Taelune

I honestly just wanted to get rid of a giant wall of text on my front page. I'm getting back into art, but the process is slow. Currently, I'm working on a big project of updating Tae's reference sheet since it's been in dire need of an update. I wasn't happy with her kemono ref, and her kemonomimi ref hasn't been updated since 2016. I'm also brainstorming ideas for other character references for the time being. At some point this year I want to get back into illustrations, but I think it is more important to make references for all my and my husband's characters.

On a different note, since I got my CPAP machine and have recovered fully from my concussion/post-concussion syndrome I've found it easier to think and brainstorm so I'm more interested in getting back into writing. I have two original story ideas and a bunch of fanfiction ideas. (Primarily obsessed with Naruto, NaruHina paring) Would anyone be interested in reading those?

Health Update - Closing Chapter, YAY!

Okay, so it's been a while since I've posted an update on my situation. I finally "finished" physical therapy, meaning that I'm done going to the clinic and am responsible for doing my exercises at home from now on. Yay! I also had my follow up with Pain Management. Oh Yeah, I never did tell you guys how that went...

Well, back in the first week of September the Pain Management Doctor decided to give me an ESI (Epidural Steroid Injection) to help with my nerve pain and weakness in my legs. Unfortunately, there was a complication during the procedure (Me, being as flexible as a cat) so the Doc was having issues getting the needle in the correct position, and kept stabbing me in the vertebrae with the needle instead of injecting it into the nerve root. Needless to say, it hurt, a lot. I literally almost threw up, I don't know how to describe it to the men in the audience, but based on my description to my Mom it felt damn near close to what labor pains are supposed to feel like. It was overall a less than enjoyable experience. However, it ended up being a success, it the weeks following the procedure I no longer felt any pain down my legs, and only felt weakness when I overdid it during my recovery. That's as about as good as it gets though.

Today during my follow up the Pain Management Doctor was discussing with me what my future holds for me. The remnants of the pain I feel is permanent, and I can only keep it at tolerable levels by continuing my physical therapy at home, a minimum of 3 days a week, taking my medication, continuing to lose weight, etc. Pretty much I have to have an almost complete lifestyle change, no more WoW Harcore Raids for me! (I'm literally supposed to get up and take breaks every 30min, which is annoying when I'm "in the Zone" while drawing and whatnot.) The loss of sensation in my right leg is permanent. (It's not completely numb like before, but feels like I'm wearing an extra thick sock on one leg, which can get distracting at times, that's not an entirely accurate description, but I don't know how else to describe it.) I also have permanent arthritis in the injury site, which I can only look forward to getting worse over time. (I can slow it down by losing weight and getting active, yay....)

For treatment at home I have to continue physical therapy, take nerve pain medication, and anti-inflammatories, etc. This is my new normal, and I hate it. I can't even be too active either, because when I get too busy with chores and errands it makes the pain worse, so I have to pace myself and find a decent balance. Lots of learning, blah. The doctor did say if the pain gets worse again I can have nerve blocks as needed, which he said are less complicated than the ESI.

All in all, I do feel resolved, and content with my situation, but I still find it bothersome and irritating all the same. I'm just hoping for a fair settlement so I can buy things to make my life a little bit more comfortable and enjoyable while I'm still in this adjustment period. On the flip side, I'm also worried I might need to get a lawyer if they give me a low ball offer. =...= I hate adulting.

On a lighter note. I think I found out why I've had a sharp decline in art over the past couple of years, and why I'm so fatigued and whatnot. I was also diagnosed with Mild Sleep Apnea today (Technically Hypopnea), and am going to get a CPAP machine soon. Hopefully, I'll start feeling well before winter, and can finally get back to being a more active artist! (My husband laughs because we thinks my boobs have been literally trying to kill me since I have a thin neck, and my O2 levels only sharply drop when I'm on my back, lol)

Thank you to everyone who still supported me through all this crap. It means a lot to me that there is a group of dorks still waiting for me to return!

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Back in early February I was in a mild car accident and suffered some back injuries and a mild concussion. In Mid-March I started to go to physical therapy. If you're wondering why I started PT over a month later, my hospital is more the wait and see type since my X-rays were normal. They initially thought I was just suffering from a case of whiplash and the mild concussion (My PCM actually didn't think I had a concussion, but I got diagnosed with one when I went back to the ER after almost passing out), and thought I just needed to take it easy for a couple of weeks.

I was in PT from Mid-March through Mid-June where I found out I was hyper-mobile (Super Flexible) and had destabilized joints. (Being too flexible can be bad if you don't have strong skeletal musculature) These are related to the accident in an important way, and I'll get to that in a bit. In PT I learned through examination that I am suffering from hypersensitivity, nerve pain, and weakness in my limbs that come and go. These did not improve over the course of my treatment. (But my flexibility and balance did, w00t)

I wanted an MRI and had tried to push for one back at the end of March after I discovered in PT that I have less sensation on my right side than my left, and the hypersensitivity. (Again, Doc is the wait and see type, and Covid-19 didn't help.) I finally got one during my last week of PT and found out I have two bulging discs and a herniated disc that are pushing on a nerve sector. To add to the seriousness of the injury my doctor is sending me for a consult with a neurosurgeon to see if I need back surgery, so to say the least I'm pretty furious at him for not taking me seriously back in March.

So, for now, I'm not allowed to...

-- lift more than 20lbs.

-- hyper-extend my back. (Which is difficult since I'm hyper-flexible, pretty much anytime I want to bend over I have to squat instead, which is exhausting.)

-- do anything fun. (High impact, etc) And if my weakness in my legs progresses, or moves to my feet I have to go to the ER since I'm at risk for paralyzing my lower body. (Rare, but a possibility, according to unreliable PCM)

Sitting or standing too long makes my back hurt, and exasperates my symptoms, so drawing is a challenge. I spend most of my days laying on my side or belly playing video-games.

Needless to say, life sucks at the moment, and I'm scared to wit's end about the worst-case scenarios. I'm hoping that depending on how things turn out I end up with a decent-sized settlement from the insurance claim.

So there you go, dealing with health crap again, but my precious OC babies are always evolving in my head.

I hope you continue to support me, and await my glorious return! Hubby says I should write short one-shots of my OCs being trash in the meantime, opinions?

Previous journal (Copy of MRI description for med nerds) :

Today I turn 29! w00t w00t! Hubby took me out to a nice steak dinner, and now I'm chillaxing with a nice buzz.

Sorry for not writing or posting anything lately, or frequently. I've been pretty exhausted the past couple of months, with physical therapy and whatnot. I think I'm finally figuring out what's wrong with me though, you see on the 13th I had a full MRI for my head, neck, and back. They found a lot of messed up things in my lower back:

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Medical Nerd Alert! (Copied from the MRI Report) L4-5: Disc desiccation. There is a right foraminal disc herniation with annular tear. There is facet hypertrophy with facet fluid. There is mild subarticular zone and foraminal stenosis. Disc abuts exiting right L4 nerve root. L5-S1: Disc bulge asymmetric to the left. There is facet hypertrophy. There is mild left subarticular zone stenosis.

IMPRESSION: No compression fracture, spondylolisthesis or destructive lesion. Disc bulge with a right foraminal disc herniation L4-5. Disc bulge asymmetric to the left L5-S1.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ I don't know yet what this will mean for my future since I get to see my results before the doctor calls me. My husband thinks I might need surgery, we'll just have to see. However, I know this is probably a major cause of all my nerve pain, numbness/weakness, and coordination issues. On top of that, I also have destabilized joints (Hypermobility, partial dislocations, etc) that I'm working on strengthening. It'll be a slow process, but hopefully, I can get to a place where I can draw comfortably, consistently, and without pain. :)

In short.....VINDICATION!!!!! I've been pushing to get an MRI since at least March. 0'...'0 I really wish I could get an apology from the doctor for blowing me off. This also hopefully means a juicy settlement from the Car Insurance Company :D

In other news, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get an official diagnosis for asthma at the end of the month. My PCMs have always flip-flopped on if I had it because I always get a negative pulmonary test. However, I have respiratory issues, that aren't directly caused by allergies. The allergist gave me a medicine that if he said work, that meant I had asthma, and gosh dang it worked almost immediately. It felt so wonderful to actually get a deep breath. ;;-;;

So yes, sorry that I haven't been drawing or anything, but I've been mostly focusing on my health and avoiding back spasms. (That drawing causes) My hubby did suggest I start writing again instead. Maybe little one-shots of my OCs, would you interested in those?