Third Time Was a Charm!

On January 21, 2019January 21, 2019 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome, Wyoming7 Comments

It took a third trip to Dr. McGinley’s offices in Casper, Wyoming during the week of Thanksgiving, and I’m happy to report that I’m officially pain-free and back to normal activity!

Denver Selfie

I had planned to post sooner; however, with the frustration building after my second round of Botox not working, I not only didn’t have the mental and physical energy to do regular updates, but I also didn’t want to jinx myself after round three. With the huge let down of not feeling any relief, it was tough to make the decision to go back again. In this post I’m including not only why this round actually worked, but also what led me to giving this a third try.

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One-Month Post-Procedure, What’s New?

On August 26, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, Popliteal Artery Entrapment SyndromeLeave a comment

It has officially been a month and three days since I had my touch-up procedure done by Dr. McGinley, and unfortunately the pain is still present. It’s just as strong if not stronger than before, and I find myself even more frustrated, not to mentioned exhausted and bummed out.

While waiting for my leg to heal, I took an adventure in Santa Rosa at Safari West! I could sit comfortably in the Jeep which was well worth it for the amazing views.

I apologize for those of you that have been following along and sending such nice notes! I was hoping to post an update earlier than today that would also include more positive results than what I will actually be sharing.

As each day went by these past few weeks, I procrastinated writing up a post because I thought (and wished) that the next day I’d have something positive to report back. Since that isn’t the case, I think it’s best to share what’s been going on with my leg for the past 3-4 weeks regardless.

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7-Days Post Touch-Up Treatment

On July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, WyomingLeave a comment

It has been about a week since my touch-up treatment with Dr. McGinley, and unfortunately my pain has not yet subsided. My symptoms are still as strong as ever, and I am constantly frustrated with my lack of mobility.

With the whirlwind of emotions continuously giving me a run for my money, I’m still hopeful as there are a few additional and key pieces of info I learned during round two of the procedure.

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Taking the Second Shot

On July 22, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, WyomingLeave a comment

Hello from Casper, Wyoming! I’m back and ready for round two of the Botox injections. My appointment is first thing tomorrow morning, and I’m currently feeling a whole slew of emotions. From the anxiety about the needles (again) to nervousness about the ‘what-if’s’ post-procedure, I’m still 100% all-in and keeping my fingers crossed that this touch-up is exactly what my leg needs to be pain free.

To be clear, the decision to come back to Casper and visit with the McGinley group wasn’t easy. I had a standing appointment scheduled with arguably the top surgeon in the states for CECS. That appointment was supposed to be this week, but after weighing the pro’s and con’s, there were a few important factors that really swayed my decision to give this one last shot (literally).

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The Mental Side-Effects of Chronic Pain

On July 17, 2018July 17, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, Medical Journey, Popliteal Artery Entrapment SyndromeLeave a comment

For those also diagnosed with Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome, do you ever find yourself bummed out that you can’t partake in activities you once enjoyed, actively avoiding anything that will bring on the pain, or being constantly overcome with extreme exhaustion from the lack of sleep and constant ache?

Yeah, sounds like an infomercial for my current life. Welcome.

The pain you experience during activity is one thing, but the mental effects of constant pain are a whole other ballgame. I wasn’t familiar with these effects, and if you’re like me, you may be overlooking some side-effects that have developed due to this sneaky neurological nightmare.

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Progress Report: 1 Month Later

On July 1, 2018July 1, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, Wyoming1 Comment

It has been just over a month since I had undergone Dr. McGinley’s procedure to correct and alleviate any symptoms of Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS), and I’m incredibly disappointed to report that I have not had much relief. Even though I followed all instructions given and pushed my leg a bit more with some recent travel and activities, I still feel like I’m back at square one.

Pressure Test

After speaking with some representatives from McGinley’s team in the past two weeks, they’ve determined that I need a ‘touch-up’. It’s tough for me to justify trekking back out to Wyoming so soon, let alone having to shell out some additional G’s for the procedure itself. However in this post, I’m including some of the feedback from the McGinley team along with my own personal symptoms and rationale as to why I’m considering going back.

Hopefully this will be helpful for anyone going through the same predicament!

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Havana Nights – 5 Things I Stressed About Before My First Trip to Cuba

On June 20, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Cuba, International Travel1 Comment

When one of my girlfriends asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to go to Cuba, I did not hesitate to book my ticket. Cuba has always been one of those places that I never thought I’d see, so when the opportunity came up I had to jump on it.

There are so many fun things I could write about from this trip, but to start, I figured sharing some of my initial stressors and the reality could be helpful when making a decision to visit.

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I’m Alive! Progress Post-Botox

On May 30, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome, Wyoming2 Comments

Good news. It didn’t hurt as much as I had anticipated and I also still have a functional leg attached to my body.

CT Scan

My apologies that this progress post is a little delayed! In all honesty, after flying back home from Casper, the only thing I wanted to do for the rest of my 3-day weekend was absolutely nothing – and it felt great. Although I’m still waiting for my magic moment of no-pain, the trip was 100% worth it, and I figure it could be helpful to list out what I expected from the procedure vs. the reality.

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Pre-Botox Jitters

On May 24, 2018May 30, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn Compartment Syndrome, McGinley, Medical Journey, Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome, WyomingLeave a comment

Here we are! I made it to Casper! Minus a few delays out of SFO and a connecting flight later, it has been a smooth first day.

I’ve never been to Wyoming before, and I have to say that the views are beautiful. It’s that vastness that is difficult to capture with the only way to take it all in is to just enjoy the moment.

Snapping back to reality, though, tomorrow is the big day, and I’m experiencing all sorts of feelings and anxiety about Dr. McGinley’s Vascular Pressure Treatment. In order to combat the nerves, I think it’ll be helpful to list the reasons behind why I decided to move forward with the procedure in the first place.

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5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Go Skydiving in their Lifetime

On May 22, 2018May 22, 2018 By GO ALEXIAIn HawaiiLeave a comment

Skydiving is one of those experiences that I always said I would do but never thought would actually become a reality. After taking the plunge for the first time in January, I realized that there’s more to the leap than a cool view and bragging rights. The effects from skydiving, at least for myself, went much deeper.

DCIM100GOPRO

If you get the chance, I highly recommend taking a dive, and here are my five reasons why:

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