The Continuing Saga...

The last time we left off, my surgeon said if there was a tear in my tendon he would do surgery, my new surgeon said don't have surgery no matter what, this is RA and my rheumatologist came back with a this isn't RA, it's mechanical and I'm going to treat you with pain meds.

Uh yeah, 3 doctors, 3 different ideas. After all of these options came in I just kind of threw my hands up in the air and wished I could bang my head on a wall. When in walked the referral lady at my PCP's office (well, she didn't really walk in, she called.)

She's dealt with chronic pain and suggested trying chiropractic care and acupuncture. And you know what, she caught me on a good day and I said sign me up. I didn't know exactly how big that decision was going to be.

I really like my chiropractor (he's about 12...I'm beginning to wonder if there are any doctors my age left), not only does he have a plan, he is very respectful of me and always has a joke or smile (and considering he's sticking needles in my feet, that's always a good thing.) We have a no tears policy and I have been keeping up my end of the bargain.

You guys know about the trouble with my feet but I'm not sure how many of you know that I've been suffering from TMJ for over a year now (I've had it for many years but for the past year I've been flaring.) I finally got the nerve to talk to the doctor about my jaw thinking he would stick needles in my face, what I wasn't ready for was to have my jaw adjusted.

Now, if there was ever a point to find out if you trust your doctor it is when he has your head in his hands and is about to twist your jaw off your face. I was laying there thinking "am I really going to let him do this" and then I asked myself "could it be any worse than the pain you're already having" and the answer was a resounding no.

So, while he was sitting there moving my face in positions I never even knew it could move, I focused on the fact that he needed a breath mint. Oh yeah, totally in my personal space (and after my other doctor I was feeling pretty uncomfortable.) He reminded me to relax, but tell me how do you do that when you're scared your jaw is going to pop off and roll around on the floor.

The verdict? For the last year I have been walking around with the right side of my jaw stuck closed. He twisted the jaw twice and voila, for the first time in a year I could pop my right ear, I could open my mouth, I could chew and my constant headache is now gone for the second day in a row.

I was good and didn't cry in the office but can I tell you how hard I bawled on the way home? 1.) Because I was scared to death by what he had done and 2.) Because my jaw situation scares me to death and if it's this easily fixed maybe when I'm 65 I won't only be able to drink Ensure (see, good thing he is younger than me...he'll have to practice until he's 85.)

For the past year I have been told that I need surgery, that I need a cortisone shot, that I shouldn't have surgery at all costs, that I could have the joint washed out, that it was RA and that it was TMJ but no one wanted or knew how to fix it....until now.

I have suffered for over a year when I didn't need to, this makes Joe furious...me, I just don't have the time to waste. I can't believe it was that easy....and boy howdy, am I thankful.

I never considered myself a "crunchy" person. Believe me when I say I have tried pretty much everything out there...I am amazed at what a difference a chiropractor is making in my life. My jaw feels better, my left ankle is good and my right ankle is a work in progress but I believe it will be healed eventually with time and care.

To go from a doctor so ready to cut my foot open to a doctor that doesn't even think that my tendon issues are from my RA has been very different and difficult for me but with these results, I'm willing to trust him...and in my book earning my trust goes a long way at this point.

Pardon me while I go CHEW a snack....