Today I have 800 days of freedom. I certainly struggled at first but, somehow, I had a very strong feeling that this would be my forever quit. I had surgery in November and had both of my upper lobes of my lungs removed because of advanced emphysema. They were just “trapping” air and I was always short of breath because there was no space to utilize the air I was inhaling. I am still short of breath but it is definitely not as severe. I can walk to my car without needing to stop or gasping for breath once I get there. I do use oxygen at night but do not need it 24/7, I can handle it at night, the 24/7 would be so restrictive that I don’t even want to think about it.
I had spine xrays and an MRI of my spine done a couple of weeks ago and I was really hoping that there would be some way to slow the acceleration of my degenerative disc disease but there appears to be nothing that can be done to slow it. I have severe scoliosis with a curvature and now a rotation of my spine, I have recently been experiencing pain that is followed by one leg giving out and the other feeling like someone is pouring ice water on it. NOT my idea of fun! In any event, the MRI showed severe arthritis from my neck to my sacrum and the only intervention that is even possible is an epidural into one space that still exists. My entire lumbar spine has collapsed on itself but there looks to be a tiny space that might be able to be injected to stop the pain and the nerve involvement. My rheumatologist is looking into getting me into a pain clinic in the next month or so. The pain has been ridiculous at work, I stand the entire time I am there (6.5 hours) and I am in tears on my way home. Last week, I had one of my coworkers stuff an icebag into my back brace, it made me look even more crooked than usual but it HELPED. I may plan on that regularly.
One of my many excuses for smoking was because I was in so much pain…like cigarettes really EVER did anything for the pain. I can tell you that the pain did not change a bit after I quit, I know now that smoking will not change anything except for your body…and NOT in a good way. I am so happy to be celebrating 800 days!
My love and thanks to all of you who have helped me in this journey, no matter how many days or months or years that you have. I could not have come this far without you!
Ellen
