Update on Suzy

In Sunday's blog we mentioned that Suzy's pain level was pretty high. Monday she had her bi-monthly epidural injection for pain, this time from a doctor we had never seen before, Dr. Bruce Mullen, here in Carson City.

At her regular pain clinic, I am not allowed to observe the actual injection, but Dr. Mullen's routine is different. I didn't take any pictures, but I can tell you about it. Because X-rays are used during the process, I was given a protective covering and offered a front row seat. Suzy was lying on her stomach atop a pile of pillows (very awkward for her!), and the X-ray machine was on a swivel arm, alternately above her back or to the side.

After a lengthy interview and a study of her regular doctor's notes (that took place BEFORE she had to lie on the pillows!), Dr.Mullen and his assistant loaded up a syringe with a mix of numbing chemicals and injected them into the appropriate spot in Suzy's back. She felt just a tiny pin prick from that. Then they mixed three other syringe tubes full of different assortments of chemicals, and set them aside.


While I watched, Dr. Mullen took a 3-inch needle and carefully bent it into a gentle curve. While keeping an eye on the X-ray screen, he inserted that needle gently into Suzy's back and down into the spinal area. I watched Suzy's face, and she gave no indication of feeling that insertion.

One by one, the doctor selected the filled syringe tubes and carefully screwed them onto the needle in Suzy's back, and pumped the fluids into the spine. Suzy told me she really felt a lot of pressure from the third insertion, more than she usually feels with her regular doctor.

And then it was over. Suzy clambered back to her feet, picked up two prescriptions (one an antibiotic, the other to assist with nerve pain), and we left. On the way home, Suzy had a series of shallow coughs, which really hurt her lower back region. For the rest of the day, she was in a lot of pain (which is usual after the injections). After taking the prescription for nerve pain (which she had been cautioned would make her drowsy), she got the best night's sleep she has had in a long time, and today her pain level is significantly reduced. We look forward to several weeks of relief before the effect wears off and another epidural is called for.

Today, Tuesday, we went to Costco, got new tires for the Suzuki -- and a whole bunch of other stuff; after all, it WAS Costco!

Now to finish this post, I was going to select some lovely pictures from our past travel. However, all of a sudden I no longer have access to Blogger on my laptop, which is where our pictures are stored. I can get to Blogger on Suzy's laptop, where this final edition is being finished, but she doesn't have the pictures. RICK! What do I do now? I've tried all of Blogger's "can't remember your password" steps, and I still can't get to Blogger on my laptop.

For the rest of you, I hope Rick can suggest a solution, because Blogger can't seem to help. Maybe we'll learn something tomorrow in... Our Life on Wheels!