Friday, September 18, 2009

Sizzle

Its been a while since I updated about my back/leg pain.. Since then I had quite a few diagnostic tests and procedures. My insurance company is probably ready to hire a hit man to take me out with all of the claims on my rap sheet. Anyway.... Between my spine specialists and my pain management doctor ,they decided that my chronic pain must be coming from the arthritis of the facet joints of the spine. Nerves called medial branches supply facet joints. They carry the pain signals to the spinal cord. The signals eventually reach the brain where the pain is registered. Pain is a warning when the joint is irritated So therefore on Wednesday of this week I had a procedure called rhizotomy or Radio frequency Ablation. Essentially what they did was cauterize or burn 6 nerves in my lower back whose sole purpose was to tell my brain I was in pain. Who needs that..... right? So the procedure itself hurt like the dickens but was tolerable considering I have had a whole lot of needles stuck into my spine lately. It put me into bed for all of Wed and Thursday but back to work Friday. I'm sore and and a bit loopy from the pain meds but I am keeping a positive attitude about it because it HAS to work...It really is the only option left for me. The doctor says it will take a few weeks for the nerves to completely die and I could have a year or more of relief before the nerve regenerates itself. I'm praying real hard on this to be my miracle!

1 comment:

Matt, Jena, Joshua and Cora said...

We will be praying for you!!! We are so sorry you have had to go thru so much pain, may it get better sooooon!!!!!!