Houston, we have a diagnosis
So for the past year, we've been dealing with major issues with hubby. For those who remember, last Summer he had surgery to correct a hernia which was supposed to help some pain he was having in his groin region. No one could explain to us why he was in so much pain. Some said that it was the hernia. Others said it was a nerve issue. Some said it was from something called a hydrocele. But each doctor consulted in the areas of specialty (surgeon for hernia, urologist for hydrocele, etc..) insisted that his level of pain was from the OTHER area/concern because there was no way that what they saw was causing this incredible level of pain. (On those pretty pain charts with the faces that range from happy to sobbing, he spent several months off the chart - in crying, sobbing screaming range. He was in a wheelchair for between six to eight weeks because he was unable to walk from the pain.)
They performed their handy dandy surgery and removed the nerve that they believed was causing the problem. Did you catch that? They REMOVED that nerve - said it would take care of his pain issue. Problem is that it didn't. At all. In fact since his surgery in June the pain has been getting worse and worse and worse. So they said they fixed everything they could possibly fix. Nothing else is wrong. Go to pain management.
Pain Management has been the definition of a blessing and a curse. I demanded (after four months of unsuccessful treatment - several of which landed him in the ER via 911/ambulance calls) that they do an MRI to see if we could discover exactly what we're dealing with here. In March, after TEN MONTHS, they finally did an MRI and we discovered that in May of last year, when everyone assumed the hernia, nerve, and hydrocele were causing his pain that he'd actually torn the muscles that lie in the base of his pelvis. Since no one found this injury and they did a variety of things that they SHOULD NOT DO FOR SUCH CASES (open surgery, everyone sticking their hands in that area for 'exams' etc...) the muscles that were torn got traumatized repeatedly and healed into a tight little nasty ball. They are now covered with scar tissue and adhesions.
Long story short, they totally missed his injury, mistreated everything, and now they're saying (THEY say - I don't) that there's not a thing anyone can do and that he'll have this pain for the rest of his life and it will get worse. I don't buy it. I'm researching to try and find out about more treatments and more possibilities. The treatments from pain management have been horrifying. Needles (very very very long needles) injected into the center of his pelvis through his groin without the benefit of painkillers or any sort of pain relief...poking, prodding, pushing...all in that region.
We're pushing on, but thankfully now we know what we're dealing with! And that, my friends, is why I've been so absent lately. He can't drive with the meds and the level of pain he's having so I'm everyone's driver. Some days I'm driving three or four hours on top of starting my workday at 4:30 so I can keep up with my work. Just not as much time for LJ or blogging. Sad isn't it?
But I'm trying to get a handle on a schedule and balancing everything. Hopefully that means you'll see more of me. I've missed you guys! :) How is everyone in LJ land??!
They performed their handy dandy surgery and removed the nerve that they believed was causing the problem. Did you catch that? They REMOVED that nerve - said it would take care of his pain issue. Problem is that it didn't. At all. In fact since his surgery in June the pain has been getting worse and worse and worse. So they said they fixed everything they could possibly fix. Nothing else is wrong. Go to pain management.
Pain Management has been the definition of a blessing and a curse. I demanded (after four months of unsuccessful treatment - several of which landed him in the ER via 911/ambulance calls) that they do an MRI to see if we could discover exactly what we're dealing with here. In March, after TEN MONTHS, they finally did an MRI and we discovered that in May of last year, when everyone assumed the hernia, nerve, and hydrocele were causing his pain that he'd actually torn the muscles that lie in the base of his pelvis. Since no one found this injury and they did a variety of things that they SHOULD NOT DO FOR SUCH CASES (open surgery, everyone sticking their hands in that area for 'exams' etc...) the muscles that were torn got traumatized repeatedly and healed into a tight little nasty ball. They are now covered with scar tissue and adhesions.
Long story short, they totally missed his injury, mistreated everything, and now they're saying (THEY say - I don't) that there's not a thing anyone can do and that he'll have this pain for the rest of his life and it will get worse. I don't buy it. I'm researching to try and find out about more treatments and more possibilities. The treatments from pain management have been horrifying. Needles (very very very long needles) injected into the center of his pelvis through his groin without the benefit of painkillers or any sort of pain relief...poking, prodding, pushing...all in that region.
We're pushing on, but thankfully now we know what we're dealing with! And that, my friends, is why I've been so absent lately. He can't drive with the meds and the level of pain he's having so I'm everyone's driver. Some days I'm driving three or four hours on top of starting my workday at 4:30 so I can keep up with my work. Just not as much time for LJ or blogging. Sad isn't it?
But I'm trying to get a handle on a schedule and balancing everything. Hopefully that means you'll see more of me. I've missed you guys! :) How is everyone in LJ land??!