Renee,

The woman I learned from taught people in wheelchairs. Her class was call Yoga for people with special conditions. Can you sit in a chair, with both feet on the floor and your head and shoulders nominally above your hips? Can you or can someone help you place the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other leg? Just doing this will begin stretching your hip flexors. Pressing down on the now elevated knee will stretch them even more. But you don't need to do that, just sitting properly and putting the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other is enough of a start. The smallest beginning is better than the nothing you're now doing. If you really can't then you can't. But these stretches are meant for people with special conditions; people like me and you.
Ross

Renee,

I'm going off line for awhile. I nearly died from meningitis two years ago and have never fully recovered. But I will check in with you later today, but probably tomorrow. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ross

Ross, I'm sorry to hear about your bout with meningitis and difficult recovery. Right now, my nerve is very inflamed, but when it calms down I may try that stretch. Thanks for the advice. Renee

Good Morning Renee,

Ross here. If you've attempted that stretch and can't do it, are you able to stand? If so, try this. Stand two to three feet from a wall. Your feet should be parallel and spread apart the same distance as your shoulders. Place your hands on the wall directly in front of your shoulders, Lean forward, using your arms to support you. If this is too much for the 'bad' leg, move the 'bad' leg forward and stretch the good leg. This will stretch the back of the leg from tush to heel, the hamstrings and the achilles tendon and its attachments.

You've probably already said this and I've forgotten. Have you had cortisone injected into the inflamed area to cool down the nerve? In addition, a neurologist on the Charlie Rose show described persistent, long term pain as a disease in and of itself. The pain receptors in the brain become highly sensitized to to pain signals. This sensitivity can be reduced, and the pain reduced by taking the medication Lyrica or a similar medication. I'm hoping to have it prescribed for ongoing pain from Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia Rheumatica.

You might also try going to the NIH website to see if there are any clinical trials for the control of pain for which you might qualify and that are in your geographic area.

I'm off to my garden. It's in the 40's and so cool enough that in shorts and a tee-shirt I won't overheat. Since the meningitis, my thermostat, probably the hypothalamus, doesn't work. It drives my neighbors crazy to see me out dressed as if it were summer and they're all cold in jackets and gloves. I'm hoping to get a diagnosis and treatment soon because summer's a real bear to endure.

Take care and talk to you later,

Ross

My son has a situation very similar to Renee and he was told his only recourse was drugs. I cannot accept this for him and he is not willing to accept it either. The only difference as I understand it is that the scar tissue in pressing on or growing around the nerve. Do you have any suggestions for him. My email is jeanstowell1@aol.com. Please feel free to contact me. Please put For Steven in the subject line. Thank you.