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I'm Carole, living in London, happily married and mum to two amazing boys.I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Rectal Cancer in April 2010. Surgery took place in November 2010 and I now have a permanent colostomy...Spinal mets were then diagnosed in October 2011...In January 2012 I was told of further spread to the hip area (multiple lesions)..My life expectancy is now 6-9 months. Walk alongside me on the last part of my experience with this..

Sunday 25 September 2011

Osteopathy saves the day?.......

Okay, so I ignored medical advice and went ahead and booked an appointment with an Osteopath locally. I used the clinic that I used some years ago when Dj needed some work doing - they were good at the time and although their Osteopaths are now different people I knew their reputation was still sound.

So, got myself an appointment on Friday afternoon. Had a nice chat initially about my past history, explained that my GP felt it wouldn't be useful however there was no way I could continue with this ongoing pain without at least attempting to help myself in some way.
Martin, my Osteopath explained that if the pain was due to joint issues (displacement), muscle issues (strain or injury) then he could definitely make a difference however if it was due to cancer (secondary bone) then what he did would not make a jot of difference. He explained that he wanted me to understand this before we went ahead. Seemed sensible to me.
He also explained that because of the question mark around cancer, he would only do a very gentle form of Osteopathy as doing anything 'vigorous' could of course damage fragile bones.

He then got me to bend over in front of him, with my back to him and immediately said 'That tell's me plenty, you are completely unaligned, your hips, shoulders and spine need adjustment and you are not a quick fix but I think we can do something here'...
We discussed that during my operation (which was when the shoulder pain started, the following day) I was probably pulled around for hours, they are not exactly gentle when they do surgery on you and you can't let them know if something is uncomfortable because you're 'out of it' - so they do their stuff and you get pulled and yanked about...

Anyway I let him do his stuff - which 'feels' like he's actually doing nothing but of course he is. I know this from when Dj had his work done, at first you question what 'holding' someone's head or placing their hands under your ribs and moving their hands around slowly can actually do - but of course they are really doing much more than this.
I already know that this treatment can have amazing results, we saw the difference in Dj within two sessions so I was hopeful it would work on me also.
My session lasted 40 mins and when I left there I was (as expected) much more uncomfortable than when I arrived. Every single part of me felt stiff and sore - however the test would be over the following few days. If it was going to make any difference I would know then as bit by bit I'd start to feel better.

And I do! Yay! So much better that I was able to get out of bed on Saturday feeling stiff but not frozen, I managed to get out shopping to buy Dj new school shoes, then we went to see mum and dad for a couple of hours. We were out from 2pm til around 9pm and I coped well.
A few days before there was NO way I could have done this as standing even for a few minutes was just becoming way too painful.
Today I've managed to get out of bed stiff but again not in agony, and got through quite a bit of outstanding housework - there are still things I can't yet do but today there were things I COULD do - so big YAY to Osteopathy and the best news is that as it IS working the chances are that it's nothing to do with cancer because as Martin said 'It won't help at all if it's secondary cancer'

So, I'm not fixed and I accept I'm not a 'quick fix' but I'm probably fixable - good news I think.

At the end of this I'll be poor but not sore :) That's the current plan anyway :)

Catch up soon xx

12 comments:

  1. Carol, I am so happy that you are getting at least some relief after all this time...Great stuff!

    Much Love T xxxx

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  2. Carole, my best wishes for good news on the scan. You are in my thoughts.

    regards

    Kev

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  3. Hi Carole
    Yay! So pleased for you.Really hope you continue to improve,and it has nothing to do with cancer.
    Warmest regards
    Mimi

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  4. Good news Carole...about the 'not sore' not the 'poor'!

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  5. HI Carole so glad the osteopath has given you some relief . take care

    stef x

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  6. Yay!!! Hurrah for Osteopathy! Great to hear that you are feeling so much better after just one session. Really, really encouraging. xxx

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  7. Yay! What great news, all the more determined to see an osteopath myself now! (Not that I am watching you and using you as a guinea pig, lol!)
    I am so pleased that it appears that you are fixable! About time you had some good stuff!
    Yay and hugs!
    Carol

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  8. Carole,
    YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
    I can't tell you how excited I am that you are finally getting help in a way that can make a real difference in how you feel.
    xoxox Carla

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  9. Thank you everyone - I'm continuing to make progress, slowly but surely.

    I've booked another appointment for this Wednesday as I'm now positive it *has* made some difference. I'm stiff but not in agony today, as long as I take things slowly I'm getting some mobility back in most of my joints now :)
    S'all good :) xx

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  10. Oh Carole, you have SO made my day! I was feeling in a right old grump before I checked in to your blog but when I read your news I felt so much better!!!! Soooo glad you've got some relief at last. Want to give you a great big Liverpool street station hug :-)

    Xxxxxx

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  11. This sounds so positive Carole. Ask him for some tips on how to sit at work - you may have been sitting badly to compensate for the pain? Also how to get up from sitting and sit down again, and how to move around so that you keep everything he has 're-aligned' in its new less painful place.

    ((o))

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  12. Typical sis, ignoring the doctors advice and going for what feels the right thing to actually do. Well done sis, glad you feel a little more comfortable but please please please, don't overdo it as all the good can be undone too quickly. make sure the twisting jobs, like sweeping, mopping are done by the boys! SUPERWOMAN!!! arghhhh!!!! you're as bad as mum for trying to get on things again and look where that got here. So be careful, lit sis loving you lots xxxxxxx

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