I have been a slacker on updating people with
my treatment path. Sorry about that. I am going to recap here and then explain
what is happening going forward.
The basics of how ketamine works is kind of odd
but the desire is to get me into a dissociative state, it is not a pain
medication so I don’t feel “high” from them but when they reach that state it
literally is like my thoughts and mind are separated from my physical body for
2 hours. IF the correct dose is given the feeling doesn’t bother me one bit but
if it is not high enough I will completely flip out so bad that IV anxiety
medications do nothing.
This
doctor is hands down the best doctor I have ever seen in my life. We paid for 6
infusions but he said he wants to see me feel better so he gave me a free
treatment! Not only that but the usual patients he sees are psych patients and
the protocol for them is like 1 infusion every couple of weeks or something
along those lines but the pain protocol is back to back treatments so he leaves
his other full time job to come to the clinic JUST for me!! We started out slow
with dosing and increased it with each infusion. The doctor is quickly learning
that I do not metabolize medications right AT ALL. I had the freak outs during
every other infusion and he said he has never seen this before but I become
instantly tolerant to the dose we are using and that it why the freak outs
happen every other time. He has had to at least double and triple my dose every
time or I will not reach the desired dissociative
state.
With my last treatment he was amazed that at
a high dose I was holding a conversation with him and watching Netflix when I
should be practically sleeping. Needless to say I am giving him a run for his
money on getting over these hurdles and finding the right doses which is very
tricky but he promised he won’t give up on me and I believe him.
On to results! God is amazing. My pain levels
are not getting as high and it is taking less medications to get them to a tolerable
level, I even had a day pain free! I forgot what that feels like. Even more
incredible is that my blood pressures are improving more and more each time. I
knew going into this that this is not a miracle cure all treatment and even
though these results are promising I am basically a clinical trial, nobody has
a clue what my body is and will do so we are winging it! Given my improvements
on the pots/dysautonomia front the doctor said if we can afford another round
of 6 that we should do it because we don’t want to quit now and risk loosing
the chance for me to improve more.
There is no data to be had for my situation
so we are just rolling with it. We don’t know how long these affects will work
for me because again, no data. That makes going forward and spending so much
money on it when I could go right back to my old self and loose all the
progress that was made, that could happen but so could me being better for
years to come, we just don’t know.
I can not put into words how thankful I am for my Chatham family and their willingness to drive me places and wait for hours and for the prayers from my church support team you all have blessed me and I don't know how we would have pulled this off without you so, thank you.
The decision to move forward has been made to
buy 6 more infusions with me chipping in on the payments with my social
security money. Lastly, I have a few specific prayer requests.
1.
I am
trying to qualify for medicare to pay my part B premiums based on my lack of
income, because if I get approved it would give me almost $200 more a month
that I could put towards the treatments, dealing with medicare will make you
loose your marbles at times. (always) so pray for my dealings with them. I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT I AM NOT SHARING
THIS IN SEARCH OF FREE HAND OUTS BUT FOR PRAYER.
2. Wisdom for the doctor to get the doses and strengths at good
levels and wisdom for me and my family as we make decisions. My first treatment is tomorrow.
3. That the Lord will provide transportation (the schedule will be
at the end of my apparent novel)
4. That I will tolerate the DRAMATIC increase in the doses and for
no more 2-hour panic sessions.
5. That I have a thankful heart for His obvious hand in this providing
me peace and endurance even through the panic attack days that make me want to
give up.
- PARTIAL SCHEDULE--I do not have times yet, but I have the dates
- Monday 9-10-18
- Wednesday 9-12-18
- Saturday 9-15-18
- Monday 9-17-18
- Wednesday 9-19-18
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