I had a long time to think about having Radiofrequency Rhizotomy (RF) done on my lower back (right side). The longer I thought about it, the more scary it became. You see, they stick needles into the nerves between you disks, then heat them up until they are killed, thus no more pain (supposedly).
When I finally went in to have it done, I was scared spitless. The thought of it was the worst, plus having the nurses tell me it is more uncomfortable than having nerve blocks (steroid injections) there which are bad enough. By the time I was on the table, I was praying a lot.
Actually, it didn't hurt as bad as a nerve block. On the downside, the pain level in my back keeps going up and down. I'm not sure if it didn't take, or if it is muscles that are causing the pain that are not connected to the nerves fried.
It's been a couple weeks now since having it done, the only thing I'm certain of are the charges on the bills I've received. For the four Novocaine, per se, shots given a few weeks before the RF, over $6,000. For the RF itself, over $7,000. And that is only the right side. In July, I have the normal steroid injections in my neck to block the tingling and pain in my left arm (I have a bone spur apparently).
Steve and I have been spending a lot of time at home watching television and at the library to get on the internet. Speaking of televisions, what's the deal with receiving 'failed to broadcast signal' so much with this new digital television broadcasting that we get all the time? We have digital TV and trying to get it in is for the birds. How's your signal going? Halfmoon
Another weekend has arrived and today should be another glorious day. Highs should be in the lower 80s...hooray! Heather and her family may come out this evening. Well have to get some firewood ready to have a campfire. I cannot wait.
Linda came over last night and we watched 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants'. It was okay, but didn't keep my attention for quite a while. While at Joshua's, Steve, Josh, Tay, and I watched 'He's Just Not That Into You'. I didn't really like it either. It wasn't bad but just didn't grab you, if you know what I mean.
Today Steve and I watched 'Fire Down Below' with Steven Seagal. Now, that show kept your attention! It was great watching him hurt the bad guys! I love it. Steve liked it too. The main female character, Marg Helgenberger, looks like one of the main characters in CSI, but her name
just doesn't ring a bell. Am I right?
I can't wait to see Heather and her kids this evening. Do any of you have withdrawals when you haven't been with your kids and grandkids for a while? I get it really bad. Heather said Christian weighed 16.4 lbs at his last doctor's appointment. Man that kid is neck and neck with Mikayla, he'll soon pass her up. What a riot!
I think I'll talk with Heather about ephedra products tonight as I'm having trouble losing the pounds I gained in Washington. That's it for now, have a glorious day! Halfmoon
Linda came over last night and we watched 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants'. It was okay, but didn't keep my attention for quite a while. While at Joshua's, Steve, Josh, Tay, and I watched 'He's Just Not That Into You'. I didn't really like it either. It wasn't bad but just didn't grab you, if you know what I mean.
Today Steve and I watched 'Fire Down Below' with Steven Seagal. Now, that show kept your attention! It was great watching him hurt the bad guys! I love it. Steve liked it too. The main female character, Marg Helgenberger, looks like one of the main characters in CSI, but her name
just doesn't ring a bell. Am I right?
I can't wait to see Heather and her kids this evening. Do any of you have withdrawals when you haven't been with your kids and grandkids for a while? I get it really bad. Heather said Christian weighed 16.4 lbs at his last doctor's appointment. Man that kid is neck and neck with Mikayla, he'll soon pass her up. What a riot!
I think I'll talk with Heather about ephedra products tonight as I'm having trouble losing the pounds I gained in Washington. That's it for now, have a glorious day! Halfmoon
Steve and I are at the Earlham library again (we came yesterday, too). Since ending my internet contract (couldn't get online 50% of the time), we've been visiting libraries more often. Of course, I take my laptop with me which makes it easier for me in some respects.
We'd been going to the Redfield library, but it is soooo noisy there you would not believe it. It's not as if I'm studying, but a little quiet helps. Here, the only talking you hear is when the librarian is talking to a patron. Over there, it is a bunch of kids trying to impress each other. Very frustrating.
Sue called me today, Aunt Wanda is not doing well and may not make it through the night. She is the last of the Aunts/Uncles on my Dad's side which makes it even sadder. Yes, I still have cousins, of which I am thankful for. You never know how precious life is until another member of your family has gone on into eternity.
Enough of sad things, huh? Heather sent me a few more layouts of her kids. She does such great stuff with her pictures. She told me she went into use the bathroom sink or maybe some other item in there and when she came back, Christian had a 4 inch strip of Elmer's Glue on him. I swear, she'll need to just strap that baby to her body from now on! Halfmoon
We'd been going to the Redfield library, but it is soooo noisy there you would not believe it. It's not as if I'm studying, but a little quiet helps. Here, the only talking you hear is when the librarian is talking to a patron. Over there, it is a bunch of kids trying to impress each other. Very frustrating.
Sue called me today, Aunt Wanda is not doing well and may not make it through the night. She is the last of the Aunts/Uncles on my Dad's side which makes it even sadder. Yes, I still have cousins, of which I am thankful for. You never know how precious life is until another member of your family has gone on into eternity.
Enough of sad things, huh? Heather sent me a few more layouts of her kids. She does such great stuff with her pictures. She told me she went into use the bathroom sink or maybe some other item in there and when she came back, Christian had a 4 inch strip of Elmer's Glue on him. I swear, she'll need to just strap that baby to her body from now on! Halfmoon
I often wondered how Steve would handle being under the weather physically since I've been dealing with pain for nine years now. The past two and a half years have been the hardest. I know I'm not the world's greatest sick person, believe me.
Since Steve had his surgery he has rarely complained. I know he has been in pain, though. He actually has been sleeping in our second bedroom that has the bed that can be elevated. Each night he thinks about trying to sleep in our room, I remind him that it would be better to let the shoulder heal more, so as not to cause further injury.
I normally sleep in that bed when I have terrible congestion; which, thankfully, I haven't had in some time. We also use that bed for the grandkids when they spend the night. The first morning after Steve slept in there, he told me, "That bed is a life-saver!"
He also is pretty stubborn about doing things himself. I have to practically beat him (just kidding) to have him let me help him out. Since he went in to surgery, once again I am reminded just how precious life is and how lucky we are to have each other.
I also encourage you to make sure your towns have AED equipment handy for saving lives. Halfmoon
Abby came over today and brought little Mikayla to see her Grandma and Grandpa. She is such a cutie. She is crawling all over now and pulling herself up to stand on things. We smiled so much my cheeks hurt.
Mikayla crawled all around our living room exploring, to see what she could get into. Actually she is a very good little girl. When she reached for my yarn, and I said, "No, no," she pulled her hand back. The same thing happened when she reached for the glassed in portion of the entertainment center.
Justin and Abby have done a good job with that little girl so far. Mikayla also showed us the new sounds she could make. Grandkids are so precious, I just love being a grandma! Abby nursed her and layed her down for a nap in our room in her pack-and-play. I decided to take a break outside while Ab took a very short nap on the couch.
Inside again to make Cream of Mushroom soup to eat with Fritos crunched in it! Yum! It's one of Abby's favorites, too. She told me she tried cheetos in it and it was good, also. I cannot imagine it, but just may try it sometime. I wonder if she meant puffs or fried?
Have you ever gone to any wholesale auctions? Halfmoon
We're at Josh's as he invited us to come have rhubarb cake and watch a DVD. When Taylor came up to me, she showed me her poor hand. Last night she was making ramen noodles by heating water to boil in the microwave. When she tried to poor the water into her cup, it overshot the cup and landed all over her fingers (of her left hand).
She has blisters all up and down her forefinger and redness over the other three fingers (on the top). She had quite a time trying to go to sleep last night as it hurt so bad. I feel so bad for her. Just looking at her finger makes me hurt. Thank goodness she is right-handed.
Taylor is really starting to get taller and thinner. I'm really enjoying my grandkids. I think Tay went upstairs to her room, but Carter is walking around jabbering. I think Josh needs some TV stands so we can eat our dessert while watching the DVD!
Gotta go watch the show. Have a great day! Halfmoon
She has blisters all up and down her forefinger and redness over the other three fingers (on the top). She had quite a time trying to go to sleep last night as it hurt so bad. I feel so bad for her. Just looking at her finger makes me hurt. Thank goodness she is right-handed.
Taylor is really starting to get taller and thinner. I'm really enjoying my grandkids. I think Tay went upstairs to her room, but Carter is walking around jabbering. I think Josh needs some TV stands so we can eat our dessert while watching the DVD!
Gotta go watch the show. Have a great day! Halfmoon
The day finally arrived, I drove Steve to Terrace Hill Surgery, arrival time 6:30 am. He was scheduled for arthroscopic surgery for a full-thickness tear of his rotator cuff (right shoulder). They would be making four small incisions on the front and back of the shoulder area instead of a huge cut through the arm muscle, etc. After they started his IV, they came and got me. We were both fine until the anesthesiologist explained what he would be doing.
They were going to insert a breathing tube and Steve would be on a ventilator until the surgery was done. They didn't want him breathing on his own. After he left, both Steve and I were pretty shook up.
Steve started having a pasty complexion. When the nurse came in she immediately put a cold washcloth on his forehead and neck, then reclined him. His color started coming back after a few minutes, but I will say I was scared inside.
A nurse came in to ask questions before surgery (the norm) and then another nurse came running down the hallway saying, "Don't bring him back, don't bring him back yet!" Okay, that was a little unsettling, too. Turns out their sterilizer didn't work and they had to run the instruments through a 2ND time. Well, great. Now we had to wait an extra half-hour.
Finally, it was time for surgery and I went to the waiting room. After 1 hour and 40 minutes it was completed. The doctor said the tear was larger than they thought (about 1 cm), but that it went well. He was to come in the office Tuesday to be rechecked.
Steve went home in a sling that keeps his arm away from his body and a huge bandage on both front and back of his shoulder. He's done very well with only taking one (and sometimes only 1/2 of his pain pill). He took a shower yesterday, we had to take the huge bandage off which stuck to him everywhere. I paled when I saw the inside bandage on the front and couldn't look at it again (he had to take that one off). The back side wasn't as bad. He felt a lot better after being able to wash his hair and self.
Tomorrow is his recheck and we can't wait to get there. We've been eating lighter than our norm, hopefully it will show on the scales soon, huh? If not, I swear I need to get on some natural fat burners.
They were going to insert a breathing tube and Steve would be on a ventilator until the surgery was done. They didn't want him breathing on his own. After he left, both Steve and I were pretty shook up.
Steve started having a pasty complexion. When the nurse came in she immediately put a cold washcloth on his forehead and neck, then reclined him. His color started coming back after a few minutes, but I will say I was scared inside.
A nurse came in to ask questions before surgery (the norm) and then another nurse came running down the hallway saying, "Don't bring him back, don't bring him back yet!" Okay, that was a little unsettling, too. Turns out their sterilizer didn't work and they had to run the instruments through a 2ND time. Well, great. Now we had to wait an extra half-hour.
Finally, it was time for surgery and I went to the waiting room. After 1 hour and 40 minutes it was completed. The doctor said the tear was larger than they thought (about 1 cm), but that it went well. He was to come in the office Tuesday to be rechecked.
Steve went home in a sling that keeps his arm away from his body and a huge bandage on both front and back of his shoulder. He's done very well with only taking one (and sometimes only 1/2 of his pain pill). He took a shower yesterday, we had to take the huge bandage off which stuck to him everywhere. I paled when I saw the inside bandage on the front and couldn't look at it again (he had to take that one off). The back side wasn't as bad. He felt a lot better after being able to wash his hair and self.
Tomorrow is his recheck and we can't wait to get there. We've been eating lighter than our norm, hopefully it will show on the scales soon, huh? If not, I swear I need to get on some natural fat burners.
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