Just a "zebra" trying my best to live life to the fullest with EDS and POTS...and loving the ride.

Posts Tagged ‘Dr. Cantieri’

Five For Friday 1/5/18

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

Happy New Year, friends and family!

1. Medical Stuff:

  • Still on my PT hiatus for three more days!
  • I had prolotherapy today! The last time I went was February. This blows my mind because when I first started going in 2011, I had to have treatments every six weeks. That’s some major progress. Today, we did my neck, jaw, thoracic, and SI Joints. Definitely worth the trip to Indiana.
  • Three Days of Home Rehab. Tuesday marked my first workout of 2018 and it wasn’t pretty but I made it. I tried being a “normal” person the last two weeks, by eating my way through Christmas and New Year, not working out, and lazing around with family and friends.  Well, that was dumb. LIKE REALLY DUMB.

    Defective collagen is no joke, and I am not stronger than it. I tried to show it who was boss, but my body showed me who was boss right back. My family kept telling me to wear my neck brace yesterday, and I kept stubbornly refusing while holding my head up with my hand.

    I remember the day I was diagnosed with EDS by my specialist, who also has EDS himself, and he told me that I’ll find out pretty quickly how many days I can go without being active before I feel like my body is coming unglued. For him, it was three days.

    Well, he was right. For me, it is FOUR. After four, I started feeling weaker, and having more symptoms. By last night (14 days later), I was in tears, and was really, REALLY mad at myself.

    Today, I decided that the anger was no longer productive, and I begrudgingly strapped on that neck brace and put in an hour of cardio and strengthening…And guess what? I immediately started functioning better after my workout.

    So once again, my body showed me I am not a “normal” person. I work out to stand up, function, and ultimately live. And the more I work with my body like it’s my best friend, rather than try to show it up, I will be better off. So no, I’m not normal. I’m a defective zebra…But a badass zebra at that.

    2. My brother had an imaginary friend as a kid named Herkey Morocco. Now his best friend is a reality. Ladies and gents, meet Senor Herkey Morocco Dama, my new beautiful nephew. That makes two dog nephews and seven human nieces. I’m a lucky aunt. #adoptdontshop

3. This week was a lot less about being lazy, and a lot more about being productive. Renewing teacher certs, replacing my car battery, getting back on the treadmill and bike, scheduling appointments, cleaning out my drawers and closet, taking a trip to Goodwill, working in my classroom for four hours…It feels good to have gotten some of those “nagging” jobs done that I have been putting off for a while.
Funny story while Brad was finishing some laundry this week:
Brad: Where does your unicorn onesie go?
Me: In the bin labeled onsies.
Brad: WTF. We have a onesie bin in our basement?!?!
Me: Doesn’t everyone?
Brad was NOT amused. I laughed so hard.
4. We rang in the New Year in Grand Ledge with dear friends. We have been following this same tradition for as long as I have been with Brad. This year was all about Cards Against Humanity and therefore, hilarity. Lots and lots of ridiculousness and hilarity.
5. If you had to choose one word for 2018, what would you choose?
Last year, my word was SHINE. This year, I was between faith and action, but after much reflection, I decided on FAITH for 2018.
I am excited to see what this year brings.

Five For Friday 2/10/17

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

I will say it again…this flu is NO Joke. The respiratory part just doesn’t want to leave me. I’m ready to part ways though. My ribs are REALLY ready.

1. Medical Stuff:

  • No PT this week. Sick. Blah.
  • No Home Rehab. Sick. Blahhhh.
  • Brad and I were in Indiana on Wednesday. First, I had my TMJ checkup with Dr. Klauer. My mouthpiece is helping, and I decided it is in my best interest to have my septum fixed this summer. The left side of my nose is blocked because of a severe deviated septum and a large bone spur. So here’s the being able to breathe better! After that appointment, we raced over to Dr. Cantieri’s office where I had my first prolotherapy treatment in 7 months. A record! I had shots in my jaw, neck, upper back, lower back, and left hip. I like to call it my EDS tune-up.

Five For Friday 6/24/16

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

1. Medical Stuff:

  • 1 Day of PT. Elliptical, scap fires, ultrasound, stim, heat, and OMM. The works!
  • No Home Rehab. I’ve been trying my best to rest this rib flare.
  • 1 OMM Appointment. A lot of time was spent trying to get everything back in place. GENTLY.
  • I saw Dr. Cantieri at the last minute on Monday for prolotherapy on my back and ribs. Thank god for that man for getting me in at the last minute, and thank god for my father who drove me back and forth on a whim. After 120ish shots, I’m still pretty sore, but I’m doing my best to rest and listen to doctor’s orders!

Five For Friday 2/12/16

Written by Katie. Posted in Five For Friday

1. Medical Stuff:

  • I’m not gonna sugar coat. This has been a rough week with neck, face, upper back, and jaw pain. I missed two days of school and went on an unplanned trip to Indiana to get prolotherapy injections. I have been on my heating pad more than I have not. I have puked from the pain. I have backed off from rehab to try and get things to calm down. I am working on not freaking out.
  • 1 Day of Home Rehab. No PT.
  • Prolotherapy on Monday. I messaged my doc on Sunday about my pain and was in his office Monday morning. After 60ish injections, I was on my way back to Michigan. I’m extremely grateful for docs who will make time for patients, and will do what they can to try and get to the bottom of the pain.
  • I saw Larry on Tuesday for OMM. I showed him the specific spot on my neck that has been giving me a lot of pain, including shooting pain into my left eye and lots of headaches. He is thinking it is occipital neuralgia, which is giving me ocular migraines. I did get some relief from him using gentle manipulation in that area. Ahhhh. Fun times…: )
  • I saw my shrink on Thursday. It was a much needed appointment, and I walked out of the office with a much better perspective. And a much better ability to breathe in and out.

Pain is Real. So is Hope.

Written by Katie. Posted in Ehlers-Danlos Appointments, Prolotherapy

I returned to Mishawaka yesterday for more prolotherapy. I have been struggling with my first ribs, neck pain, jaw pain, and headaches lately so I was relieved it was time for shots again, as twisted as that sounds.  I worked all the way there in my benefit planning world, knowing I would not be able to move much the rest of the day.