A Young Wife’s Tale

I am not a psycho just because I take clonazepam. Clonazepam, or klonopin if you get the name brand, is always listed as one of the medications crazy people are taking in movies and on television shows. Next time you’re watching Law & Order or a medical drama, and they’re dealing with a psycho killer, listen to the medications the psycho is taking. Clonazepam is always listed.

I take clonazepam for my TMJ Disorder. It was prescribed by my specialist, who has DDS not MD after his name. He told me it would help me get a deeper sleep and clench my jaw less. I take a small dose, and it helps a lot.

Brother #3 and I went to Philadelphia today. Here we are at Independence Hall.

We survived our second week in New Jersey.

Monday when David came home from work, he said, “I put in a request to go to a training conference in Virginia. It’s Wednesday through Friday. They’ll never approve it on such short notice.”

Tuesday afternoon, David calls me and says, “Pack my bag. I’m leaving in three hours.”

What’s the best thing for David when he flares? David soaks in a hot bath with epsom salts every day. When he flares, he takes additional hot baths. Sometimes he will use a heating pad or Therma Heat patches. Often when he flares the doctor will give him an injection of arthritis medication directly into his back. There’s really not a whole lot we can do except wait it out. David has tried acupuncture, but it is a bit expensive, although it does provide considerable relief.

What helps your jaw when it’s hurting? Rest and relaxation. I try to eat soft foods like mashed potatoes and yogurt when my jaw hurts, so that my jaw can rest. Relaxation through exercise, massage therapy, playing the piano, etc. helps quite a bit. When my jaw pain was very bad a few years ago, I would sometimes drink hot beverages to relax my muscles. I wish you could have seen me with my mouth full of Chai Tea Latte leaning to one side to hold the hot liquid where I wanted it.

David’s ribs and neck have been bothering him a lot. The doctor said that even though the ribs aren’t joints, it is in fact arthritis in his ribs. The rheumatologist said he is seeing improvement in David’s Psoriatic Arthritis, just as we are, and in fact, he recommended that David contact Humira and ask them if they will approve David for injections every ten days instead of every fourteen. I imagine this won’t be an issue since they simply ship us whatever the doctor prescribes.