Alternatives

Who doesn't look for an alternative? So did I (quiet a few), to get a relief from the constant throbbing pain and swelling. My fingers, toes, wrists, ankles, knees, shoulder, basically all the joints were swollen while I was still waiting for the appointment. I had to remove my wedding ring 'cos it was too tight now that my fingers were swollen to double its size.

I did all kinds of research online and even thought of going to one of those Chinese medicine shops where they advertised cure for arthritis (self diagnosing that it is arthritis) When me and my mom were reading the posters outside the Chinese shop, a lady came out and asked if she could help. We mentioned that we are looking for arthritis treatment but we are not sure if its arthritis. She looked at my mom and asked her age. I told her that its me with the problem and not my mother. She couldn't believe it and she is like "you are so young" (Chinese accent).That was it, we din't enter the Chinese medicine shop.

In the meantime my Dad suggested that I see an Ayurvedic Doctor in London, I agreed and I was given loads of different tablets, massage oil and tonics to help reduce the symptoms. I really do not know if it gave me any relief. It was like a placebo!

People say 'Patience is virtue' but not in my case and surely not with all the pain. So, I decided to go see a private doctor (Rheumatologist). I got an appointment with the doctor within a week. I was eagerly waiting and also hoping that the doctor would give me medications and I would get cured (lot of expectations). When me and my husband went to see him, the first question that he asked was 'how was I going to pay?' which meant medical insurance or cash. I felt like whacking him on the head with the pen stand that was on his table and telling him to first ask the reason for my visit !!

Anyways, once he found out that I was paying him cash, he took my case history (30mins 'cos he was writing so slowly) and did an examination. After 45mins he put his hands on his head and mentioned that without further tests he can't really tell what the problem is and suggested that I continue with the pain killers till the next visit. So, he gave me a list of tests that was needed to be done. Thats all!!

I visited him again after a week when all the reports were ready. Guess what, he said that there was one more test that was required and an MRI scan also and only then he could diagnose. I did tell him that my normal appointment is in September but I couldn't tolerate the pain so I thought of going private. I thought he could understand my situation, but he was like it could be rheumatoid arthritis or lupus or rupus and started explaining about the DNA structure. Now he was testing my patience so I said that I know about DNA 'cos I am a dentist. That made him shut his trap- howzatt ;)) After that he started talking about the various possibilities what my problem could be. So I asked him ''which is a good disease to have?'' He was dumbstruck. Guess he thought I had gone nuts !!

I was running around like a headless chicken to get the tests done so that my problem gets diagnosed at the earliest. So as soon as I had all the reports of MRI and test, I called his office for appointment and the receptionist said that he has gone on a holiday to Egypt for 2 weeks and he din't even bother to mention it to me that he will not be available for 2 weeks. That was the end of the so called 'treatment'.

 All my efforts went in vain. After all that I din't bother to go to any other doctors and was waiting for it to be September. I repent going to that doc and also not whacking that b*****d.

Ooh Aah Ouch !!!

The whole four months while I was waiting to be diagnosed, the days went by so slowly and painfully. I was waiting for it to be September so that I could go to the doctor. Never in my life did I want to go to a doctor so badly. Recalling of what I went through still makes me scared.

I had pain getting up in the morning (mornings are the worst), taking a shower (I so hated taking a shower 'cos I couldn't move my hands), wearing clothes (bought clothes which I din't have to slip over my head),  buttons were nightmare..the only thing I did was Ooh Aah Ouch!!!

Ooh Aah Ouches start early morning and it used to continue for the rest of the day. Basic day to day activities  like climbing stairs, sitting on a chair, opening doors, switching on/off buttons, opening lids, opening a bottle of water, eating (my jaws used to hurt), lifting my hands, etc.. used to so so very difficult. I used to take 5 mins to climb 3 steps (I used to hate those steps). The one thing that made me angry the most was that I couldn't sleep 'cos of the pain and I love to sleep. The constant pain made it so hard for me to sleep. So my days used to start with pain and end with pain. :(

Now you must be wondering how I managed to do all the things I mentioned ??
All Thanks to my hulk/hunk- husband who used to help with all the day to day activities plus doing all the cooking (under my supervision) and washing up (I hated washing up even before any of this pain started) . Without his support I wouldn't have been able to cope with all the Ooh Aah Ouches !!

Love you from the bottom of my heart (Filmy style)

I read this inspirational quote recently and thought it would be ideal for this post

 "Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, it lasts forever"  Lance Armstrong

'Dies Saturni'

Its SATURDAY !!! I could scream "I love Saturdays" from the top of a mountain (hope i'll be able to climb the mountain). I know it sounds silly but I do love my Saturdays. The whole excitement starts on Friday night and lasts till Sunday morning. Become Sunday morning the whole thought changes to planning the week ahead (sigh)and also the thought of waking up early the next morning makes me go under the duvet and sleep more 'cos I love to sleep.
Saturday comes and I become nostalgic. It brings back countless memories.I didn't have any favourite days until I went to Darwad,(not Harvard ;)) India to do my graduation in dentistry. I used to stay in the college hostel and we were served only vegetarian food so we used to go out to have non vegetarian food. Not that I am a foodie, but you crave for something that is not easily available. So Saturday was the day !!!

We would plan the whole morning (including during the morning classes) of where to eat,shop and which movie to watch. The best was watching movies. Though some of the theaters were dingy and small, we still managed to watch movies. The movies released on Friday, and off we went on Saturday to watch and most of the times buy tickets in black 'cos we were always late and the regular tickets used to be sold out. Oh! the guys selling the tickets in black looked like criminals and we had the knack to recognize them in the crowd. smart eh !!

Its now 8 years since I finished college but Saturday is Saturday and now I plan with my husband of the things that we will do on Saturday. Guess what? I don't even enter the kitchen on Saturday's ;))Now that my husband is also Mr. Saturday types the eat, shop and relax policy still continues ....

I miss all my friends and this is for our Saturdays together :)))

Bribing God

With all the anti corruption thing happening around the world especially India, I wonder if we can bribe anyone to get our work done these days. Bribery is something that has been happening since god know when times and I am no newbie to the whole thing. I got to know from an early age that bribery exists in all forms and everybody does it.
Bribing God to pass the exams, get boy friends, get good husbands, etc.. are the most common (some times even class test for people like me) Guess everyone agrees with that ??

The things we do to bribe are some of the most illogical like fasting, being vegetarian for few days, sacrificing a few things, best one is shaving the head.....Sounds weird but most of us consider God to be Bribable !!!
Saying that, doesn't mean that I don't consider. Guess at this point of time I am first in the list of people bribing God. Next to me on the list is my Dad bribing for me. I know all of you will be doing awwwwwwwwwwww now...but he is the best Dad in the world.
I love my PAPA.

Way back in 2010 when I was still waiting to be diagnosed and treated for the pains and aches that I had, one fine day my dad called my husband and asked him to come to London as my parents live there. Me and my husband used to stay in Brighton those days. So as planned we went to meet my parents and my dad mentioned that he was thinking about going to the temple and I knew the reason why. Like most Indians he is Orthodox and God fearing. He believes in all the million or should I say zillion gods, goddesses, devils ( that includes in all forms like cows, snakes. bulls, trees, plants, and god knows what else).
So we became pilgrims and off we went on our one day pilgrimage to four temples in and around London. All this to bribe God to cure his daughter. Now you can imagine how sweet my Dad is :)))))

The bribing still continues !!!
BLESS ME AND MY PAPA

Thumb Up/ Down

It all started with the Thumb !!!
This happened last April (2010) It was Easter Holidays and I was in Isle of Wight holidaying with my parents and hubby. I did notice that my right thumb was swollen. I showed it to my parents and they said probably I snapped it at work the previous day. Those days I used to work for one of the Pound shops. So I thought it might have happened at work because its so monotonous and I must have been day dreaming as usual.My thumb grew from small to extra large!!!
 I couldn't move it but it din't hurt much. Even after a week of massaging with Ibuprofen Gel it din't show any signs of getting back to normal.This bothered me and I visited the GP and he din't show much interest and sent me off telling maybe an insect bite. That was another possibility that I din't think of!!!

My thumb remained swollen, as advised by the GP I did take a course of antibiotics thinking its some kinda infection.I changed my Job and I started working in the Post office. I did go to work with the swollen thumb and within a few days noticed that my fingers were slightly swollen. After few days my right ankle started aching and I saw that the back of my ankle was swollen. Got an appointment with the same GP and as usual he put me on pain killers and mentioned that it might be a Cyst!!!

Explanation  by the GP was that its a fluid filled cyst formed because the heel of my foot is bearing all the weight as I am wearing pumps(flat shoes) and advised me to wear slightly heeled shoes and also mentioned that if the swelling doesn't reduce I can get it removed surgically.

Hmmm...I know what you must be thinking....

The next week I did visit him again and asked for blood tests to be carried out as he din't mention a word about carrying any kinda investigation. I did go for the blood tests and then a letter comes home stating that I have an appointment with Rheumatologist in September 2010 and guess what its only May. I had to wait for 4 months not knowing the result and the reason why the appointment was given with the Rheumatologist.

Now the saga begins and its a thumbs down :((