I may have mentioned recently about my interactions with Costochronodritis. For a full recount I will have to take you back to April of this year…

I had just finished my break, in which I took time out to sort what I had from what I wanted in an entirely soul-searching kind of style. My yoga practice was going strong and I had found a company to start regular classes with, as well as I was building up my own private classes. My friendships were slowly developing strongly and I had managed to find out a little bit more of what I have, and was able, to offer people.

On a morning surf expedition in Geraldton I took a fall off my board. In hindsight I was unprepared for the size and strength of the swell outside of the Perth metro area. I also wasn’t mentally prepared for a surf that day, but I was encouraged to give it a try. Never one to back down I was suited up and paddling out in no time, yet as soon as I was moving away from the shore something didn’t feel right. I lost confidence in myself but felt it would be weak to give in and return to the sand so I up and went and down I came before you could say Supercalifragelisticexpialedoscious. At this point I felt miserable and just wanted to go back to bed. This wasn’t the Easter surf I’d had in mind. I was tossed around a bit before I had my board and could make it back to shore and by then the pain was searing.

I didn’t feel much significant relief over the next two weeks from that pain, but it definitely softened. I managed a few more brief surfs and a few great yoga classes with the help of med, as always I ignored the pain. It wasn’t until I was attacked brutally by a severe abdominal pain whilst at breakfast with my brother that I started to realise the extent of my injury. Doc Evs put me through a series of tests and scans and the prognosis of costochronodritis came about. The ribs of my C3-C5 vertebrae were slightly out of place due to inflammation of the cartilage in the Thoracic Cavity (ribcage area of skeleton).

The pain was referred pain due to the pressure costo imposed on the nerves which leave the spine hereabouts. These nerves travel around the ribs to the front of the body, and then return in to the abdominal organs and tissue. It was no wonder my kidneys felt like they were on fire. Quick relief came from regular meetings with a physiotherapist and lasting relief came from prescribed medication Celebrex.

I wouldn’t say the pain is gone, I am just being cautious not to disturb it again. I had to cut back significantly on yoga and surfing. I cannot go out on the water without a partner or a spotter to help me should I get in to trouble. On the upside my doctors reassured me that my Lupus is still ‘looking good’. I take this away as a great positive!