Lungs
People are amazing
1There is hope on the horizon. A couple of friends saw my last entry and spread the word. In a single day I’ve been given enough money to pay for my nerve block. I will be calling the hospital first thing on Monday to schedule it.
Thank you all so much for your support! Honestly, I couldn’t be more grateful. There are not words to describe how happy I am to know this is happening. I literally cried. Ah! And now I’m tearing up again.
Again, thank you all so much. I’ll keep you all updated on the situation. I’m also getting back to telling my story. It’s so hard to relive some of it, if only in words.
Much love.
Feeling desperate
1Not sure how much longer I can go without my nerve block. Despite having taken all the meds I’m allowed (and my sleep meds), I still feel like I’m being stabbed in the lung with a hot poker. At least I’m no longer on the verge of throwing up, partially thanks to Tums. This is the longest I’ve ever been without a nerve block. 10 months. But of course, I can’t afford it, since I’m finally up to what I used to make after having been unemployed/underemployed for so long and just affording to be able to live. If I could afford it, I’d schedule the appointment in a minute.
Edit: Super special thanks to @Dgcakes on Twitter who is a wonderful and amazing person
To block or not to block
2I was going to try to wait as long as possible for my injection(s), but the pain is catching up to me faster than I anticipated. This last nerve block never took as well as my previous ones, so that might be why the pain seems to be coming back so fast.
I need to ask if they think this is because of the meds used in the last one. I was in a study that used different meds to put me “out”. I use the quotes since the block is intercostal (around my lungs) so I have to be awake, though I generally don’t remember much of it. There is the possibility I am just better off getting it done at Rush in Oak Park, rather than Rush in Chicago as Oak Park supposedly has better equipment. A year ago I had a block done in Chicago and that was fine, so who knows.
Most importantly I have to see if I can get Dr. Amin or a resident on the phone to discuss this. At least it’s not necessary for me to go to the office before scheduling the block. Specialist visits are costing me $50 each this year. Considering I almost ONLY see specialists that puts even more of a strain on my already strained pocketbook.
Then comes the trouble of finding someone to take me. I still have to wait at least a month, so I guess we’ll see how this shapes up.