My Week, or How I Got Stabbed in the Back (Literally)
So, this week has been sort of slow. I've mostly been sleeping late so that I could take advantage of not having to go to class at 9:00AM. It's very nice.
On Tuesday I had the first of my epidural steroid injections for my back. After having it, I am now sort of hoping I get the surgery, since I really don't want to go through that again. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be in some ways, but in others it was way worse. The doctor was all "we don't inject it into your spine" but they might as well have. Well, here let me just tell you all about it.
My appointment was at 10:15. I got there a couple minutes before, since I had to search all over the house for the prescription from the doctor for the shots (in case there were any questions). Thankfully there weren't, since I couldn't find it. So, I fill out forms and get my stuff copied and whatnot. I then proceed to sit and wait to be called in. Good thing I brought my book, since I was waiting for like 40 minutes!
They let me in to a room and I am forced to wear a gown. I hate those gowns, but at least this one had a tie around the waist, so I wasn't totally exposed and freezing. Then after the gown I wait another 10-15 minutes. All in all, while I waited I ended up filling out paperwork, glancing at the TV, sitting around, looking at stuff in the office, and reading 47 pages of my book. Forty seven pages! That's more than I end up reading when I'm getting my hair done!
Anyway, the doctor finally comes in, and talks to me for a bit. He is one of those annoying guys who doesn't really shake a woman's hand. He barely even clasped my hand at all. I mean, if you are going to shake someone's hand, shake it. Although, there are people (my mom being one of them) with bad wrists, but those of us who don't have that problem would like to get a real handshake, not a lame "oh, you're a girl so you can't possibly handle a firm grip" handshake. Grr! Oops, got off track. Back to the story.
He asks me if I have my MRI report, which I don't, since I was not told to bring anything (I mean, I wasn't even given directions to the freaking office). So, I had to wait again so the MRI place could fax it over. Now, this part of the waiting was probably my fault, but I swear I asked them if I needed to bring anything to the appointment and they said no. I was just being safe with the prescription, but I would've brought the MRI report if I'd known.
So after he gets it, I have to sit on the edge of the table, leaning forward, with my head resting against the wall. And I don't know if you know this or not, but walls are hard! My poor skull. He then proceeds to mark my back with the sharpest pen known to man. I swear, if felt like a needle all on its own. Then he proceeded to do some stuff I was glad I couldn't see, since if it was as painful looking as it felt, I would have had a hard time. And, apparently the doctor can't count either, since at one point I am clearly in pain, and ow'ing all over the place, and he says "I'm 90% done." He then proceeds to work for at least 50% longer. Although, I guess having a doctor who does 140% is not bad.
So, then comes the really awful part. I feel a bit nauseous, so he tells the nurse to get some smelling salts, since I guess it helps with nausea or something. And then I get a whiff of them. OMFG I felt like I'd just snorted ammonia. I proceeded to tell both of my parents as soon as I talked to them that if I ever pass out around them under no circumstances am I to have smelling salts, And secretly I'd always wondered about smelling salts too, since you always hear them mentioned in Nancy Drew books and stuff. But never again! I did get some water, since the smelling salts totally burned the back of my throat, and I was fine after that. Except for the fact that my back was killing me for the rest of the day. Way more pain than usual.
So, after my appointment, I am give this list of instructions to follow for the rest of the day. Good thing I didn't have anything planned. I had to lie flat on my back for the rest of the day. And they wanted me to drink caffeine, which my other doctor told me to stay away from because of my stomach, but I figured one soda wouldn't kill me. So, I basically lay there for five hours or so, catching up on missed episodes of Lost. And, man that show is good.
So, the shot itself wasn't as painful as I thought it would be (although it was still pretty damn painful), but the pain I felt afterward was so awful that I really don't want to have one of these again. I will find out on February 14th if I will be getting the surgery or not, and if I am, no more shots. Right now, I am hoping for surgery.
Oh, looks like Dad's home, so I can finally go pick up my last Disney Store check. And have lunch, because OMG I'm starving. Catch you later!
On Tuesday I had the first of my epidural steroid injections for my back. After having it, I am now sort of hoping I get the surgery, since I really don't want to go through that again. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be in some ways, but in others it was way worse. The doctor was all "we don't inject it into your spine" but they might as well have. Well, here let me just tell you all about it.
My appointment was at 10:15. I got there a couple minutes before, since I had to search all over the house for the prescription from the doctor for the shots (in case there were any questions). Thankfully there weren't, since I couldn't find it. So, I fill out forms and get my stuff copied and whatnot. I then proceed to sit and wait to be called in. Good thing I brought my book, since I was waiting for like 40 minutes!
They let me in to a room and I am forced to wear a gown. I hate those gowns, but at least this one had a tie around the waist, so I wasn't totally exposed and freezing. Then after the gown I wait another 10-15 minutes. All in all, while I waited I ended up filling out paperwork, glancing at the TV, sitting around, looking at stuff in the office, and reading 47 pages of my book. Forty seven pages! That's more than I end up reading when I'm getting my hair done!
Anyway, the doctor finally comes in, and talks to me for a bit. He is one of those annoying guys who doesn't really shake a woman's hand. He barely even clasped my hand at all. I mean, if you are going to shake someone's hand, shake it. Although, there are people (my mom being one of them) with bad wrists, but those of us who don't have that problem would like to get a real handshake, not a lame "oh, you're a girl so you can't possibly handle a firm grip" handshake. Grr! Oops, got off track. Back to the story.
He asks me if I have my MRI report, which I don't, since I was not told to bring anything (I mean, I wasn't even given directions to the freaking office). So, I had to wait again so the MRI place could fax it over. Now, this part of the waiting was probably my fault, but I swear I asked them if I needed to bring anything to the appointment and they said no. I was just being safe with the prescription, but I would've brought the MRI report if I'd known.
So after he gets it, I have to sit on the edge of the table, leaning forward, with my head resting against the wall. And I don't know if you know this or not, but walls are hard! My poor skull. He then proceeds to mark my back with the sharpest pen known to man. I swear, if felt like a needle all on its own. Then he proceeded to do some stuff I was glad I couldn't see, since if it was as painful looking as it felt, I would have had a hard time. And, apparently the doctor can't count either, since at one point I am clearly in pain, and ow'ing all over the place, and he says "I'm 90% done." He then proceeds to work for at least 50% longer. Although, I guess having a doctor who does 140% is not bad.
So, then comes the really awful part. I feel a bit nauseous, so he tells the nurse to get some smelling salts, since I guess it helps with nausea or something. And then I get a whiff of them. OMFG I felt like I'd just snorted ammonia. I proceeded to tell both of my parents as soon as I talked to them that if I ever pass out around them under no circumstances am I to have smelling salts, And secretly I'd always wondered about smelling salts too, since you always hear them mentioned in Nancy Drew books and stuff. But never again! I did get some water, since the smelling salts totally burned the back of my throat, and I was fine after that. Except for the fact that my back was killing me for the rest of the day. Way more pain than usual.
So, after my appointment, I am give this list of instructions to follow for the rest of the day. Good thing I didn't have anything planned. I had to lie flat on my back for the rest of the day. And they wanted me to drink caffeine, which my other doctor told me to stay away from because of my stomach, but I figured one soda wouldn't kill me. So, I basically lay there for five hours or so, catching up on missed episodes of Lost. And, man that show is good.
So, the shot itself wasn't as painful as I thought it would be (although it was still pretty damn painful), but the pain I felt afterward was so awful that I really don't want to have one of these again. I will find out on February 14th if I will be getting the surgery or not, and if I am, no more shots. Right now, I am hoping for surgery.
Oh, looks like Dad's home, so I can finally go pick up my last Disney Store check. And have lunch, because OMG I'm starving. Catch you later!