Day 72 Prince Marty

Prince Marty.

Talk about finding a Prince among the frogs! After years of all sorts of physical therapists – chiropractors, osteopaths, myotherapists, acupuncturists, physiotherapists – and all their different approaches, from acupuncture and cupping, to TENS machines, ultra sound therapy and traction – Marty is the first person to ask for an xRay of my neck. I have little range of motion and much pain, and everyone has ignored me about it. Turns out I have 2 large “spurs” on either side of my neck that is actually more osteo arthritis. No wonder I’m in pain there, and it responds to anti-inflammatory cream! He thinks the erosion has been going on for over 20 years, and if someone had caught it sooner, I may have been able to prevent the amount of damage I now have. He confirmed my instincts by saying that my neck can’t be manipulated anymore. That’s a good thing to know.

It's not enough to look at the pictures - I've got to consistently do the work!

He knows how committed I am to improving my functioning this year to the highest level possible, as well as reducing my pain levels to the lowest. He patiently gave me wonderful advice about specific exercises, and what I should be doing to make sure I can keep the impact of the osteo arthritis to as minimal a level as possible. It’s the last thing a person with Fibromyalgia needs! I will go back to Melbourne, find a new place to move into after my lease is up in April, and then establish a specific exercise routine with hydrotherapy (the MOST important), Yoga, strength training, and a try out Pilates, the one thing I have never done. It has always scared me a little because of the importance of an excellent teacher so no damage is done to my muscles, and it’s quite expensive, as well. However, I really need to strengthen my core muscles, so I think I’ll have to give it a go. If I don’t like it, I’ll get the same result with Yoga – it just takes longer, which is okay.

Of course, I am now exhausted and sore, but feel contented and happy because I met the challenge of getting there via a bit of complicated public transport (train and bus each way), and got all the information and treatment I had been wanting since I last saw him in January.

I will come back to Sydney in May to see both him (and my doctor) again. I asked if I was their farthest commuting patient, and they said no, they have someone who comes from Western Australia to see them (about a 4-5 hour plane trip). So I’m not the only person who will travel as far as necessary to get the best possible treatment!

I am so grateful to have found someone who can help me the way Marty is. It’s scary to think how my neck could have gone undiagnosed without him – and then I probably wouldn’t have been able to move it at all in a few years.

He is also the first person to take my “twitches” seriously. I told him how I have twitches and “pulses” that I feel in my back when lying down, and he told me the name for them, which I’ve forgotten, and said I need to increase my intake of magnesium, which I’m already taking, but obviously not enough. Everyone else just implied I was weird. (Well, I KNOW that, but what’s it got to do with the twitches?!)

I wish anyone reading this good luck with finding more princes/princesses than frogs/froglets. It makes a complete difference to how well you can handle any health condition, and your general state of well being.

Now I’m out of spoons and tomorrow will be a day off to recuperate from today.

I’m just feelin’ tired, but grateful …