written anything new lately. I will soon. Im still healing from my spine surgery so it’s been hard to get on the computer. I will be back soon I promise. Thanks for understanding. I am still thinking about you all and hope youre doing well. I’ll be back in a couple days.

Love from the Bionic Mom, Julie

Pushing Through The Pain

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We were asked what we do to keep this disease from taking over parts of our lives and honestly, with all my surgeries and sitting at home unable to do anything, I didn’t know how to respond. Then I thought, it doesn’t have to be anything big, just something that makes you smile, laugh and take your mind off the Arthritis even for a little while. Being around friends or family that you have fun with and make you laugh till you cry is one of the best natural pain relievers. I always temporarily forget about all my health problems when I’m smiling and having FUN!

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Go Team Believe!

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Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you that I am now part of an Arthritis Walk team called Team Believe! I can’t do the walks, but I can raise money! Each team member has their own donation page. My goal right now is $400 in 40 days!

Help me and my team raise money and help fight for a cure! Any amount helps, doesn’t matter how small. We appreciate anything you can give! I will be doing my best to continue to raise money and awareness as long as I can! I know we all want the same thing! For us and our children, we want a CURE! Please click on my link to my donation page and help us in any way you can!

Thank you in advance from the Bionic Mom!

Team Believe Donations http://awtampa.kintera.org/thebionicmom

First Bulging Disc Post Op

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Well, nothing much to report really. I went for my first post op appointment with my neurosurgeon today and the xrays looked good so far but it’s too soon to tell if the metal plates and screws are fusing correctly or not. They will know more when I go back in 6 weeks and they see the new x rays.

Other than that, they just said to wear the neck brace for another month. (NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!) And no driving until I stop wearing the brace. Again, noooooo! =) The pain is different every day. Some days it’s very bearable and others, like last night and today, it’s so bad it’s hard to breathe. But since i’m a month out, they said to just go back to taking my regular pain meds instead of giving me the stronger ones that were given to me after surgery because the pain should go away in the next 2-4 weeks. Soooo, you’re saying just deal with the wicked pain until then? ugh oh well, I’ve had worse pain before! But this is bad when it’s bad! I could not sleep last night. Tossing and turning for a few hours!

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House Wife By Choice or Default??

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I know many woman who chose to be a housewife or stay at home mom.  It’s a great choice for many people, including my mom who was a house wife and stay at home mom to six kids! She was like supermom and suzie homemaker, having the kids off to school, several loads of laundry done, baked goods almost every day, meals cooked, house cleaned… You name it, she did it. Every day! That was her choice and she was happy with her decision. And she was good at it. Many women make that same choice every day. Should I be a working mom or a stay at home mom? A working wife or house wife? Either way, it was their choice.

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