U of P Twice in one Week

I went to the U of P with my husband last week and with my daughter this week. They were both told that structurally they do not need joint replacements. Their pain most likely comes from inflamation. My husband got steriods to mitigate the inflamation. My daughter got sent to another doctor.

My husband is a lot better after a few days of steriods. Beth is still in pain but I can tell she is relieved that she is not full of arthritis or bone deteriorization. The miniscus transplant may have shrunk some or it might be inflamed from a low level of rejection. That means she may also be helped by steriods or anti-inflamatories but they want her to see a specialist in meniscus transplant. Her actual bones are not so far deteriorated as to need a knee replacement.

The orthodpedist did not say this but I have read it in addiction literature. The body may send out pain signals in response to drug cravings in people in early recovery. They are not inventing their pain. They actually feel pain as opposed to drug craving. But it is the craving that gives them the pain.

I told Beth, that if this is the case, she will have a lot less pain in 6 months. I do find it odd though that my husband never did any drugs and his diagnosis is the same. Your bone structure does not require an operation, yet your pain is debilitating.

We will see what the meniscus transplant surgeon has to say. AT any rate, she knows that I am working with her.

Josh is coming home soon he says. He knows that Beth will stay with us as long is we can keep her. He seems to accept this now instead of fighting it. It might have something to do with the funeral he attended this past week. The brother of a friend of his died in an ATV accident. Death has a way of putting life in perspective doesn't it?

Beth has continued to take her mood stabelizer, anticonvulsant and antipsychotic medication in the same ammounts. She has not taken her antidepressants anymore. She says that at this point, she does not miss them.

Thank you for your prayers. We passed the third week which is most usually the crisis time for her. We are now well into the fourth week. Please pray for her and for us.

  It feels much better to be helping her. We know she is safe at night in her bed. I have now cut back my daily antidepressant and every other day xanax use to every other day for the antidepressasnt and once or twice a week for the xanax. I know that I am doing all I can for her right now. I am not torn apart and conflicted in my own emotions. That is where we are today.

It is a relief to be able to ask for your prayers. I suppose I could do it in my church but I am not somehow brave enough and I also feel it would be violating Beth's privacy here in her hometown. I am grateful that we have become blogger friends and that I can ask you to pray for us.