I had some shots into the nerve roots alongside my spine yesterday, in an effort to reduce (or perhaps eliminate entirely) the amount of sciatica I've been having.

It was painful, yes.  I had to lay on my belly, which causes me pain anyway.  Then the doc numbed up my skin with some local anasthesia (6 shots, 3 on either side at three diffeent levels of my spine)- and when that had started to work, he placed needles right into the nerve roots (under x-ray so he could see where he needed to be) and injected some longer-acting local into them.  If these injections are effective, I'll eventually be eligible to have those nerve roots treated so they're effectively killed off and won't cause me any pain again- ever.

I could tell as soon as I got up off the table that they were working.  My legs and ass cheeks weren't on fire the way they usually are after I lay on my belly.  However, I wasn't prepared for the spaghetti legs that are a side effect of these injection.  I tried to get out of the truck (Dave had driven me home) and ended up in a heap on the sidewalk because my legs gave out under me.  I had to use my cane to walk with all day yesterday and was getting kind of worried about whether I'd be walking like this for the entire duration of the effectiveness - because if that were the case, I'd rather not repeat the event.  At least I was walking unaided before I got the injections. 

I got up this morning, expecting to fall out of bed as soon as I tried to stand - and was very, very happy to find that my legs didn't buckle and that I could walk up and down the stairs without falling.  The pain level is less today than it was yesterday, so I think that we might just be on to a winner with this treatment.  However, it's too early to make decisions about permanent solutions.  I think I'll give myself a couple of weeks and see what happens.  I don't want to say 'yeah, this rawks, lets make it permanent!' and then find out that I lose control of my bladder or bowels and can't walk by myself a week later.

I got to see my belly and spine on the x-ray yesterday.  The fusion is pretty obvious, as are the dozen plus staples that got left in my belly for some reason.  The doc yesterday couldn't think of any reason for them to be in there, but said that they could explain the pinching, stabbing pain I sometimes get when I get up from a sitting position.  It's not bad enough to warrant a surgery to remove them, so I'll just have to live with it - but at least I have an idea of what might be the cause of my belly pain now.

I'm making some pear crumble pie this afternoon, and some cream caramels - made with real butter and cream and sugar.  Good for you?  Nope.  Wonderful tasting?  Heck yeah!  I'm sick of eating low fat and high fiber all the fekkin' time; I want some REAL food.  I don't care how bad it is for me; if it tastes heavenly it makes up for it. 

Don't you think so?