Burnination #2

Miserable today afterwards, but if it's like the left side the discomfort should plateau about five days in and then I'll get some serious improvement around day 10.  Been sleeping really good, able to stand up straighter, able to sit up on the bed/couch much straighter with barely any pain in the section they worked on.  Shoulders/arms/wrist/fingers and lower back are still problems.  Sitting in a chair, riding in the car, and typing too much...also still problems.

Realistically, I might be able to manage some editing of what I already have in May followed by some dictation of new material.  Hopefully...more, but...realistically...

I'm sure I'll be having a post op pretty soon.  Yet again hopefully about what part of my spine they want to target next.  Higher up would be my preference, since that's where all the important bits are...not that walking without cramps and spasms in my legs isn't, but...the hands let me write and that's what I'll always put first.

I've found a sliver of relief and I'm greedy for more!

Nerves Burninated

In quite a bit of pain as the suckers die off and the poor confused muscles spasm over the mixed signals.  Recovery can take up to a couple weeks (usually doesn't, but it can).  Then we're directly into the right side of the spine and we start the clock all over again.  But yeah, can type this, so there's that!  Tired and thirsty and hungry and...

Anyone else always make these plans where they're like "oh I'll watch that amazing thing I haven't gotten to yet, that's such a good time to have nothing to do!" and then you remember "but...I'm miserable and I like that thing and I don't want to chance my current shittiness dragging it down."  So basically I'm currently surfing every channel/service for shows/movies I think I probably won't like too much but might entertain just a little bit instead of something I know I'll like but am in no mode to enjoy...

Tis quite the conundrum...

4/4 Update:  Still healing.  Had a nice pain lessened weekend and I'm sleeping a solid eight hours for the first time in forever (think it was like 10 hours Saturday actually).  Lots of expansive wild dreams, which means the brain is enjoying itself in some deep sleep instead of getting grumpy about my body whining all night long.

Am having a bit of trouble yesterday/today with leg spasms and pain/weakness in my left hand/elbow/shoulder.  Could just be nerves healing or dying or me feeling the other problem areas of my spine a bit more.  Only time will tell.  Right side burnination is next Friday, so still plenty of rest and recuperation before they toss me around again!

Two Weeks Until the Nerve Burnination

Looks like we're set.  Took a year and a half, with numerous x-rays, surgeons, MRIs, Insurance bullshit, but this is the first hope at real consistent relief, so...here we go!

Step 2 out of ??? Down

Second branch block finished last week.  Less magical results than the first, since most of my pain on that side is lower on the back.  Next week I've got post op with the doctor and then it's probably to insurance hell to try to get the ablation procedure approved.  Maybe I can talk them into giving me another round of trigger point shots while we wait.  Or the Sexy Time Naughty Boy Writing Corset might finally make it's presence known!

Did optimistically format my files for War to End All Wars and Mancy Masquerade and load them onto my Kindle to quickly read through assuming this works...

Slight Misunderstanding of the Process

So they aren't actually doing steroid injections, they're doing temporary nerve blocks to suss out the troublesome nerves and then they'll just skip the whole steroid injection and go straight to burning the buggers.

Had my first last week and my second this week.  The "relief" as it is only lasts a day tops.  For me it was about eight hours.  But what an eight hours!  Simply magical.  Just my hand and arm working perfectly, no pain whatsoever.  Didn't have to wear a wrist brace all day for the first time in years.  Not just the pain either, but the fingers feeling completely as nimble as they used to back before this problem started manifesting...well, almost six years now.

They DID bruise the shit out of my ribs hauling my unconscious post bariatric surgery skin monster ass back into a wheel chair and THAT hasn't been fun, but if the post ablation will feel like that eight hours did for months or years at a time, then that's something very much to look forward to.