First, let me tell you about me. I am a generally healthy 34 year old woman. My biggest issue is my weight. Since I don't want to share my weight here (maybe in a later blog) but for now, I'm a size 18, but I plan to release 60 pounds after this surgery to get my body in line. Anyways, I don't have any other major health issues. My blood pressure and blood sugar are just fine. I will be getting my cholesterol checked soon though.
I had sciatic pain off and on for years. If you have never experienced sciatic pain, it is a horrible pain that goes from your butt cheek down your leg. If you have experienced it, you KNOW just how horrid the pain can be! I cannot say where or when it exactly started. It would come and go, spasming for a week or two, then going away. Ibuprophen usually took the edge off enough for me to function, except for a few particular occassions, one of which was while I was moving from Texas to Florida. However, in May of this year, I had an episode that just didn't want to go away. I was taking crazy amounts of ibuprophen trying to keep it at bay thinking it was just going to go away like usual. I didn't even realize how much time had passed.
At the beginning of August, it suddently became excruciating. I had to leave work early to go to the doctor. She put me on an anti-inflammatory and mild pain medication. I stayed home the next day and attempted to work the following day. I made it until noon when I could no longer stand the pain. I haven't been back to work since. I cannot sit in a chair nor can I walk more than the length of a room without holding onto something.
About a week or so into the ordeal, working with my chiropractor and after trying 3 different types of medication, including a steroid pack, my doctor told me to head to the ER if the medication didn't work. I did. I was put on percoset and valium. Finally something to take the edge off, but then I was so foggy I couldn't even read while couch-ridden. I got in to see my primary doctor again who finally understood the amount of pain I'm in. They could see on the x-rays that I had a compressed disk. She then referred me to get an MRI, to get a steroid shot in my spine and to a physical therapist. After the MRI, I was diagnosed with a herniated disk at L4-L5.
In the past six weeks, I have worked with my chiropractor, my primary care physician, a rehab doctor, a pain management doctor, a physical therapist as well as a water therapist. I have been on more medications than I can count as they have attempted to find something to dull the pain and get the swelling down in my spine. I have had 2 steroid shots and no real relief in pain. I am able to walk more upright thanks to the therapy, but the pain is not subsiding. So, last week I was referred to a neurosurgeon.
I was told I would not have the consulation until next Thursday and surgery would most likely be late October. You have no idea how disheartened I was to feel so close and yet so far from relief!! But, thanks to the prayers of my friends and family and the persistance of my roommate, I was able to get in to see the surgeon Tuesday (we just showed up and pleaded my case!) and they recognized the severity of my situation. I am heading into surgery on Monday for a microdiscectomy. Surgery is the last thing I wanted to do, but my life is completely on hold and my income is running out. Something had to give!!
One of the greatest things that happened this week was a phone conversation with my big sister in Texas, Margaret. She had faith for me when I was struggling. She prayed with me and encouraged me. The morning I was sitting at the surgeon's office waiting and praying to be seen, she was texting me encouraging scriptures. They were just what I needed to encourage me to keep moving forward and not accept the painful state that I've been stuck in for 6 plus weeks.
I will keep you updated as I move closer to the surgery and then post as I go through the recovery process. Keep me in your prayers. I pray that in some way, through these posts, I am able to encourage you through whatever struggle you are facing, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. There is an end to everything we go through. It is all temporary. Breathe. Thank God for being able to take one more breath, even if that's all you can find the strength to do today. Tomorrow I will tell you how I came to let go of control.
Michelle
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