Oh My Aching Back!

Hey there, everybody, this is Suzy! Jerry let me have a turn at this blog today. I guess it’s because I have a story to tell.

As some of you know and maybe others have guessed, I have a very limiting physical disability that makes it difficult for me to walk very far. That’s why you’ll often see me riding Big Red, my scooter. In this picture we’re visiting Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Arkansas.

Very quickly, I have polymyalgia rheumatica, which basically means I hurt everywhere, According to the doctors, that will go away by itself, maybe, and it may take from months to years for that to happen. I also have some spinal things, so that the vertebrae that should line up – don’t. Also. there is spinal stenosis. a genetic condition that narrows the nerve canal, causing pressure.

To try to remedy this situation, instead of just giving me more pain pills, our new doctor in Tucson has been sending me for every kind of test and evaluation, adjusting the various meds I’m taking, and making some progress. She also prescribed physical therapy. And that’s helping some.

But it was one of the therapists who suggested the most recent treatment, an epidural shot given by a pain specialist. Of course, I sought my doctor’s advice; she agreed and referred me to a pain center in Tucson.

So, to start off our two week road trip to the east, Jerry drove me west to Tucson Friday morning. I had to be there before 9:00am, so we had to get up before breakfast! All went well. The doctor, an anesthesiologist, showed us a model of the spine and pointed out the areas where I have trouble, then explained the procedure. Then he kicked Jerry out of the room, had me lay face down on a table, and went to work.

The only painful part of the procedure was the initial injection of a numbing agent before the actual shot. I lay there waiting for things to continue. The doctor said “We’re done!” and I said  “What? I thought you were just getting started!”

After about 10 minutes of recovery in a nice reclining chair, and a glass of ice water, a nurse ushered me out and delivered me to Jerry in the waiting room! Now – off to New Mexico, and Jerry can tell you that story later.

Incidentally, this morning my back and leg pains are quite a bit relieved. The shot is supposed to take full effect after about three days, so we are greatly encouraged!

Oh, we have to tell you this. Our friend Al the Stargeezer sent us an email referring to his blog about the exact place in New Mexico we will be visiting a week.from now. Wow, what a place! You can see his blog HERE.. As soon as he read Al’s blog, Jerry grabbed the New Mexico map and started checking our route.

Now we are ready to continue along … Our Life on Wheels!