After 43 years of Rheumatoid Arthritis it seems traditional medicine has run its course for me. In fact they have even given me a new diagnosis. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Fancy way of saying since you have had this disease so long and it's destroyed most of your body there is nothing more we can do for you. So, in a final desperate act I was referred to a pain management clinic. I dutifully made my appointment as recommended and walked into the office with my stack of medical history forms that took me hours to fill out. The place gave me the creeps. It felt like a drug rehabilitation center.
They took my history and made a decision on my pain management in a matter of minutes (you know the traditional medicine 10 minute visit). Their plan, let's trick your body's natural defenses and block the pain by giving you a combination of pain medicines x and y. I made it crystal clear that I am looking for an answer to the root cause of my pain not a mask or band aid. I am not going to be on pain medicine for the rest of my life, I said. I wanted answers to why I was having so much pain. But traditional medicine does not have the answer. They have the next great medical breakthrough pill they want to give you.
I was given a plan and only one plan (pain medicines x and y) and told to think about it and let them know what I wanted to do. My decision was made before I exited the building. I was not going to be on pain medicines the rest of my life. There had to be an answer I kept telling myself.
Then it happened.
To be continued.....
Stay tuned and come along for the journey and feel free to comment or ask any questions you might have.
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