And now the rest of the story...

Sorry to leave you all hanging yesterday. Really, it was more about all I had planned yesterday not just being mean and leave you wanting more {well, mostly!!}
{Just another note before you continue...I have read through this post several times. Writing this and sharing this has been very difficult for me. I don't like talking about it for several reasons. First and foremost I don't want people to think I want sympathy. I never want to be one of those people who constantly complain about their situation. I am very blessed and know there are so many people who have it worse than I do. And secondly I end of crying so much when I think about this time in my life and the fact I am still dealing with it. I just don't ever want it to get so bad again...thank you for reading and thank you so much for all your warm and kind comments. They mean the world to me.}
I need to tell you a few things before I go on with my story. {i should have told you yesterday} 17 years ago Dave and I were rear-ended by a car going 40 MPH. I suffered whiplash. When I was taken to the hospital I never given an x-ray {the doctor on call was later fired for DRINKING on the job!}

So, the jaw tooth came out...the dentist was mad {the tooth was healthy} and my pain got WORSE!
That first week after the tooth came out I would just sit in the recliner with ice anticipating it would all be better soon. It wasn't.

The pain in my jaw became more severe and now radiated up my neck, across my shoulder and would settle in my left eye. I would take Excedrin, Advil and my migraine medication Zomig daily. The only relief I got was when I slept. I did a lot of sleeping.

What bothered me the  most was not being able to spend time with my family. I would just sit in my chair, in a pain-filled fog watching my life pass me by. I didn't feel like doing anything. I couldn't do anything. On a scale from 1 to 10 my pain was a 9 most days with a few 10's in the mix. I was depressed. I seriously wanted to die.

By mid-November I was desperate. A month before I had rushed to my Doctor's office hoping she could give me some heavy duty pain killers. I remember sitting in her office answering the nurse's questions...when I told her I was at a level 10 pain at that moment she kind of scoffed at that and walked out. It felt like hot screwdrivers were being stabbed in my skull. I was screaming inside "What the heck is wrong with me!! What did I do to deserve this?!!!!" 
My doctor was amazingly sympathetic. She knew me well and was certain I would never walk in her office, begging for drugs without there being something terribly wrong. She actually reprimanded that nurse right in front of me. {that part was pretty sweet}I was prescribed some meds then sent home. For the first time in 2 months I had hope the pain would go away. The pills gave me very little relief. :(

Back to November...the prescriptions meds aren't doing anything...I'm not living my life and I am seriously thinking my life is over. Everyone was out of the house...I was just sitting in my chair, all curled up remembering what my life was like before the pain. I would cry and cry, feeling sorry for myself. 
Then, a peace came over me. I folded my arms, bowed my head and began praying out loud to my Heavenly Father. I poured out my soul to him that day. I begged Him to please help me. Please give me a direction to go in my life. Help me find help to make this pain go away or at least be manageable. 

I lifted my head and immediately an image popped in my head. It was of a sign that I often saw after church every Sunday. "River Song Massage". I grabbed the phone book and found the number. Within an hour I was laying on a massage table so grateful that my Heavenly Father had led me here.

Within a week {it was Thanksgiving} I felt better than I had in months. I was able to cook up a feast for my family, laugh and play with my kids. I was feeling human again. For the next 2 years I had a massage weekly and began chiropractic treatments. I still would have my bad days...but the good was outweighing the bad.  I was having a good day if my pain was just at a level 4 or 5. Slowly those levels were dropping to 2 and 3's and at times I was enjoying pain free days. It was a miracle to me.

Since those dark days 7 years ago I have had many flare-ups. They kind of go in spurts. I'll go 2 months without pain, then I'll have a week where my migraines are daily and my teeth ache. I have kept up with my massages and the chiropractor...I go about once a month There have been times the pain is so severe it reminds me of those months when all I wanted to do was sleep and never wake up. 

It scares me when that happens. 

Last week...that is exactly  what happened. The pain came back. It wrapped itself around neck, my shoulders, my jaw and teeth and held on tight...determined to stick around for good this time. That is my biggest fear in life...my pain, those 9 and 10 days will come back and hunker down and stay. I can take anything but please Dear Lord...not those 9 and 10 days.

Saturday was my Em's 13th birthday. I woke up MISERABLE. I was so upset. Here it was...her special day and we had so much fun stuff planned and I was a mess. The night before we had gone to dinner and a movie...at a level 8. Anyway, I just knew there was no way I was going to enjoy my day without a chiropractic adjustment. I knew my usual Doctor wasn't in so I called around. No answer anywhere. Then I remembered this new guy {he has been here about a year or two} and I made a call. They answered! And yes they could see me....and oh, by the way this won't cost a thing because it's our Customer Appreciation Day. 


So we went. And guess what? 


They were also taking X-rays at no cost. Remember now that I had never had an Xray...not even my chiropractor that I have been seeing for nearly 8 years had done that.
 So they begin doing all sorts of tests on me. Touch me in certain spots to see how tender my muscles were. At one point the Doc was like "oh, my your neck and shoulders are once big spasm!"
He also turned my neck back and forth to check on my mobility. I failed big time!!


Then came the Xrays...oh WOW! They did such a thorough job. I was so impressed for the care I was receiving...I mean I wasn't a patient and this was all at no cost and they were just so caring. Anyway, they do several Xrays on my back then my neck. I could tell they were concerned with the neck...lots of whispering going on. The Doc said "We need to do a few more, Leslie. We have found something that is going to help you...we have found the source of your pain."


For Real?!?!  You've found the source of my pain?! Ha, yeah right. NO ONE has found the source of my pain {i saw a neurologist during my whole "9 and 10 " days and they threw up there hands and sent me home} So good for you that you think you found the source...but..."

Then I thought...what if they have found it? I never have had Xrays...I began to get anxious. I began to feel a glimmer of hope.


The Doc took Dave and I to his office. He had the coolest life size screen on the wall with my Xrays on it. Then he showed me....

I had a broken neck! I had fractured my C1 vertebrae 17 years ago!! Because of that it was messing up my C2 and C3 vertebrae.  I had bone spurs and arthritis in my neck and oh, my neck is supposed to have a 46 degree curve in it...mine is 17.5. Oh and guess what?? All of our nerves that control the pain in our TEETH and our FACE are where??!? C1 and C2!!!!!!

Dave and I just sat there in shock. I cried. I was relieved. I was scared. I had hope that maybe, at last someone could help me because they had actually taken the time to know where the problem was and could now fix it!!!

So this week I began an intense treatment on my neck. What I love about Dr. Matt is his approach. He doesn't just adjust me...he incorporates other holistic type methods to my treatment. I truly believe I am {at last} on the path to 100% wellness.

I also believe that my Heavenly Father was with me and that I went through all this pain last week so I could find Dr. Matt and have these Xrays.

I am so grateful.