May end up in hospital (slipped disk again, getting worse, #52)

[Kirsten]

My health, the neverending story...

Today's the first day I'm feeling better after my stomach flu, but what's bothering me now is a bad sciatic nerve pain in my left leg, radiating from my lower back... Been dealing with back pains for a while again, and the sciatic pain started last Monday, but this morning, it became REALLY bad.

All this reminds a lot of the last weeks before my back surgery in 2004, when I had that herniated disk. I spoke to a befriended nurse on the phone this morning, and she said that what I decribed sounds very much like a another slipped disk. She also reminded me that, in case of numbness in my leg, I'd have to go to ER immediately. It's been the same in 2004, btw.

So don't be surprised when I'm suddenly missing, even thought I will try to keep you imformed, if possible. But sometimes this goes very fast, so I don't know if there's any time left.

The bad thing is, I don't have anyone to look after Luna and Lily this time. My mother just had knee surgery, and is still in bad pain. I just don't know how to organize this, especially when there's no time!

So please keep your fingers crossed that the hospital can be avoided! I'm really tired of all this crap, but it never seems to end for me... I must have been a very bad person in my previous life!

Kirsten

[wombat2u2004]

Ahhhh Kirsten, you are having a bit of a bad run huh ????
You take care now mate, and look after yourself.

Can you arrange a neighbour or someone to look after the cats ????
Wom

[Kirsten]

Can you arrange a neighbour or someone to look after the cats ????

I would prefer not to. But that's complicated to explain in an open forum... I'll pm you.

[Medusa]

Have you tried acupuncture for sciatica, Kirsten? My son has sciatica and he had acupuncture done and it relieved the pain. I don't think he's had any sciatica since.

[Kirsten]

Have you tried acupuncture for sciatica, Kirsten? My son has sciatica and he had acupuncture done and it relieved the pain. I don't think he's had any sciatica since.

No, I haven't. Accupuncture isn't paid by the health insurances here.

Kirsten

[Medusa]

No, I haven't. Accupuncture isn't paid by the health insurances here.

Kirsten

I'm not sure what the cost would be there, Kisten, but here it varies. I paid $80 a session when I had it done for arthritis and it decreases if you buy a package. My son needed only one session to get relief. I'm sorry that you're in such pain. I know that sciatica is excruciating.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm very sorry that you may have to go to the hospital!

You don't deserve to have all these health problems (and you seem like such a nice person I'm sure you were in any previous lives, too). I hope things work out- it isn't good to be feeling guilty about leaving your cats on top of feeling bad from an illness. (Though I understand- could you hire a pet service to come a few times while you are gone?)

[happylabs]

So sorry you are having back problems. I am saying some prayers for you today. Hope things work out. Maybe you will not have to go to the hospital. Wish I was your neighbor. I would take care of your kitties anyday. And you too! Hugs and prayers.

[Pinot's Mom]

I'm sorry you're in such pain, Kirsten, and hope things work out. Keep us posted if you can.

[Randi]

Kirsten, I'm so sorry about your health problems, I hope you won't have to go to hospital.

I can see it's a problem having Luna and Lily taken care of if anything should happen and I was thinking... perhaps you could start a Meet-up group in your area for catsitting. The group we have here works very well. We meet every now and again to have dinner, either in town or at someone's house. That way we can find out who we "click" with and who have the same attitude to cats.

Here's a link to our group. The founder of it is Dagmar Fink and German, by the way.

http://www.meetup.com/cat-sitting

I searched in the Hannover area, but could not find a catsitting group there.

Hope you feel better soon

[Kirsten]

Thank you everyone! I wish I had you all as neighbors, so I wouldn't have to worry about my girls! I know you'd take good care of them!

Randi, there IS actually such a group (at least something similar to that) that was recently founded in my hometown, and I was already thinking about attending one of their meetings (the next one is next Friday, I think). It's a bunch of cat loving people and the idea is to make friends and to help out in cases like this. But of course I've got to get to know them first before I would entrust my precious girls with any of them, and that would take a while. I hope I'm not running out of time now...

Mary, if I could be sure that only one session helps, it may be worth a try. But I guess I'd better have that MRI first. When the pain's really coming from a herniated disk, there should something be done about that. But in case they cannot find out the cause for the Sciatica, acupuncture may be an option.

Kirsten

[carole]

Oh dearest Kirsten, i am so sorry you are dealing with this, i know how it feels to be in constant pain, and i am much older than you, it is not fair for one so young to have to deal with so much,i do hope you can find some pain relief that works for you and eases it for you soon.

Can you put the kitties in a cattery if necessary, although not the ideal choice i know, but maybe the only one ,i wish you luck with finding some nice people to help you out with your situation and fingers and paws all crossed you don't even have to go to hospital and that you can get well soon, take care and thinking of you, and yes i would be there if i could to, not only to help with your kitties but you as well,if only someone here on PT lived close by,if only.

Take care and HUGS.

[Randi]

Kirsten, I feel the same way as you do about getting to know people before trusting anyone to catsit Fister. The website of the group I'm a part of, can be rather slow, but when people join, an Excel sheet is sent to everyone with names, adresses and tel. no. - plus the part of town/country where they live. I noticed a girl from Luxemburg who had just arrived and didn't know anybody, so I called her. We're now very good friends and visit each other every so often.

You know, most people are a bit shy to begin with, so we went together to the second meeting I attended and also took her along to meet Dali's mom, which was perfect as they both speak French.

The cat I catsat first was Malcolm, his mom wrote on the site: "Randi is the best catsitter ever". I like her because of that, but also because she is a real animal lover. She always adopts older cats. When I was in Scotland, she came to look after and cuddle with Fister and I had complete confidence that she would do a good job.

When I catsat Malcolm, she had a professional service come in morning - it cost a fortune and they didn't do a good job at all! After that experience, she has started her own catsitting business alongside the Meet-up group. See her site here:

http://kattepasser.dk/

Well, what I want to get across is... get to know other catlovers you can trust!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Kirsten, I feel so bad for you. I also know what it's like to have constant pain. Sciatica is brutal. I had to have extensive physical therapy and get my TENS unit when I last had a flareup. It is no fun. My thoughts and prayers are going out to you. You have had your share and more of heartbreak!!

[Kirsten]

Thanks for your moral support anyone! The good thing is, my physiotherapist made an appointment for me with an orthopedic specialist in Göttingen tomorrow, and I hope that one will get me a quick apppointment for an MRI. My doctor said this morning that - if she would send me - it would take up to 8 weeks until I'll get that appointment, so she suggested to have a specialist involved.

Randi, that catsitting group sounds very nice, and it doesn't surprise me that you've been called "the best catsitter ever"! I wish you'd live closer, so I could hire you!

Kirsten