You're a Real Pain in the Neck!

Not really. You are a nice person with a good hair cut. That's right, I noticed. Looking good, bub! I just posted that title because I am having really bad neck/back pain and that was the first phrase to come to mind.

On Thursday morning, bright and early, I will be undergoing a procedure called a "cervical epidural injection" which will deliver anti-inflammatory medicine to my owie. This is something I have been trying to avoid for a few years, because it is probably only a temporary fix and because it is not really that great for you, but I have got to try something else to deal with this pain. There is a small chance that this might help me out BIG TIME for a LONG TIME. That is what I am hoping for. However, I'll take it even if it only helps for a little while.

Here's what happens:
*The patient lies flat on his/her abdomen on an x-ray table.
*The skin is numbed with lidocaine.
*Using fluoroscopy (live x-ray) for guidance, the physician directs a needle toward the epidural space. Fluoroscopy is considered important so that the physician can more easily determine if the needle is in the right place.
*The steroid solution is injected (you may feel heaviness and/or numbness in your legs caused by the anesthetic). This generally lasts only a few hours.
*An epidural steroid injection usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes.



Will this hurt? Maybe. I don't know and I don't want to know until it actually happens.

I'll be staying with my friends Amy and Will because I am having the procedure done in Denton. Crazy, I know. It's a long story. I don't really feel like telling it right now. Ugh. Basically, my in-laws told me about this back clinic in Dallas that has helped some of their friends. I decided to visit this clinic to see if they could give me a more definitive diagnosis of what is going on with my neck/back. After an MRI and a very thorough examination, they told me I had a small bulging disc in my cervical spine that may be irritating a nerve. I still feel like something else may be going on. The Dr. (who was really nice) said that I should have this injection. If it helps, wonderful. If it doesn't it may be an indicator that I am a candidate for a small surgical procedure. Oh boy.

Could I get a cervical epidural injection by my orthopedic doctor in Austin? Yes, but the guys in Denton seem to be giving me a few more answers than my current doctor so I am going to see what they can do.

Back to Amy and Will....
let me say this- I love them. Amy has been a friend of mine since the 7th grade. Amy rarely backs down from a dare, has probably read more books than you have, and sends me letters on a regular basis. She is funny, kind, strong, smart, and trustworthy beyond belief. She married Will and I could not be happier with her choice. He loves to listen and sing along to music. He will dance if the music calls for movement. He will dance alone if
the room is empty except for himself. Will is also very funny, kind, strong, smart and trustworthy beyond belief.

Here we all are:

Amy and I purchased those shirts from Target on the day this picture was taken. She loves diet coke. I don't love coke, but thought it would be funny if we wore those shirts out and about in Dallas. Ok, maybe it was only funny to us...but funny none the less.


Ahh, Will. To know him is to love him. The last time I was visiting Amy and Will, Will had a birthday. He celebrated at a bar in Lewisville and let me tell you, the people showed up to celebrate Will. I was not surprised.
He is good people.

I'll give you a full report on how the procedure went once I get back to Austin.

One more: