Finally some pain relief!

I have been in so much pain it drives me crazy.  I don't want to get out of bed in the morning because each step feels I have glass grinding away in my hip joint.  I don't want to do any standing because I feel like someone is stabbing me in my hip.  Even sitting and lying down is uncomfortable because I can't escape the pain.  Thinking is practically impossible because the pain consumes all my brain power.  On top of all this, I am exhausted from lack of sleep.  Even if I fall asleep I will be up at 3 am because I moved my leg the wrong way while I was sleeping.  Good luck falling back to sleep after that.



Before, to escape from the pain, I used vicodin, sparingly.  You only want to use it sparingly for a number of reasons.  One, you can get addicted to it.  Second, you can build up a tolerance, meaning that it may not work so well for pain in the future, like if I were to have a big surgery.  Thirdly, vicodin can also cause stomach problems, and I already have a sensitive stomach.  Furthermore, the pain relief wore off after 4 hours.  After the pain relief wore off, my pain would come back with a vengeance.



Good news though, I found a NSAID that actually gives me pain relief.  I was really skeptical when the doctor handed me the prescription for this.  No other NSAID has ever worked for me in the pass, and believe me, I have tried a lot.  This particular NSAID is called Voltaren.  It is a gel that I can rub on up to 4 times a day.  I have a strip to measure out how many grams I am using, then I just rub it all over the front of my hip, my groin, side, and butt.  The directions say not to put on clothes for 10 minutes while it dries, so I hang out naked for 10 minutes and watch youtube videos.  Youtube videos are an easy way to time 10 minutes.




It works like a miracle!  I still have pain walking and standing, but 10 minutes after I rub this gel on, my pain is practically gone while I am sitting or lieing down.  This means I can sit and get some work done and I can fall asleep at night.  Even in the morning, after the effects have worn off, my pain is not as intense as it has been in the past.


The only thing is that the side effects are kinda scary. 

• Stomach pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn or indigestion (dyspepsia)
• Gas
• Unexplained bleeding
• Ulcer in the stomach or intestines (peptic ulcer)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anemia
• Dizziness
• Swelling
• Increase in liver enzymes
• Headache
• Itching
• Unexplained rash
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus).  

I think I actually overdosed on it one day.  It says I can use up to 4 grams 4 times a day.  Well, when I first tried the product I was using 2 grams once a day.  Then one day I got wild and crazy and used 4 grams three times in one day.  After that dose I got really nausea, my head ached, and  my stomach started cramping up very painfully.  Then I couldn't sleep that night because of my stomach pain. Now I either use 4 grams twice a day or 2 grams four times a day.  I am careful not to use to go over 8 grams in one day.

This stuff has really changed my life.  Being in pain is really awful.  It is my hope that I won't have to use the product for the long term though because I am looking for a surgeon to fix my hip for good.




Right now I am going to go put some Voltaren gel on and clean my house because we are having company this weekend for our BBQ!




P.S.
If you are suffering from arthritis pain, I would definitely talk to your doctor about this.  You should also, discuss all the possible side-effects with your doctor, and if you can use this for long term use.  This product is not meant to be used on your hip, it is actually meant for smaller joints, such as your elbow, wrist or ankle.  I would defiantly talk to your doctor about weather you can use this on larger joints or on your back if that is where your arthritis pain is.  I have a lot of pack pain but I would be hesitant to use this product close to my spinal cord.

I Saw the Plastic Surgeon Today plus my Botox experience

Today I went to go see a plastic surgeon for a surgery consultation.  Can you guess what for?

No not for these silly.

No not for this.  I like my pencil lips, thank you very much.

No not for this either.  Although, I think Ashlee Simpson has a great nose job.  But I can just use strategic shading with makeup to make my nose as cute as a button.

Yes, it was for this guy right here.  You see, almost all of the hand and wrist surgeons in the Bay Area are also plastic surgeons.  This is California and I am assuming these surgeons make a lot more money off of plastic surgery than with wrist surgery.  The plastic surgeon was very kind and reiterated what my previous doctor, Dr. Shieu said about my wrist.  I can do the surgery to release the tendon in my hand and that should help with the pain in my hand.  I can also have a surgery to remove the ganglion cyst in my wrist and that might help with the wrist pain but it is hard to say.

The plastic surgeon also calmed my fears about my wrist and hand getting worse.  He said it probably wont get much worse but I could develop trigger finger later on.    If I can deal with the pain, which I can, it is alright to delay surgery as long as I like, or choose not to have surgery at all.

The surgery would also keep me out of work for one week.  (Oh yeah, I got a job!)  I think I will wait on the wrist surgery for another year since I am dealing with my impending hip surgery now.  I will wait until I am recovered and off of crutches.  My wrist pain is manageable compared to my hip.








Now I want to tell you about my botox experience.  Since I was already seeing a plastic surgeon about my wrist, what better time to ask about botox?  So I told the doctor about my twitchy eye.  My eye twitches like there is no tomorrow.  It happens when I am especially stressed out.  For example, when I took an organic chemistry class from hell, during finals week, or when starting a new job (like right now).  My eye has been going crazy.  I explained the twitch to the doctor.  How long it usually last, what direction it twitches in, ect. 



The doctor thought that the botox might help and he said he would do a little experiment with me to see.  He offered to give me a botox injection for free, since I would only be needing a couple of units, and he had a free sample that the manufacture just sent him.  The doctor was nice and chatty and he even knew where Western Washington University was, in Bellingham, WA, my home town.  Chatting about my home town really calmed my nerves and distracted me from the needle coming towards my eye.  He gave me three quick shots where my crows feet are and it didn't hurt a bit.

It has been 3 hours since the injection and my eye hasn't twitched since.  In fact my eye feels fantastic.  I feels like it just had a great massage, so relaxed.  My eye doesn't look any different; it is not droopy and I can still smile.  My eye feels so relaxed I just want to bath in a tub of botox.  I wish my whole body could feel as good as my, no longer twitchy, eye feels.  In the future I think I will get botox again for my twitchy eye and also for my tension headaches.  These are the things that botox was originally developed for.  I will keep you posted on the long term results, since it has only been 3 hours since the injection, I don't know if the effects will last.

Would you ever get botox?  Either for beauty reason or for medical reasons?  

Star Sightings

Star light, star bright
The first star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight

Rainbow Bright really  had it right with her star style.  She was doing it long before stars became a trend.  Rainbow Bright was so confident in her star style that she even got a star tattooed next to her eye.  Or maybe that was a birthmark.

Speaking of star style, have you all seen the new fall print for Dolce & Gabbana?  It is TOO-DIE-FOR.  Move over hearts and rainbows, stars are coming to town.  Many celebrities have been spotted wearing this gorgeous star print, so it was hard not to notice this new trend.

Kim Kardashian in D&G

Fergie in D&G

Solange Knowles in D&G

Kim Kardashian in D&G

Miley Cyrus in D&G

 

Rose Byrne in D&G

Olivia Wilde in D&G

Britney Spears in D&G

Jessica Alba in D&G

Anne Hathaway in D&G

Nicki Minaj in D&G

Aren't these star prints just dazzling?  I think the blue dress Miley Cyrus is wearing is my favorite.  I have some more star prints to show you from some other designers.  Take a look.

Ashley Tisdale in Wildfox Couture

Lala in a blouse from TopShop

Chanel Spring 2008 runway

YSL runway

I shopped around to find my own star style at affordable prices.  Unfortunately stars have not come to Target yet, but I did see some cute star prints at the shopping mall over the weekend.

JCPenny's Junior Tee $7

JCPenny's Junior Tee $7

Wet Seal Tank $27

Converse $60

Of course you can find more fabulous star prints online, especially on ebay.  Let me show you what I found online.

Zara $40

Ebay $9

Sierra Trading Post $9

Zara $20

Wet Seal $7

What better way to incorporate a trend into your wardrobe than with a scarf.  You can tie it around your handbag, wrap it in your hair, or wear it around your neck.  The best thing about a scarf is that it doesn't care if you pack on 5lbs during winter, it will still fit just the same. 

So what do you all think of this trend?  Do you love it as much as I do?

My hip blister = delaminated labrum

In my previous posts I talked about a blister I have in my hip and I couldn't remember the actual name for it.  Well, a fellow hippie gal e-mailed me to tell me the actual name for the blister.  It is called a delaminated labrum for those of you wondering.


Thanks for e-mailing me.  We hippie gals need to stick together!

5 Things on My Christmas Wish List

We all do it.  Daydream about all the things money can buy.  It many cases, we don't have all the money in the world, so we can't buy everything we want.  Or maybe you do have the money, but know that it would be better to spend your money elsewhere, or save for the future.  Even though it is normal to want all these material things, it is important to reflect on the things that you already have.  In everyday life we get so busy, we forget to take a little time to count our blessings.  Sometimes, we don't realize how blessed we are until we are at risk of losing the things and people we love.  So please take a moment to count your blessings. Even if you feel like your life is crumbling down around you, or you are really stressed out with the grind of daily life, there is always something in our lives that we can be thankful for.  Your favorite T-shirt, your best friend, your favorite aunt and the meal you ate for breakfast are all simple blessings that you can reflect on. 

Now that we have remembered to be thankful for all the things we DO have, lets take a moment out of our day to daydream about all the delicious things we want, even if we can't afford these.

On to my Christmas Wish List.  I know what you're thinking.  Isn't it too early to start your Christmas Wish List?  Baby, I started my Christmas Wish List on February 22nd; the day after my birthday. That is right; all the things I didn't get for my birthday go on my Christmas Wish List for that year.  It is never to early to start your Christmas Wish List.

Santa Baby, I've been an awfully good girl
Santa honey, I wanna yacht
and really that's
not a lot
I've been an angel all year!
Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing.......

1)  Tria $400

An at home laser hair removal gun that you can plug into the wall.
I am a hairy young lady.  I spend a lot of money on waxing and shaving.  Think of all the money I would save in the long run if I could have this Tria.  Actually Santa, if you don't get this for me, I think my dad should have to buy this for me.  My hairy genes came from my dad's side of the family.  Thanks Dad.

2) Kindle $114

An electronic tablet to read books on.
This girl here, reads A LOT of fricken books.  It is quit the hobby of mine.  Well, I can't run, jump, do cartwheels, yoga, play kick-the-can, or go surfing.  Therefore, I have to stay occupied somehow.  Going to the library is great, but it is hard to find the book I want.  Actually, it costs $0.50 everytime you put a book on hold at the library.  A book on kindle only costs $1 and I don't even want to think about where all those germy library books have been.  ewwwwww.

3)  15-Year Anniversary Eyeshadow Collection from Urban Decay $55

This eye shadow palette appropriately comes in 15 breathtaking colors.  Go see for yourself how gorgeous these colors are.  I completely fell in love with all every single shadow color.  The colors are so yummy I want to eat them.

4) Hello Kitty T shirt $10

There is hardly a kitty more adorable than Hello Kitty.  Likewise, there is hardly an item of clothing more comfortable than a T-shirt.  Put the two together and what do you got?  An adorable comfy T-shirt.  Who could ask for anything more?

5) Window Washer and Squeegee combined  $8

Why you ask?  Because I love me some clean glass.  There is a lot of glass in my house, glass window, glass mirrors, glass shower doors.  It is exhausting to keep up trying to clean all this glass and to top it off, I am short.  At 5'3"  I can't reach the top of most my windows and mirrors.  Please Santa, I need a window washing squeegee.  I could totally see Gavin getting me this for Christmas.  He likes to get me practical gifts.  For Christmas one year he got me a toothbrush (bless his heart) and then the following year for Valentine's day he got me a Hot and Cold pack for my hip and a bulk bag of Hershey Kisses.


What fun items are on your Christmas Wish List?  Come on, don't tell me you havn't thought about it.

5 Things you should be disinfecting right now.

Definition of DISINFECT

transitive verb

: to free from infection especially by destroying harmful microorganisms; broadly : cleanse

1)  Under your fingernails
Give your fingernails a good scrub with a brush and soap and water.


2) Keyboard
Use an alcohol wipe to wipe down each key, and your mouse.


3) Car Steering Wheel
Use a hand sanitizer wipe to wipe down your steering wheel.




4)Cell Phone
Use an alcohol wipe to wipe down all surfaces of your cellphone.


5) Purse handle
Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down plastic and leather purse handles.