Class Day 1 and Ketamine day 2

Yesterday was my first day of class at my new college. Technically it was Tuesday, but i dropped my Tuesday/Thursday classes for ketamine. I arrived at about 8:00 AM. I had some tea at starbucks and browsed the web on my netbook. Then i had my first class from 9:05-10:00 AM which was Precalculus. My professor seems very nice, and the class is very small (about 13 students including myself). then i had a huge break. I chilled in a lounge, went to a convience store on campus, and then because the lounge was too noisy to start my math homework, I went to the library. I understood part of the new concept, but had trouble remembering basic algebra. Then i had my object oriented programming class from 1:20-2:40 PM. My professor is very nice. She seems like she is very good and explains things well. Then i took the train home. My dad was able to help me with my math homework. Overall it was a great first day. I had woke up that day in a 2/10 pain. I wore jeans to school, and walked a lot around campus and my pain only spiked to a 7/10.

Today i had ketamine. I slept most of the time. I'm feeling pretty good today, but VERY TIRED. I hallucinated a bit, i kept thinking the nurses were in the back room with me, but i would open my eyes and they weren't they were in the front room.

Ketamine Day 1

Well i tried ketamine again in a new chair this time. This chair was the same chair i was in back in August when it was more successful  I know it sounds crazy that a chair would make a difference, but the chair i was in the past two sets of three was so uncomfortable that i would come in with say a 6/10 pain and a half hour in, before the ketamine even came, just from sitting in the chair, my pain would be at least at a 8/10, and that doesn't happen when i sit at home, at least not in a comfy chair. My doctor kinda made fun of me though- he said about a half hour in when i was of course very loopy, so this is your chair should we mark your initials in the back of it or how about putting a flag on it to mark it as yours? Of course he had a smile on his face the whole time. I think he was just trying to get me to laugh. I was too loopy and out of it to laugh, but i did smile and say "Yep".
I left feeling pretty good, i took a shower because i needed one and its a good idea for me to shower when i'm in less pain. I have for the most part learned not to procrastinate on showers as much because if i wait, the pain will just get worse, thus making showers tougher and more painful. This led to a small spike in pain, but not too bad, especially considering the spike i normally get from a shower.
Today is an election in my town for a referendeom over more land with a tax increase (vote yes or no), my mom really wanted me to vote, and she has raised me and taught me the importance of voting even in elections that i feel do not directly impact me. Yes i don't pay taxes, but my parents do. Annoying thing was it involved walking across the street in the cold (at least the polling place was across the street at the elementary school art room), and standing in a huge line. I didn't expect such a huge turnout. And the machine didn't work right away, i had to push my vote ten times for it to show a green mark before i could hit record vote. It was kinda a trip down memory lane because we were in the art room of my elementary school, and apparently the same art teacher that i had in fifth grade (probably the third art teacher in that school i had), is still the art teacher now, cause i saw cards on the wall for her while i was waiting in line.
Tomorrow I start at Rutgers Camden. I have precalculus from 9:05-10:00 and then a break until 1:20-2:40 when i have object oriented programming and then i'm finished for the day. my dad's driving me in and i will get there at approximately 8 AM. Yes that's early, but at least its a ride versus the train.  I will take the train home.
On Thursday i have more ketamine and on Friday i have preacalculus and a second meeting with my new counselor.

Post 7th Block Update

home from my 7th block! this one was an epidural steroid block. It went well, and the doctor said that there was a lot of inflammation in my back, which he had expected, so hopefully the steroids will help the inflammation. Suppose to take it easy today! also i spoke to him about my vision changes that started the other day, he said it could be from the topamax, but he doubts it cause im on a low dose and its been a while. He says he has several RSD patients that have vision changes when they flare badly and its from the RSD, or so he thinks. He says if the pain improves after today's block, but my vision does not, then it could be the medicine then. 

Ketamine day 3

today was NOT a good day. my pain spiked so much. after iv fetanyl my pain went from a 10 to a 5, but the relief only lasted for about an hour and a half. My doctor was on duty today, so he spoke to me, and it seems he is really stumped and trying to figure out what to do next. The ketamine seems to help my upper body, but not my lower body. He decided to schedule me for another lumbar epidural block next Friday. Hopefully this will help, but in the past the relief has been limited from these.

Ketamine Day 1

Today was rough. I entered today with a pain level of about a 7-8/10. I slept a lot during the ketamine, and despite extra versad, was hallucinating. I was imagining dancing ice cream cones. Then i woke up in lots of pain in my left leg. The one nurse i told, kept suggesting i stretch it, so i did. Then she put a heated blanket rolled up to try to heat it, and it still got worse. She tried to help me walk a little bit to stretch it out, but it kept getting worse. I saw my doctor for about 2 seconds cause he came in the afternoon as I was leaving.

I came home and was a wreck. Not only was I in the worst pain i've experienced in a long time (a 10/10), i was having a mental breakdown. I was depressed and severely anxious. I've taken some perocet since, and i feel a bit better, but it's still off and on. I'm hoping tomorrow goes even better than today (i figure it can't get much worse).