June of 2009 my 6 month MRI showed no changes and I was cleared to go back to MRIs once yearly. Starting in December I began having peculiar pains in my right wrist, hand and fingers. I would lose feeling, experience cramping in my fingers and have shock like pain inmy wrist. The nerve pain in my legs was starting to occur earlier in the evening and I was occasionally waking up with a stiff neck. By the first week of January my hand was feeling so bad at work, I was unable to perform my job tasks as efficiently as before. Becoming worried I made an appointment with Dr. Mrugala who follows me regularly for my NF (Neurofibromatosis.) Dr. Mrugala ran a few tests and determined that the hand pain, loss of feeling and cramping was carpal tunnel. A brace was perscribed to wear while sleeping, typing, or working at the bank.
By February, the leg pain was starting earlier and earlier in the day, sometimes as earlier as lunch time. The carpal tunnel symptoms were about the same, but starting in my left hand as well. My neck pain was increasing and I woke up with a stiff neck almost every morning.
During a follow up appointment on March 9th, Dr. Mrugala asked how wearing the brace was going and I informed him it was helping a little but I was feeling similar symptoms in my left hand. He suggested I get a brace for the left hand and wear it as much as possible too. For the neck he suggested that I get a orthopedic pillow, however I already have one but decided it was time to replace the 10 year old pillow. For the increased leg pain Dr. Mrugala raised the amount of my nerve blocker I take before I go to sleep each night.
By the end of March I realizes the extent of my neck pain when I couldn't turn my neck to check my blind spot while driving. I promptly made an appointment with Dr. Tanner who is my general doctor at the Issaquah clinic. After x-rays and full exam she prescribed physical therapy and massage therapy which I began right away. The PT and MT began to help by decreasing my pain and increasing my range of motion.
In May, the carpal tunnel symptoms were about the same but my leg pain was occurring as early in the day as 8:30 am. I was miserable. I began to understand why old people in pain seek Dr. assisted suicide. I would never take my own life but the amount of pain and uncomfortable feelings I was experiencing made me understand why someone might. I called my case manager at Dr. Mrugala’s office and asked her to help me and asked if I could have an MRI of my neck when I was to have the next brain MRI in June. After talking to Dr. Mrugala and he not only agreed that I could have the neck MRI in June but prescribed additional pain killers to keep me sane.
By the end of May, I was no longer able to receive PT due to a cap on my insurance but still had coverage for my massage therapy. The leg pain was ruling my life and I hated taking pain killers everyday but needed to survive.
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