Numb Fingers and growing older

So today makes 5 weeks since I woke up with that asleep, numb, tingly feeling in my last two fingers on y left hand. You know that funny bone feeling, or how your hand feels when it falls asleep. I have had that constantly for 5 weeks!!! It is really starting to be a nuisance. Actually, it has been that all along, now I am just getting sick of it. After 4 days, I went to the doctor. She sent me for xrays to make sure there were no bones problems causing the compression on the ulnar nerve. 4 days later when I finally heard back from the office about my xrays, I was referred to a neurologist. Of course it was a Friday and already past five so I had to wait until Monday to make the appointment. When I called, I was told the earliest appointment was over 2 weeks away. So I made the appointment and proceeded to wait all the while hoping my hand would just wake up. In the meantime, I decided to try a chiropractor. I had considered that the volleyball I had taken to the face 2 weeks prior to the numbness may have caused some issues in my neck that were now inflamed and compressing that nerve. I called the chiropractor and got in the next day. He fixed me up, my neck was out in two places, my back out in two places and my hip was out as well. Imagine that. Anyway, I have never been to a chiropractor before and had no idea what to expect. After two visits, I felt better in many ways, but my hand was still numb. I decided to wait it out until I would see the neurologist the next week. The Neurologist performed some tests and determined the compression on the nerve is at the elbow. He also told me that I have weakness in that hand, almost half the strength of my right hand, all due to the "neuropathy" as he called it. He called his occupational therapist and got me an appointment later that day for therapy to try and resolve the compression without surgery. Well, that was now 10 days ago and I am still numb. I have had two visits to the therapist, I wear a stupid looking padded sock thing over my elbow to protect the area all the time, and I have to sleep with a splint on my arm to keep my elbow almost straight. That is no fun at all. Anyway, I just wanted to complain a bit. Sorry for the long drawn out story. I am just tired of this feeling in my fingers. There is also sometimes severe pain and cramping episodes. The pains are in my hand, wrist and elbow. ugh!! If it's not one thing it's another lately.

It seems like ever since I hit 30 (a few years ago) my body has been falling apart. A couple of years ago I had to have my gall bladder out, it just quit working. I had a hysterectomy because my female parts couldn't figure out that a month should be 28-30 days, instead of 14, I have had shoulder problems, foot problems, wrist problems, & digestive issues galore. I broke a toe and my foot, sprained my wrist, fought carpal tunnel, now cubital tunnel and had miscellaneous aches, pains and illnesses. And I am not even that old!!!! I am still only 36 (for a few more days anyway) and I feel like I am falling apart. I wonder what I will be like when I am 50 or 60 or 80 for that matter. Well enough of that. Time to stop feeling sorry for myself and get back to cleaning house.

On the bright side, I am hosting our ward Relief Society Enrichment Christmas Activity in my home tonight. My house is nearly clean, yeah! Mike will be home tonight(if the weather doesn't delay him). We woke up to a blanket of snow all over Loveland today(I think this is a good thing though I hate driving in it) It is a beautiful sight and the snow continues to fall. My house is all decorated for Christmas, and I am feeling the Christmas Spirit. My children are wonderful, happy and healthy. My family and extended family are amazing and I have wonderful friends. I have the light of the gospel in my life and a Heavenly Father who loves me. What's a little feeling old or a numb hand when you have so much!!!