Ouch!

About 14 years ago I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. It all started with my feet KILLING me! Then my whole body started bothering me. I remember going to the doctor and the first thing they said when they saw my feet, is that I needed to have surgery-- on my bunions. Nope! My bunions were fine, it was my right heel that hurt... a LOT! First they gave me cortisone shots. The shots helped for a couple of weeks, so then I got another one; which, again only lasted a couple of weeks. Well, we couldn't keep this up. They still really didn't know what my problem was, so they said it was probably Fibromyalgia.  I knew it was not, and that it had something to do with my feet, since that is where the pain had started.

A few months before all this, my mom started having the same issues. She had gone to a doctor that diagnosed her with plantar fasciitis and put her in this weird brace to sleep in. It didn't work, and the only thing it did was give her cramps in her leg. After she had worn this brace for awhile, she had heard about Birkenstock shoes. In fact, my youngest sister wore them often. Mom gave them a try and has been wearing them ever since with minimal heel pain. Since they worked for her, I decided to give them a try, and I have also had minimal pain, until lately.

It all started with a pain on the right side of my neck. I went from about half way up my neck and down my shoulder. I even had a little swelling over my collar bone. At first I didn't think much of it, thinking maybe I just slept wrong. After two weeks, I started to worry. The swelling was still there and so was the pain. I really hate going to the doctor, but after my last episode, I decided to go. As usually, the pain was poo pooed, and I was sent home. They did say to maybe try some physical therapy and wrote up some orders. I found that it was going to cost me $75 a week, and wasn't sure that was my answer so I did not go. About a week later, I remember my right foot really, REALLY hurting me; like I could hardly walk on it. Felt just like the plantar fasciitis I had years ago. Soon, my whole body was hurting. I hurt to lay in bed, it hurt to stand or sit. Every part of my body (except for my hair) HURT! So, back to the doctor. Again, I felt like an idiot. They checked my for fibromyalgia, and thankfully, that was not it. Then they took some blood work and told me the results should be back in a week.

Fast forward a week, and all blood work negative. That's a good thing, but now what? I was told I was fine. So, if I'm fine, then why am I hurting. "I don't know" was the answer. I got really angry at the poor girl, said a few choice words (no R or X rated words), and hung up on her. I then left for the pool. That seems to be the only place lately that I feel little pain.

When I got back from the gym, I had a phone call from the doctor office and they wanted me to come it. After talking to the nurse practitioner, I was reminded that I had been bitten by a spider about six weeks ago, so they checked me for adverse reaction to bug/spider bites. In the meantime, I was given a pain killer (that I can only take for five days) and sent home. A few days later, negative on that. *sigh*

So now what? I guess I could move my bed up to the pool, but not sure that would be the best idea. I'm going to give this another week, then see what my next step is, that is if I'm still in this pain. I feel like an old lady. When I first get out of bed or up from a sitting position for awhile, it really hurts! I really don't want to be on pain medication, as I don't do well on those...AT ALL! 

So, in the mean time, I will be swimming and stretching my body, as both those things feel good to me. I might even go get a massage...