|
Lumbar Sacral Joint Injection procedure yesteday
So as we know yesterday I had a back procedure done at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital by Dr. Lassagine.
It was an awesome experience despite the pain.
I fell asleep the night before fitfully at 1:30am, tossed and turned and eventually woke up at 2:30am, and putz about till 3am when my alarm went off.
I got my stuff together and took a shower as I was ordered to do (I had to take one before bed also..)
About 4:50am Dad, Mawmaw, and I all leave.. it rain the whole way there, I drove there...
So we get there and they admit me pretty quickly, they give me a small freaking hospital gown and tell me to remove all clothing and get in the gurney, which I do, we sit in the room till about 8am.
Poor Dad was nodding off the whole time, eventually I convinced him to ask the nurse where they could get some coffee and they did, only to hear him say it was really weak, it was hilarious to watch them drink super weak coffee..
The my nurse came and did vitals a few times, and asked questions and logged my prescriptions.. usual stuff...
Finally my other nurse comes in sometime a little after 8 and wheels me to the OR
On the way there, over the PA system, the chaplain is saying the morning prayer.
It was pretty cold in there, there was a massively huge x-ray machine taking up most the middle of the room with the table I was gonna be laying on.
Doc comes in and lets me know since it's a diagnostic we're going do it with sedation, joy.
They get me laid out and sterilize my back, set up the x-ray machine and he warns me "oh a p***k and a burn"
Jesus christ the local anesthetic hurts like a ******** to get put in... the p***k is painful and the burn is insane...
then the worst part comes, the actual damn needle.... that s**t was so painful I immediately cry out, and as I'm trying to do slow steady breaths I feel a cold hand slip into mine, my nurse grabbed it and I instinctively squeeze it.
I hear her softly talking to me, "You're doing great sweety."
We do the whole stick and a burn, and agonizing needle down into my back 4 or more times.
Really it was REALLY painful, and it even hurt when he removed the needles.
The whole time this sweet sweet nurse lady was talking to me, and keeping calm, she never once let go of my hand, even when they had to adjust the x-ray machine and it took her spot on one side, she walked around to where I was facing her and held my hand that way, I found comfort in how she tucked some of my hair behind my ear. I cried. She was so sweet, without her I'm sure I would've panicked more then I did... I did get slightly dizzy at one point from pain and whatnot, but it wasn't to bad, thanks to her.
Also my doctor is hilarious.. as I'm in agony and crying, he's singing about "you're so fat you need a gastric bypass" (not to me or about me) and I'm sitting there trying to not laugh at that point also.. He sang and even busted a rap at one point, as wound up as I was, he really did make me calm too. He's a super doctor.
At one point the pain was bad she goes "and you're done with that one!" and then I hear lower near my back "no she isn't" and we all laugh and I go "Go ahead and lie to me." and Doc says "I like your optimism though."
It was a funny moment, despite what was going on, I still had my humor.
Once we were REALLY done though he goes "And I didn't feel a thing." to which we all laughed...
As I was being wheeled out he shook my hand and said "Really you were fantastic." and I smirked and said "yeah, well you sucked." We all laughed really good then and he told me he's heard worse, and knew I was kidding, and he said he'd see me in my room in a little bit.
They wheel me back once I was bandaged and he comes and talks to everyone and lets me know what to do for the day and stuff...
No bathing, wait to shower till tomorrow, take it easy, no lifting or doing anything really, and "ice packs will be your best friend today" I also had to avoid pain meds/anti-inflammatories if I could.
He made me get up and bend over and lean back and asked me about my pain, which at the time was worse and radiating into my hips.
The diagnostic test came back negative for a skeletal/joint issue, he believes it is infact a muscle/ligament issue..
"When we were in there, you had your most signifigant pain in the muscles.. when I was near the joint you didn't notice.." basically...
so we're kinda back at square one on that diagnosis.. but I see him again September 2nd...and we figure out our plan from there.
=nod= I really like this doc.. he's compassionate, he's got fantastic bedside manner, he's funny, he's young, and he's cute.
|
