You may recall I left the doctor I was seeing when he told me it would be a one-year wait to Duke's pain clinic. Nope. That is inhumane. Besides, I think he was ghosting me because he didn't know how to fix me. Being he was a surgeon it's best I find that out now.
I went to another Pain Clinic for Spinal Pain intervention. (he does other things too but mostly this.) This doctor is another neurologist. He felt they were injecting me in the wrong place. Great thousands of dollars out the window
He really felt he could get this. I have a bulge on L1. It is covering 50% of my spinal cavity. It is pressing on all these nerve endings giving me severe pain, numbness, and did I mention eyes rolling in the back of your head pain? Now I've had sciatica. This is nothing like sciatica. I don't want sciatica but I'd prefer that over what I have been dealing with.
Rick drove me to the clinic office because I feared the drive home if this worked.
It worked. OMG, the pain. It smarts with the numbing agent. It smarts when they insert the tube, but when they put in the medication I went through the roof. Instant tears. At one point as he was moving the needle I was making noises that I couldn't control. It was so awful. The nurse was trying to hold my hand but I was squeezing the table. I apologized after one yelp and he said he gets big ball players in here crying like a baby so I didn't need to worry. I actually heard that before. Another story for another time.
When it was done I was about to relax. I felt my whole body tense but I couldn't stop it. Man, I wouldn't wish this on another person. Well, maybe one.
After I got off the table I couldn't walk without wobbling so they had me sit down. The doctor walked me out to the front office and I scheduled a 2-week follow-up. I have always been told it will get better and better over 2 weeks.
I hope they are correct.
I told Rick in the car that as soon as he injected me in the correct spot I almost went through the roof. I knew he was in the right spot because he was causing me great pain in the areas of my pain. I know that seems confusing but I knew it was in the right area and that made me happy through those tears.
When I got home I collapsed in the ugly chair. I slept for 4 hrs. I awoke to being able to get out of my chair with minimal pain. I even stood up straighter.
On any given day my pain on a 1-10 scale is a 10 or higher.
After this shot, it was a 5-6 and I can honestly live with this pain. It's inconvenient, and it's not fun but I can do this if I must.
If this does not take we can try the spinal cord stimulator should Medicare ever approve it or have surgery.
They apparently don't like to do surgery on an L1. When I asked why I was told it was such a small area. Not the space as there is on my lower back. I said even if they only got 1/2 of it I'd be in 1/2 the pain, no?
I don't know I just want out of pain.
I asked Rick to put a pillow over my head if I must live in a 10-15 pain level.
He said he wouldn't do it because he is too pretty for prison.
I bet I have a sibling that would.
😀
yes, see above.
8 comments:
I sure hope these new shots do the trick to ease your chronic pain! Sounds like this new specialist is more on the ball than the last one.
"Jail House Rock" instead of "Hail to the Chief" -- hahahahaha!
Hi Peg. I'm so sorry for being so long getting back. I'm sorry that your pain is so bad. I hope Rick is do well. I'll make sure that I'll keep close. Keep strong my friend.
Cruisin Paul
Love the Jailhouse Rock!
I did not see 'spitting on the wrong side' coming. HA!
So glad to hear that you are experiencing relief....especially after enduring the pain of the injection. Sounds awful, but maybe it's like stinky cheese. Tastes great but smells awful.
I love the Trump memes, especially the stamp one. Lol!
Sending healing thoughts that this injection will actually work. I can REALLY relate to the first meme!
I once injured a disc on my cervical spine (working out with a personal trainer, no less!). My doc prescribed pain pills and muscle relaxers for a week, and I have never been in such pain. I was downing those pills with whiskey (I hate whiskey and otherwise never drink it). When we got to surgery. after the week was up, they found the disc was shattered and just sticking to nerves all over my spine. The surgeon was picking it off with tweezers. All this to say that I have some idea of what you are going through and I hope you have found the right person to get you out of it.
I'm impressed with your ability to identify potential doctors! I've lived here all my life and somehow am still having problems with that. Some of them seem to be useless but it is hard to weed them out.
Any pain over which you would take sciatica must be awful. Good luck!
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