A Little Scary

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