In this post I talked about my anterior cervical discectomy with fusion surgery. It's a rather painful remedy for bulging cervical spine disks and spinal stenosis.
That surgery was just over a year ago, and I have still have chronic pain in my neck, shoulders, and arms. I have been seeing my GP about once a month for going on two years for this problem, and she recently kicked me back to the surgeon to see if we can determine why I am still having pain.
I had a follow-up MRI, and tomorrow I go for the first in a series of three cervical epidurals.
I am actually more worried about the epidural than I was about the surgery. I think that before my surgery I had already met the surgeon who would perform the surgery, and not only did I trust him, but I knew he was going to cut into me, and would be able to clearly see and deal with all the muscles, blood vessels, nerves etc., that stood between him and my cervical spine. This time around someone I have never met will be sticking a needle in my neck down to the dura of my spinal column, and they will be watching the whole process on TV as they do it. This makes me a tad nervous.
The upshot is that the procedure will be early tomorrow morning, I will be on some fairly good drugs, and I get the day off of work.
The downside is tomorrow's my birthday.
Posted by Jeff at October 26, 2004 8:52 AMThat's no way to spend your birthday, but once all the unpleasantness is over, you can drink to your health!
Posted by: Sissy Willis at October 26, 2004 3:40 PMYou're right, Sissy, I can drink to my health... and it will be to wash down those sweet pain meds they give me after the procedure. :)
Posted by: Jeff at October 26, 2004 7:59 PM