Since my CT Myelogram I have had terrible back aches, more numbness, lack of feeling, soar muscles, pain in my back and terrible spinal headaches. I could feel, actually feel during the procedure because they injected the fluid the level above my fusion, apparently I can feel at that level and it's the fusion level that has all the nerve damage.
A spinal headache is where you have a headache all over, in the back of your head or in your neck when sitting up or standing and only feels better when laying down or laying as flat on your back as possible.
So Friday came after two days of spinal headaches and I called the imaging place where I had the procedure done, then called the doctors office, they wanted to call my primary doctor and I didn't get a phone call back that was resolved from what I should do about the headaches long before it was to late for me to go to the imaging place to get a blood patch done. I was instructed to go to the ER and they would take care of me since my symptoms were only getting worse.
I called my mother and my husband. My husband was going to go to a concert but decided that he would come home (which took him over an hour and fifteen minutes in traffic that normally would take him a half an hour to get home), to take me to the ER. The hospital the doctor wanted me to go to is in south county since that is where my primary works out of and the other doctor who ordered the ct myelogram was going to be working at come Saturday.
So my hubby, myself and my mom arrive at the ER at about 8pm, I was told that there was 14 people in front of me and it would take at least two hours before I would be seen. I sat up for a very long time waiting in my wheelchair and finally couldn't take the headache, was finally able to go lay down for awhile and then came back to the waiting room. Before I left to lay down I was told there were only two more people in front of me, when I came back to the waiting room after laying down that number had increased to three.
Finally after four hours of waiting I finally saw a nurse and was called back. Finally after five hours I saw a doctor. I wasn't able to get my blood patch done and was told to come back in the morning at 7:30am, and the blood patch would be at 8:30am. So my husband and I decide to drive to my mom's house to stay the night instead of the long 50 minute drive back up to our house. We both did not sleep well and awoke after 6:30am to get ready to leave for the hospital.
All Saturday night and Sunday morning my mom made phone calls to my brother and grandma to let them know on my progress. And actually my brother came straight to the hospital after working eight hours to be with my husband, mom and I during the blood patch that I was getting done in the morning.
So finally after all the confusion of not being on the schedule to get a blood patch done, but being on the written schedule, I made it back to the outpatient surgery center and began to be prepped for the procedure. The nurses come in, I get my blood pressure and so on. 99/61, I thought that wasn't bad for blood pressure considering the amount of stress and pain I've been under and experienced the past few days.
I find out within an hour of my being back in the prep area that I won't be able to get the blood patch done because they can't access the results from my ct myelogram that I had done on Wednesday. The doctor who sent me to get the myelogram done was on call at the hospital so he was able to talk to the pain management technician who was there prepping me. I was told that due to the amount of complications I've had, the surgery, my fusion, the stenosis in my back, they would be worried that something could happen during the blood patch and it would result in me becoming paralyzed or worse.
How a blood patch works. They take some of your blood from your arm and hold it aside for you. Then they have to prep your back, inject into the same area you had the ct myelogram, and then put the blood in to patch the area the hole is causing the spinal headache. Because it is around the spine there is a chance for there to be to much pressure causing you to become paralyzed, could be worse, could not effect at all, no way of knowing for sure when getting a blood patch done on how it will effect the person. People who have normal working backs with little problems and scar tissue; getting this done helps them and relieves their headaches.
Because of these circumstances and due that the doctors didn't have the results from my ct myelogram I was unable to get the blood patch done because they were worried they could make things worse and there is no way of knowing what they can do for me without the results.
Sorry to be repetitive. I just want to make sure I have all the updates on what's happened.
So finally I am released. I have to take Ibuprofen up to three times a day, can take my Vicodin as needed for my back pain, drink coffee and plenty of water. I have to wait till Monday to do anything till they see the results from the ct myelogram. Conservative treatment for now.
I feel like this all has been a waist of my time and the time of my family! I not only will have to pay for the ER visit but my hubby wasn't able to go to his concert with his friends, the entire family is worried sick about me and stressed out with little sleep from all of this, and if this is what the end result would have been then I would have avoided the ER, all the hours, stress and headaches and just of stayed home. Huge lesson learned this time!
What I've learned from this experience and should have learned from the last experience that I was in the ER... that unless you have a bone sticking out of your body, are bleeding or are in some type of labor or having a miscarriage, don't expect to get any help right away or get any help at all and expect to sit in the ER waiting room for hours on end and then pay a co-pay and be very disappointed!
I am happy that I was able to visit with my brother a little bit, see my mom and spend time with my husband, however not happy it was this circumstance.
Now all I hope is that I feel better. If the doctors and hospital can't do anything for me due to the results from the ct myelogram then I may have to spend the next several weeks in pain with a spinal headache till it resolves itself and goes away. Just frustrated about this entire experience because when I spoke with the clinic on Friday when there was still time for me to go in and get the blood patch taken care of, just needed a driver to drive me home from it, the clinic made it sound like I would be just fine to come in and get it done. Even though the clinic said it would be fine the doctors at the hospital didn't want to proceed because they didn't have the results from the procedure.
Oh well, I suppose I have saved myself a little bit of money and for insurance purposes at least it shows that my pain was terrible enough that I went to the ER for it. So if there is any question why I am seeing any doctors this month and last, that I have an ER visit to back up my story. Also if social security decides to try to deny my continuance of disability benefits, it will be a little more difficult for them to do so considering I have been to the ER and having more problems with my condition now. Which means, that yes, in fact, I am still disabled.
Just a lot happening right now and everything seems to be happening at once. When it rains it pours. I feel like the combination of the Ibuprofen, Vicodin, coffee, food and rest has helped so far today. I feel so much better when I am laying down. And right now I have an ice pack on my back because I began to have some stabbing pain again. I feel like I'm falling apart and I'm not even 30 yet. The most common comment I get is, "but you're so young!" Yes, I know that! Believe me, I know how young I am and shouldn't be having to go through this many health problems this young, but unfortunately I am and I'm trying to manage it as best as possible.
I've made it through this much pain and the pain I've experience in the past. Everything I go through in my life, I feel, is only making me a stronger person. Hopefully once I someday become a mother I will remember everything I've experienced and cherish all the pain I'll probably have to go through to be able to hold my little one in my arms.
More updates on how I am doing as soon as I know more. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor in a little over a week. Hopefully my doctor will be able to finally let me know what's happening with my back and if the results from the ct myelogram don't show anything new I'll be getting more tests done to figure out what exactly is causing all of the problems I've been experiencing. Been having these problems technically since last year August 2009, however become much worse since the 20th of August 2010.
Right now I'll hope for the best and I will just have to keep an open mind for the future.
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