HELP, need some feedback, please

[MontanaGurl]

I just need to vent.  I am having a bad day or rather a bad couple of days.  I have been sleeping in a hospital bed set up in my living room and my husband has been sleeping on the couch in case I need anything or need to go to the bathroom because I have to wear my TLSO whenever I get out bed.  Anywho, after 4 months I am getting tired of my bed cause it is hard and I feel bad for my husband sleeping on the couch cause he has to get up at 5 in the morning to go to work and doesn't get home until 6pm.  Plus, my shoulders among other parts of my body have been hurting really bad every morning and I thought that it was the hard mattress so, I thought that I would try sleeping in our regular bed.  We have a Sealy Back Support with memory foam king size.  So, night before last we slept in our bed and I did sleep rather well and when we got up at 5am to get ready for the day the only hurting that I had was my lower back, but that was it and I thought great this is really nice to sleep good and only have my lower back hurt and not my entire body.  I thought that it would take a few nights to get used to my mattress and than it would be a blessing in disguise (spelling).  So, than last night got into our bed for the 2nd night and woke up this morning at 430 before the alarm and my lower back was hurting so bad that I just about started to cry and when we put my brace on to get out of bed and go to the bathroom, holy cripes, I screamed cause it hurt soooo bad and it just squeezed my back and made me almost cry.  So, now I am just disgusted, if I can't handle the hospital bed without pain and my own bed is giving me pain, what am I to do.  I am caught between a rock and a hard spot.  And then I feel doublly bad, cause my hubby had the best 2 nights sleep in the past 4 months by sleeping on our bed.  I feel bad, I dont know what to do and I am hurting really bad.  And to make matter's worse, I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis on top of my injuries from my motorcycle accident and from the jar of the accident, it has caused major flare ups and I can't take any of my arthritis meds cause they will stop / slow down my healing process.  The docs have told me that the jar of the accident has injured about 50% of my soft tissue around my joints and in various areas of my body.  I really hurt and become stiff with my R.A. and when cold weather hits, YIPES, bad bad bad pain.  So, now we are having a major snow storm, actually have had bad weather for past several weeks, but, now it is getting cold and snowing and windchild is below zero.  So, I hurt from my R.A., hurt from my accident, hurt from sleeping in my own bed and cannot sleep on my hospital bed anymore.  What am I to do???? any comments or suggestions??  HELP please.
......................freezing again in Montana.

[MontanaGurl]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES I JUST RAMBLE ON BUT, IT FEELS BETTER WHEN I CAN GET IT ALL OUT OF MY HEAD AND ONTO PAPER OR OUT OF MY MOUTH WHEN I AM VISITING WITH SOMEONE.  I APPRICIATE YOUR ADVISE AND WILL TAKE IT UNDER THOUGHT, I WOULD SAY SLEEP ON IT BUT.....(-:              ANYWHO. THANK YOU!!!!

[Tuckamore]

Hey Montanagurl,

You do seem to be between a rock and a hard spot but I think there may be some solutions. I am sorry that you are experiencing so much pain and pain related issues. I hear your frustration. You may vent here any time you need.

I have slept on the sleep number bed, several times. I think they are wonderful and I sleep better on it than any other mattress. There is a hotel a few hours from my home that advertises the fact that they have this bed, that's where I have tried it. If you are able I would encourage you to "try" before you buy as they are extremely costly.

As usual Mollyrae offered some good advice. You may want to purchase a pillow-top cover for your bed or the memory foam covers they have available. They are more reasonable than the sleep number beds and may get you through this time until you can try one or make a purchase. They do come with a guarantee.

Hang in there and keep venting with us. We are here for you. I hope you will be able to find a solution for the sleeping problems soon. Take care and please continue to let us know how you are doing.
Tuck

[MontanaGurl]

I DONT KNOW ANYONE WITH THAT BED.  I HAVE TO WEAR MY BRACE WHEN I AM UP OUT OF BED BUT, CAN TAKE IT OFF WHILE I AM IN BED.  I HAD TO WEAR THE BRACE WHEN I CAME OUT OF SURGERY 24 HOURS A DAY, I WAS IN ICU FOR ABOUT 14 DAYS AFTER SURGERY IN A MEDICALLY ENDUCED COMA WHILE IN I.C.U. AND HAD THE BRACE ON 24 HOURS A DAY THEN AND THEN FOR 4 DAYS ON THE TRAUMA FLOOR I HAD IT ONE 24 ALSO. BUT THAN THE SURGEON SAID COULD TAKE OFF WHILE IN BED AND THEN ON WHILE I WAS UP.  I DID TRY TO SLEEP WITH IT ON ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO I THINK.  IT WAS BECAUS I WAS FEELING BAD ABOUT HAVING TO WAKE MY HUBBY UP CAUSE HE WAS WORKING 20 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK AND, HOLY CRISPY CRITTERS, I JUST ABOUT THOUGHT I WAS DYING, THE BACK PAIN WAS SOO BAD. SO I NEVER DID THAT AGAIN.  I WAS TOLD MOST PEOPLE WEAR THE BRACE FOR 3 - 6 MONTHS.  I HAVE TO GO BACK TO SEATTLE IN 2 WEEKS FOR AN APPT AND THE SURGEON THAT DID MY BACK TOLD ME DO NOT TAKE IT OFF WHILE I AM UP UNTIL I WENT BACK TO HARBORVIEW AND HE WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION.  SO THAT MAKES MY LONG STORY SHORT :-)........LIL

[nurseaudrea]

My brother and sister-in-law have one of those. They LOVE it. They said ever since they got one they sleep better every night. That sounds like it could be a great idea. Do you know someone who has one? Maybe you could lay on one and see how it makes you feel.

[nurseaudrea]

Mollyrae has some good advice. It does take some time for your body to re-adjust to a new mattress, especially with all the injuries you incurred. Did you ever sleep with your brace on in the past? How did that make you feel? I don't know if it is possible to do so because I don't know your situation, but I remember when I first had my spinal fusion I had to where my brace 24 hours a day, except for showering. I do remember in the beginning sleeping in it, then after some time I was told I did not have to wear it while I slept. I wore that thing 24 hours a day for at least a couple of months because I was scared something would happen if I did not have it on. I did not want the fusion to falter. I think I over-did it with the brace. Anyway, maybe if you tried sleeping with it on, if that's okay with your doctors, and if it's not too umcomfortable it might help you transition from one bed to the next. I don't know if that would make your body too dependant on the brace and then your muscles might begin to slacken or loose some strength around your back. Hopefully it will be okay.

It looks like you ARE really between a rock and a HARD place. I hope sweet dreams come to you tonight. Best wishes               Audrea

[MontanaGurl]

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ON THE SLEEP BY NUMBER BED?  I THOUGHT IF I COULD CONTROL MY SIDE TO MAKE IT EITHER HARDER OR SOFTER THAN THAT WOULD BE GREAT.  BUT, I DONT KNOW ANYBODY WHO HAS ONE TO HEAR WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE.  WHAT DO YOU THINK?.......................FREEZING

[Mollyrae]

Hi MontanaGurl:

Your body is use to the harder mattress and going to a softer one will no doubt make you sore and stiff for the first week or so until your body gets re-adjusted to the change. I wouldn't give up hope just yet. give it a try for at least a week before you make the decision on where it is more comfortable.

I have issues with certain types of mattresses due to my back, muscles and joints so it is very important to make my mattress as stress free on the body as possible.

What has helped me the most was to purchase a Mattress topper. I bought one with Down fill on one side and Memory Foam on the other. It is 4" thick, one of the best you can buy on the market today. I can't tell you what a difference this has made in my sleep. Although I will never be 100% comfortable with any type of mattress, it has made a world of difference with me. I highly recommend this to you. A king size topper might run you 4-500.00 so it might be worth checking out a twin size for the Hospital bed which will run you approx. 2-300.00.

I certainly know what it feels like to be between a rock and a hard place with many things when you're suffering. I hope your sleeping arrangement gets better. No sleep, we weep......Please take care and vent anytime you'd like :)
Molly