Bilateral THR ByGosh ByGolly ByLateral

[LeeApril26]

@zauberflote. I had no alerts, and then a bunch loaded today, that seemed to have been there a while. I found the whole site slow over the weekend. Sounds like we have different issues. I haven't been on much as it hurts to type-sore thumbs. Have ordered a stylus and hope it helps.

 

[zauberflöte]

LeeApril26 I sure hope that stylus does the trick for you-- no thumb total replacements allowed!

 

[LeeApril26]

zauberflöte. Thumbs, knees , the other hip??? Hope not.

 

[ByGosh]

LeeApril26 @zauberflote sandybeach Kim22 Littlejem Kylesh Goody2Shoes3 sqwerlie sandpiper [USER=3343]Songlady Poppet[/USER] Nylsor and anyone else who may happen along or that I may have accidentally omitted -
Hi Ladies I decided to take a little break from posting to see if I could take my mind off of 'things' - i.e. pain. I sat at the kitchen table and made phone calls, different appointments for the family, etc. - the usual things a Mom does. I haven't been doing too much of that sort of thing since surgery, just what was necessary, and it felt good to do it and keep myself occupied like I used to.

Ok - the hip CT scan wasn't concerning to the OS in that 'there's nothing in there that needs fixing' he said. So I'm going with the tendonitis diagnosis at the moment. I'm pretty much the same, some days not so bad, others just as bad with pain, unfortunately. I'm managing, though. It doesn't seem like the shots did much, if anything. Next, I'll take prednisone by mouth and hope I can tolerate it long enough for it to do some good.

Darling daughter Goshette did NOT get her wisdom teeth out today because she came down with the worst UTI symptoms on Sun nite and the pediatrician put her on antibiotics pending the culture results. She's feelign somewhat better already, thank goodness. She was so distressed and was up til 2:30 am, finally felling asleep after I gave her a pill to numb the bladder, a little bit of a tranquilizer, forced fluids, and had her take a hot shower. I felt so sorry for her, poor thing. I remember the days when I'd get them, not so much anymore, but isn't it the most God-awful feeling? I called to cancel her tooth extractions, but they said they wouldn't operate on her with an infection anyway. It would have been too much, I know -how could she force fluids and be up to the bathroom every hour like she's supposed to, if she's not feeling well enough, or sedated from the pain pills? So unfortunately, I had to reschedule it for the XMAS holidays when she's home from college for a month.
There goes the colored ice packs that look like the Fairy Godmother's from Sleeping Beauty! But I still like them, and will use them myself. We also have jello, pudding, ice creams, popsicles, fudgecicles, sherbert, Dove bars, ginger ale, coke and flavored seltzer! So that's going to be dessert for the next week.

LeeApril26 I'm so glad Kim22 mentioned the stylus and you got one! What a brilliant idea. It's bound to help. Do you prefer the Tiger Balm over the Elmore Oil, or are they about the same? My daughter loves the Tiger Balm. I haven't really tried it, but I guess I should. I like the Elmore for my knee and shoulders, and use it on the groins. It does help when I use it with pressure massage, but only briefly. I wonder if they use cortisone injections for the thumb OA and is that something you might consider?

I often don't get all of my alerts, either and only find postings when I look around and discover them.

Kylesh Your OS office sounds organized and well-run. It's great that you can see your MRI results yourself on the computer. I always like to have the results in hand to read over, then I don't feel so much in the dark.
Shark Tank - I like that show! And I like your story about my getting rich on the ice pak idea and especially the idea of my taking everyone on vacation! I may change the vacation piece to a luxury resort rather than a cruise, though. More my speed, but you all don't mind, do you? I'm sure we can find a nice resort that has every amenity we could want, with food and beverages included, massages, facials, hot tubs, exercise, yoga, entertainment, Canadians with diamonds, strawberries, nature trails, swimming pools, scuba diving, gift shops - did I miss anything? Please feel free to embellish the fantasy - I mean, why not? We may as well have it planned out, as we never know!

 

[sandpiper]

ByGosh. I feel so bad for your daughter!!! I have had many UTIs and they are NOT fun at all! Thank goodness she has you to take such wonderful care of her! You sound like a great mom! It's a shame she has to wait until X-mas! I'm glad your scan didn't show any significant problem with your joint replacements. Are they able to give you a time frame for some sort of relief from the tendonitis???? Was that due to over doing it? I'm wondering if your PT had you do too much?? Either way,y thoughts are with you. Pain is a terrible thing to live with and you underwent BTHR in the hopes of being pain free and here you are 5 months later and still suffering. Not fair! I know you will make it through though because of your strong personality and positive outlook. I personally use the Tiger Balm ULTRA strength. I've tried the Elmore oil but much prefer Tiger Balm. It's so penetrating! Also, just another thought, I have a T.E.N.S. unit at home which I use for my back but my PT used one on me yesterday after my session. It felt great! He used it directly on the hip! I had not thought to use it on my hip. My insurance paid for my home use T.E.N.S. unit along with an at home portable ultrasound unit. The ultrasound cannot be used on the hip replacement but the T.E.N.S. unit can!!! Worth asking your OS about! It really helps with pain! If your insurance does not cover the portable unit you can purchase one. Most DR.s should be able to order you one. They run about $100.00 and soooo worth it! Even for use down the road just on tired achy muscles!!! (Watch...all this chatter on my part and you probably already have one! Lol) keep smiling! We are all here for you my friend!!!

 

[LeeApril26]

Oh, ByGosh, I am so sorry for your daughter. Having to psych yourself up for the extractions, have it delayed, along with a miserable UTI (had one about a month after surgery) is lousy, but having to have the extractions over the holiday break stinks, too. She will want to catch up with friends and family, so having to sit around with ice packs is a bummer, even very pretty ones. I guess she will still have most of the break-it is only the first few days that she will be sleepy and tired. I hope the UTI clears up quickly. Your daughter is lucky to have a mom as a nurse-ready with many remedies.

I guess you will have to step up and finish the jello, pudding, ice creams, popsicles, fudgecicles, sherbert, Dove bars, ginger ale, coke and flavored seltzer-maybe you can share with Mr. Gosh.

Other than the lack of a clear diagnosis, it is good news that you don't have anything wrong with the hip, but darn, having to wait this out really is difficult. I'm glad you have gotten back into the "mom" stuff you were missing. I can totally understand the need to feel normal.

I think the Elmore oil and the Tiger Balm (extra strength) are equally effective, but the Elmore oil has the advantage in that it doesn't make me smell like a well run horse! When I was in high school I used to exercise and rub down horses in the wilds of Brooklyn (really) in order to get free rides on good horses. And, when I was done there was no shower there, so I would take a long bus ride home smelling like horse liniment. The smell of Tiger Balm reminds me of all the strange looks I got on the bus.

I have a list of overdue medical appointments, delayed by my junky hip-mammogram, pap test, dental cleaning, check up as suggested by Poppet because of the NSAIDS-and have added a hand doctor to the list. I would certainly consider cortisone shots for my hands. I am really not eager for another surgery,especially my thumbs. That would really make one dependent. I am icing, soaking, and trying not to use my thumbs. Last night I forgot to sleep with my goth braces, and it really hurt this morning.

Hope you can start the prednisone soon, and that it does the job.

 

[Kylesh]

ByGosh glad that the CT didn't show anything to be concerned with, but so sorry that you still have not gotten any relief.

Sorry to hear about your daughter, I second what LeeApril26 said, she is lucky to have you to take care of her. I know you have missed being the main caregiver.

Yes, the OS office other than running behind with appointments and all the minions (students) as I call them, seems to be run well. I think that most hospitals are going to electronic records. But I still didn't get a call today and while the report in out there, it is locked down until the 18th... Should hear something tomorrow, if not, I will give them a call.

Well I had my heart set on a cruise, but since you are funding the trip, I could go for a luxury resort. Only thing missing from the list -- kayaks....got to have a place to kayak. As I told my husband, kayaking and biking are the only places I don't have a wonky walk as my PT calls it, that is why I trying to spend more time doing them.

Well goodnight sweet dreams and high hopes for a better tomorrow.

 

[ByGosh]

Hi sandpiper Well you were right - I do have a TENS machine. Thanks for all of the information about it, though. I got it a couple of months ago, and it does help with the pain. Some times I have it on almost all day, but I have to be careful - because it helps the pain, I can do too much, which then causes more pain. So I have to remind myself that it's only pain a relief tool, not a cure.
I would be interested in an ultrasound machine, as the PT used it and I felt it helped reduce the inflammation. I have no idea of a brand, or the safety, though. I understand that one can burn the tissues if it's not used properly, so I'm a little leary. If you have any more info on it, I'd be happy to hear it, though.
Tendonitis is more of a complication with anterior replacement, which is what I had. Maybe there was too much PT, I don't know. It's probably a combination of several factors that contributed to it. I just want it to go away at this point, though, as you can imagine.
I love the beautiful horse avatar. Is it yours, or someone you know? Are you a horseback rider? It's so pretty.

LeeApril26 My daughter was very disappointed about the surgery delay, especially since she woke up feeling better today. She really wanted to get it over with! I was almost sorry I called them, except I still feel it was not a good time, as her symptoms were really acute, and having impacted wisdom teeth removed is stressful enough on the body, never mind with something else going on.
Well, the Dove bars are gone - they're tasty! Now we're working on the fudge bars and the ice cream.

The Elmore doesn't seem to have a lingering scent, like the Tiger Balm does. I have some Tiger Balm from the early 70's that I've never opened - it's the dark one. I bet that has quite a horse linament smell to it. I think I'll keep it sealed, and store it with my other mementos from those days.

It was a good experience for you to work with the horses and be able to ride the good ones. I'm sure you loved it. LeeApril26 and sandpiper My children all took riding lessons and they really enjoyed it. We eventually stopped, just like all of the various lessons they took. A few years, and on to something else. One of my daughters was pretty good at riding - my gymnast. The other one, not so much. I stopped her early as she always looked ready to fall off! Too scary for me. The worst was the diving lessons, though! That I could barely watch. Again, my gymnast was good, but with the back dive she always looked like she was going to hit the board with her head. I mentioned that to the coach once and he said something like 'oh they do hit their heads on the board alot.' That was it - no broken necks for us! Better to stick with swim team.

Your tendonitis in your thumbs sounds really troublesome, Lenora. Boy do I sympathize with you.
I sometimes wonder if I have some type of systemic tendonitis ailment, as my hips have it, and my shoulders, too. The OS feels the shoulders are from overuse, as I swam 30+ years, and without my legs working so well, I use the shoulders now more - the walker and cane post-op, and when I sit at the counter to bake or prepare food I need to raise my shoulders up higher to reach more than I normally would. It can hurt to wash my hair, too.
I'm bothered by the limitation I feel because of the pain, as much as I am by the pain - same with the hips. I'm sure you feel the same way. I'm glad the hot water, the ointments, and the braces help your thumbs. I bet cortisone shots would do wonders in that area - I know people who've had it for carpel tunnel and got amazing relief.

I know what you mean by a list of MD visits! I'm late for my teeth cleaning and am trying to catch up on a few others. I don't like to put them off, but I weigh carefully the benefit as opposed to the pain, as I don't want to aggravate the hips anymore than I need to.

Lenora and anyone else who may be interested - My son introduced me to some meditation CDs by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. He's the director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at UMASS and has written several books and has many meditation CDs. He's also a scientist and has studied mindful meditation. It's been shown to increase left brain activity, which shows positive emotions. There are several of his talks on YouTube, and some of his meditations. One I like is The Body Scan on YouTube. It's wonderful for relaxation but also for stress and pain relief. You might like him. I just ordered his 4 CD pack from Amazon for $20. It's over 4 hours of various meditation techniques. A website called SoundsTrue has excerpts of the CDs but I chose not to order from them as Amazon is more well-known. I've also taken some of his books from the library and the one I'm reading, Full Catastrophe Living, explains his experience with patients in his clinic, and the proven benefits of meditation. I find it challenging to do, but feel it will be so helpful if I can just stick to it.

 

[ByGosh]

Kylesh "wonky walk" That has a ring to it! But I bet it's more like a sexy wiggle! Ok, it can be a cruise - they have everything that I mentioned anyway. Whatever you prefer is fine with me. After all, a resort is a resort, whether it floats or not, and the views from the ship would be gorgeous anyway... plus maybe there's a little casino for some added fun! And definately biking and kayaking must be part of any adventure! By the way, on this adventure, eveyone can do everything, anyhow, so kayaking and biking are both good. Anything goes as far as the imagination is concerned. The important thing is the experience and the fun.
I hope you find out your MRI results soon and it's nothing bad and can be fixed easily. Waiting is the hardest part sometimes. My gymnast daughter has an MRI scheduled of her knee tomorrow - she does cheerleading and flips around alot, so it gets a lot of abuse and has been bothering her for a while now. She refuses to give up her cheerleading team, though, but I know that's in the near future, unfortunately. She loves it and it's so much fun for her, but the knee pain isn't. She doesn't realize that she could be doing something that could affect her in years to come. That's part of being young, I guess.
Good night and sweet dreams to you, too. High hopes is always a good thing. Song -"We've got hiiiiigh hopes, yes we've got hiiiigh hopes, high apple piieeee in the skkyyyy hopes" .... Take care dear Kylesh.

 

[LeeApril26]

ByGosh A good friend has suggested I read "Full Catastrophe Living." She was really moved by it, and began studying meditation and has gone to seminars, etc. Really finds it useful. She has had bursitis and sciatica for years and says it helps the pain. I was very focused on the relaxation CDs before the surgery and in early recovery but have not used them since. I was thinking of resuming to see if they helped the thumb pain. I will try to focus long enough to check out the youtube talks. It's strange since I didn't have general anesthesia, but I have found it harder to focus since the surgery. It may help the right knee and hip, too. They are a bit better but there is clearly OA going on, probably with my thumbs as well in addition to the tendons. Let me know what you think of the CDs.
Neither of my kids much liked horses, though they did learn at camp. I was totally horse mad, and could not afford lessons, but was able to ride some wonderful boarded horses in return for caring for them. It was great. I married young (20) and my husband really didn't like the idea of riding, and life got busy between work, school and then kids, so that was that.
I know what you mean about worrying about your kids taking lessons or doing some sports. The dive team sounds terrifying. "Yes, they hit their heads???" Boy that wouldn't be something to look forward to seeing. My son started baseball at 5, and they switched to a hard ball when he was about eight. I used to cringe when the ball was coming at his head and face. Then he started surfing at 13. He still surfs, and is always pulling people out of riptides in LA. I try very hard not to think about it, or my daughter who kayaks in the East and Hudson rivers. Waiting around watching the dive team must have been awful.
You made the right call in canceling the extractions. That's too much stress on her body with a UTI, especially if she is going off to college soon. Even if she is feeling better she has to recuperate from the UTI.
I can't imagine what the 45 year old Tiger Balm smells like! That's funny. The new one is bad enough, smell-wise.
I wonder if the chiropractor you saw could teach you how to use the ultrasound machines? I think I told you I bought a home version of that, too, but chickened out when I read about the potential for burning. I used it a couple of times, very nervously, but couldn't relax. Having a machine you knew was safe, and some instructions would be much better. I think I was nuts buying an ultrasound machine on Overstock.com. Or desperate.
Well, enjoy the fudge bars and ice cream. Have you had Magnum bars from Australia? Yum.

 

[zauberflöte]

ByGosh , I do understand the need to step back from the fray for a bit. I'm glad the MRI showed nothing to worry about, but I'm with everybody else-- it's awful to have to wait it out. I do still hope that you will turn out to be a "late responder" to the injections. Didn't somebody somewhere say that they knew a knee patient who'd been told that it could take 3 weeks for results?
And the poor Goshette-- but you were there to help out. You will all be enjoying frozen soft foods for some time to come-- maybe she can take some of the sodas to school with her when she goes? She won't lose much time at Christmas, I'm guessing she'll be out and about the next day.
I'm all over that luxury resort-- count me in!!!! Or cruise, whichever! Actually we can go on a cruise for a month and then come stay at the resort for another month! Why not?? Think of a month's worth of clothes we get to buy! Shoes! Resort wear! Designer duds! All those beds we don't have to make, meals we don't have to prepare, vacuuming we don't have to do. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.......
Keep us posted on how you think those new CD's go, ok? We're here for you

Better to stick with swim team.

Not so! My son almost gave himself a concussion once diving in

LeeApril26 my mother periodically gets cortisone injections in her thumbs and swears by the treatment. Hope it could work for you-- I can certainly see it in my own future-- mother, sister, both OA in thumbs, and mine is SO noticeable post-op. Maybe we should have cocooned ourselves at the age of 15, and not come out till we were 55! LOL Then we'd have 40 years of fresh new unworn joints!

 

[ByGosh]

zauberflöte Of course you're going on the "Fantasty Cruise and Resort Vacation of a Lifetime"! There's no way we'd leave our cheer team captain behind!
My son just went in on tickets for the PowerBall at two of his work places. The jackpot is now about $425 million. He told us last night at dinner what he'd do with the winnings - he's a little generous, as he's planning on giving a million to each of his sisters, each of his best friends, to Unicef, the local Emergency Room where he works, 5 million to each of his parents and thousands everywhere else, after he buys a new house and car, of course!
So girls, start packin' casue we're goin' on a looooonnngggg vacation!

 

[sqwerlie]

ByGosh, oh count me in on that luxury cruise/resort vacation! And tell your son thank you so very much. Just imagine, lying in the warm sun, relaxing, the only activity on our schedules would be some gentle swimming in the warm pool and of course PT from our chocolate, diamond bearing Canadian. Ahhhh.......
I was so hoping the injections would give you some relief, but will pray that the prednisone pills help. Chronic pain is so exhausting, it just takes the stuffing right out of you sometimes. Hang in there friend!

 

[ByGosh]

sqwerlie It wouldn't be a vacation without you, too! And of course the chocolate diamond Canadian PT/masseuse (he's been upgraded!) And lots and lots of strawberries - to dip in our chocolate fountain, of course. Oh, we're getting decadant now..
I hope the prednisone helps, too sqwerlie Thanks for your thoughts and start packing!

 

[ByGosh]

LeeApril26 I find Full Catastrophe Living to be more of a study read than a leisure read, but it is interesting. He gives patient profiles on the people who are attending one of his stress reduction classes at UMASS. When they were telling their stories at the first class, there was an elderly gentleman who came in a wheelchair - he said that he had such severe pain in both of his feet that he asked the doctors to cut them off, but they wouldn't. Everyone felt so sorry for him. After a few classes, he came in on crutches, and by the end of the 8 weeks, he was walking with a cane. He said that the classes didn't eliminate the pain, but they made him more able to tolerate it.
That story convinced me.
I just have to discipline myself to listen to the meditations every day. I find that easier in some ways than the book. I used to swim laps for 45 minutes every morning until last Oct when my hips got so bad I couldn't. Then I just did the side stroke and back stroke until surgery. Now I don't do any of it because my shoulders started getting too sore with the tendonitis. I'll have to think of the meditation CDs as a replacement for the swimming, with the same or better health benefits - relaxation, a feeling of well-being, and stress reduction.
I'll let you know how I like his CDs that I ordered when they come in. You may enjoy listening to an excerpt of the yellow covered ones on the website Sounds True, or try the Body Scan by him on YouTube. That may be helpful for your thumbs.
I've just gotten back to being able to read more than just a magazine or a short article on the internet now. I didn't have the interest, or something. Maybe the pain preoccupied me, too.

 

[LeeApril26]

Thanks ByGosh - I'll check the samples out. The story of the poor man with the painful feet is compelling. My brother is ten weeks in to a terrible case of shingles and nerve pain. I will mention this, though he is an unlikely meditation candidate.
I have also found that swimming for more than ten minutes is now really stressing my shoulders, especially the right one, maybe because I put so much weight on the cane. I have started using water weights to try to rebuild the muscles. The whole thing is a fine line-to much and you hurt. Too little and it does nothing, and moving is important, too. I guess all the pain meds pre and post surgery masked a lot of this stuff. Nasty surprise when I got off them.
I think you're right about the meditative qualities of swimming. Hope the CDs get you into the same "zone."

 

[glynis]

Well, ladies, as I am not invited on the cruise, I will just have to be there with you in my imagination.

I already see you, arranged in a Heath Robinson array of pillows and cushions round the pool, with all your sticks, walkers and crutches conveniently placed to trip up other guests as they walk past. Copies of Full Catastrophe Living lie unopened on your laps. And the conversation...

"Can I borrow your TENS machine when you've finished with it?"

"Could you have a quick look at my incision? It looks a bit inflamed to me."

"I see Titanic's the Movie of the Day today. Why don't we all watch it? We could do with cheering ourselves up."

"How much of this painkiller do you think I could have with my Tequila Sunrise?"

"I'm sure that young pool boy just winked at me. Or maybe he had something in his eye."


(Please don't be offended. I have always had rather a dark sense of "humour". I hope you all have a wonderful cruise. Where are you going, by the way?)

 

[LeeApril26]

glynis I have been trying to restrain myself from bopping people who say, "Oh, my (insert relative or friend) had hip surgery and was (insert skiing, playing singles tennis, trekking the Himalayas, etc) within two weeks after surgery." Implying of course that anyone who isn't is pampering themselves. I would be happy to be the assigned tripper and bopper, if I can participate in this cruise. And, since we are doing it in our heads, can it be a year long and go everywhere????

 

[Littlejem]

Glad you were 'just taking a rest' and that things are no worse!! I know you will be glad but it still must be so frustrating to hear of others posting great recoveries when yours seems to have 'stood still'? I'm so glad that nothing nasty came up on the scan and it is probably just a case of patience, again, but has anyone suggested just how long this tendonitis might last?

 

[ByGosh]

Awww glynis Of course you're invited on the Cruise of a Lifetime. It goes without saying. How could we have any fun without you and your dry and dark understated humor? (that I personally find very funny, by the way.)
Plus we need you and Nylsor and any other seasoned travelers here to plan the itinerary for us! Where should we go? I'm sure you have some very good ideas regarding that. I prefer to stay out of Africa, but if we're going for a good, long time as LeeApril26 suggested, maybe we can visit a lot of places. Which have been your favorites?

And I do definately like the idea of a Tequila Sunrise, of course sans the pain meds - we don't want anyone toppling over!
Pool boy winking? Interesting. How about a handsome mature ship's officer, too? I'm sure he'd find some one of us to make eyes at, excluding me, that is.

LeeApril26 You are definately the tripper, bopper! And I don't blame you a bit. There's one person especially I'd be happy to see tripped for the insensitive and stupid things she's said. Needless to say, I'm not calling her anymore..and she's a school nurse, too. Not a very good one, at that - the kids hated her and I spent much time trying to run interference for her because of it.

Littlejem I love the new picture of my friend, Handsome Henry. He's really a gorgeous dog. He can come on our Fantasy Cruise with you, too, as he's so friendly, no one would mind. But we'd have to toilet train him first, I think. But of course, on this cruise we can have a nice lawn put in and someone to walk him on it for his bathroom - after all, anything goes when it's a fantasy.
And no one has given me any idea how long this tendonitis, assuming that's what is the problem, can last.
I'm starting wonder if I might have some type of nerve inflammation going on, too? I guess it's fair to say that I wonder what the heck is going on, period. I'm ruling things out one at a time, though. It's not an infection, the implants seem to be positioned correctly, and I definately do have a diagnosed case of tendonitis on the left - but the right is just as painful, too. I'll take prednisone for a month per my rheumatologist and hope it works. If not, then I will pursue some type of nerve problem and medication for it. I can't give up no matter how tired of it I become. I want to live a life worth living. After all, I have a lot to do yet - the kids still need raising until they're finished with schooling and on their own, then there will be weddings, and grandchildren, and there's still the hope of doing some type of nursing job, and of course, our cruise to look forward to, or some real, actual traveling!

LeeApril26 You poor brother -shingles is horrible. I was just talking to a neurologist I'm acquainted with, and we discussed Neurontin or Gabapentin, which is for nerve pain. He said it's very safe and very effective. I wonder if your brother is on anything for his pain? I certainly hope so! The poor man. I'm anxious to have that shingles vaccine when I'm able to. I get cold sores, and that's bad enough.

Since you mentioned it before, Lenora, I happened to have my annual gyn visit today. The wonderful and very good doctor that I've been going to (either he or his partner) for almost 27 years said that the new recommendation for women after the age of 30 is paps every 3 years, if they've had 3 negative tests in a row. He said that no paps are needed after the age of 65, according to the American Cancer Society and The Amer College of OB-GYN. The reason is because it takes 25 years for cervical cancer to develop (? I didn't know that), so if we don't have it by 65, it should not be an issue in our lifetime, and as we age there are more false positive results from abnormal cells due to lack of estrogen. If the results are positive, then they have to go through the whole process of repeating the pap and if that's still positive, they have to biopsy, etc. and most of the time it's negative.
I found that interesting, although I still had him do one, just to be sure. I thought you might find it interesting, too, although you may have already heard this. So maybe you may not have to worry too much about your pap right now? Although he did say that an annual gyn exam is still recommended. All in due time... First things first. I only went because the office was an easy one to walk into, but now I feel it, prednisone or not!

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