I am so happy to let you know I have been pain free from my celiac plexus ablation on December 2nd for three months now. I have been able to lower my pain medications to only once or twice a week and my marijuana use has gone down as well. It has been amazing.
I had my three month follow up with Integrity Pain and Wellness and my Doctor was happy with my results. The medication he used to kill the nerves and stop the pain could last up to six months to one year! I could not have been more relieved to hear this. One year pain free would be a dream come true. I am taking it day by day and really starting to watch my diet more and more now that I am able to be consistent with food. I am doing more protein shakes and salads which I could barely tolerate salads ever. I am learning food is fuel and not to make me feel good.. but bread and I still have not broken up.
I never would have thought I could have a break from celiac plexus blocks and be able to live life normally. My POTS symptoms have been much better and I have not had to take zofran in three months. I am still hoarding it away just in case! The nausea was one of my most debilitating factors in the fight against MALS and with no nausea I am able to wake up in the morning, eat breakfast and drink water with my medications in the AM. I never have been able to do this. Mornings are so rough on me but each day I am waking up feeling better and better. My dizziness from POTS has subsided as well. I learned that the surgery for MALS also does affect POTS and can make some of the symptoms subside so this is good news that the ablation worked for both illnesses.
It has been a great three months. I am working still at the restaurant on weekends and am able to make extra money which has been helping my purse collection. I love my purses. It has also given me freedom of not having to live off of someone else. It is hard someday's working in a restaurant but I do enjoy it. I have made friends, I have a boss I love and I make my own money. Money that comes from my hard work and not having to beg the government for help, aka disability. I have learned to live with my illness and survive it. I am lucky. Not everyone with MALS is so fortunate.
The best news is since I am doing so well I have relaunched my business and have decided to start focusing on building my clients and network. I am able to commit to helping others with my fundraising and event planning skills again. I have raised over $5,000,000 for charities and non profits in my past and I am very good at it. I missed that part of my life and watching my business sit on the sidelines while I battled MALS and POTS has been devastating. With the help of Dr.G and Integrity Pain and Wellness I am slowly rebuilding my life. How exciting is this! I am getting a second chance to start over again. Mentally and physically stronger and healthier than before.
I have also started doing Pilates again. Pilates was so hard on my celiac plexus region that it triggers the pain in my abdominal area but I gave it a try a few weeks ago and I was shockingly surprised that I only had minimal pain that was controlled by marijuana. Now I am working on getting Pilates in two times a week along with my other workout regiment. I have not returned to the gym as the mask makes it hard for me to breathe while working out so I am still doing home workouts and playing with YouTube workout videos. I like working out in my pajamas! It is much more motivating.
Life has been really good. I am so blessed and fortunate that I have a job, a business, a fiance, animals and friends that love and support me. I have been able to do some shopping and buy clothes that fit and are not too big since it hurt to wear clothes. I pretty much own every pair of pants that under armour makes! I love being able to wear clothes again!
I am so fortunate that my fiance supports me and has mentally helped me heal from the trauma of surviving my whole life without a diagnosis. I hope that everyone battling MALS can have success like I have had. I preach about the celiac plexus ablation and blocks. They saved my life. There are doctors out there who will perform these procedures accurately and correctly with the proper medications to give you long term results. Please find one. My doctor is amazing and will take patients. Integrity Pain and Wellness, Dr. G in Scottsdale, AZ. If you have to pay cash find the cash.. it will save your life. If you do not have the money talk to them. They take payments. I just hope everyone battling this nasty disease can end their suffering like I have. One day surgery will be an option for me and I can not wait to get these bad nerves cut out of my body but for now while my body recovers from what it has been through for 39 years the ablations help me out and I can avoid a very harsh surgery with a six month to one year recovery time.
Please never give up. There is always hope. I have been in the darkest places and survived dark moments and I am thankful and appreciative for numerous chances at life again. Had I succumbed to my darkest moments I would never have found a treatment that works and I would never be in a happy place. There is a happy place I promise. I will help you get there. Please email me or find me on facebook. I am here to help.
To those who have reached out with emails and sharing your story, I appreciate them all. It means a lot. Thank you for letting me share my story and for reading about my battle with MALS and POTS. I can finally say that I am diagnosed, receiving treatments and in the best place I have been in ever. For the first time in my life I am stable and doing well. It is great to say that.
Enjoy your day and thank you for reading my blog.
Sarah