I tried everything to get back to my kitchen:
- Gabapentin and Pregabalin that left me dizzy and sick
- Endless warm baths that only helped for minutes
- Special gloves that made cooking impossible
- Expensive creams that wore off before I could finish cooking
Nothing worked. Nothing lasted.
The medications made me so nauseous I couldn't even eat. And those expensive creams and herbs? They'd work just long enough for me to start preparing a meal, then the pain would come rushing back before I could finish.
My kitchen - once filled with laughter, singing and the smell of sweet potato pie was dead silent.
I was watching my cherished family tradition slip away…
I couldn't let this pain take away our family's joy, knowing Sunday wouldn't feel the same without me. I had to find a solution, not only for me, but for my grandkids.
Later, I learned there was a name for what was happening to me. “Hypomagnesemia” - a severe magnesium deficiency that was causing my nerves to misfire. The diabetes had started depleting my magnesium levels years ago, and the chemotherapy drained what little I had left.
I tried a bunch of magnesium supplements and nothing worked either. All it did was give me stomach cramps and make using the toilet harder.