As an added extra - lucky me - I also have DISH (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) which is basically a build up of bone spurs along the tendons and ligaments that join the skeleton together. Most suffers are men (65%), most people get it when they are 65 or older - but just to buck the trend I was diagnosed in my late 40s and seem to have it in places that it doesn't normally occur, like my hips. I also have it all down my spine (the most common place), as well as large spurs in my knees, ankles and feet.
Most recently I have been diagnosed with a frozen right shoulder and today I am off to have injection number 3 - hydrodilation is its correct term, which I believe is pumping the shoulder joint full of saline fluid to try and break up the scar tissue which has for some reason formed and is severely limiting the movement of my shoulder and is causing me a lot of pain.
Pain has become a constant in my life, especially in the last 2 years or so and given that I can't take strong pain killers as I am allergic to codeine, and anti-inflamatories don't agree with me either, massage and stretching exercises (which I admit I don't do as much of as I should) keep me going. I have also tried glucosamine and fish oil - but have found no relief from them either.
My masseuse commented on Tuesday that she is surprised that I am always smiling, but really what is the alternative - passing on how I really feel inside - sore, angry, sad, frustrated - to those around me. It's not their fault that I am in pain besides I can still walk and work and play - albeit no adventure sports for me, but really curling up with a good book has always been my sort of sport - I am a 5 star girl after all, more on that in another post.
All of us have burdens to bear and this seems to be one of mine, what makes me saddest of all though is that I have passed this onto my children - 3 of which have bad knees already and the daughter who has good knees has my bad lower back - so I can only hope and pray that this is the extent of their problems and that by the time they get to my age there are new treatments and if not that I am still around to support them just as my mother has been for me.
And while pain is a constant, I also have been blessed to have meet and married a wonderful man who willingly takes on tasks around the house that I am unable to do and who loves me with all my faults (and not just the physical ones), so I truly do have a lot to smile about.
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