Thanks. I have had the same foraminal injections last November then three weeks later I fell from the vertigo and probably didnt do the neck any good.
Prior to that (maybe two or three times) I have had the injections in the back of my neck, but with whatever is going on now, the better treatment is through the sides. I have had the occipital nerve blocks maybe four or five times now. I was telling the pain management anesthesiologist today that yesterdays injections didnt cause as much pain and swelling as the ones in November and he said that is a good sign because the medication is more able to get further into the foraminal space. When I was still living in California (up until about 3 years ago) I had quite a few sets of injections in my neck, but never the occipital ones (those help the scullkap headaches). I never had the ones in the side in California. So, this is all new and I think this pain management doctor approach is much better. In California, I had a spine surgeon he would decide when the injections needed to be done, but he did the lower back ones himself and had a pain management anesthesiologist do the cervical ones. That was the only time that I saw the pain management doctor. Here, the spine surgeon concentrates on things such as the spine getting worse or stronger (I wish) and he uses the pain management doctor to give me the meds such as pain pills, lyrica, anti-inflammatory meds, etc; and this is really the best way so that each doctor is only working with what is their specialty. I am just very close to having some serious problems with my cervical spine so hopefully these last injections will give me more time. I am blessed for Dolly & Desi to be so sweet and stay by me when I am in bed. They learn very fast and if I am having a normal bad day (not due to injections) they always know when I say lets go to the big bed and then they always get their pork chop treat. Then they lay down and sleep right next to me. Thank you for your prayers .I truly am a believer. Last night I was going to sleep in the recliner all night because the last time I had those injections the sides of my neck were in so much pain but I woke up about 1 am and then we all went to bed and it didnt really bother where I had the injections. I look forward to more pictures of Tilly and Benji. Pretty soon you will be doing videos of their silliness together. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of maryjane turner Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 11:30 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] My Day at the Surgery Center-Joan Hi Joan, I'm praying for relief and help for the pain. It has got to be miserable to have to live with so much ...... If this works wonders for you can they do it again? I know that some treatments can only be done one time... let us know how things are going... Hope the treatment today goes well too and that by the end of the week of treatments you are feeling so much better. My heart truly goes out to you, my friend, it really does. Thank goodness you are blessed with two such devoted little special companions. What a difference they make in your life and you in theirs. Take care... and I'm thinking about you..... hugs, mj mj in az [email protected] On Apr 11, 2011, at 9:15 PM, Joan Croft wrote: Hi MJ, The pain management anesthesiologist had to guide the needle with the steroids right into the foramina of two levels and he had to do it on the right and then on the left. I hope this works or at least gives me some relief. I will hug Dolly & Desi for you. I am eating something and then we are all spending the night in the recliner because I am a side sleeper and both sides of my neck have been stabbed and feel all swollen. Tomorrow I go to the pain management anesthesiologist for him to do the steroid injections in my occipital nerves which are at the base of my skull I know I get all the fun! And, I hope that Benjis bleeding gums stop bleeding prayers for her. Seems it hasnt been a good day for vet visits either. I went thinking it would be $20 and it ended up over $70. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of maryjane turner Sent: Monday, April 11, 2011 8:28 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] My Day at the Surgery Center I was thinking about you and what you had to go through today... however, I sure didn't realize that it was truly a surgical procedure and that you were put to sleep.... glad all went well and that you and the little ones are relaxing in the recliner. We had Benji in for her rabies vaccine today and all is well except for bleeding gums. Don't know where that is coming from as she just had a dental a month ago.... hummmmm... Tilly spent time at home alone for the very first time and did well. She sure was glad to see us come back as there had been deliveries and yard work done while we were gone and she was guarding the house <G> Anyway, things progress along. 6 weeks now for Tilly... seems longer. Joan, you take care, check in when you can. I'm thinking about you and sure wish there was something I could do to ease things a bit. give little Dolly and Desi hugs from me , benjigirl and tilly.... On Apr 11, 2011, at 7:45 PM, Joan Croft wrote: My injections were about three hours later than anticipated. I was so tired from taking my Lyrica and Norflex at 2 pm that I almost fell asleep waiting. Then in the OR, they had a lot of nurses and radiologists more than at the other surgery center. They got me all strapped down in place and laid a blue cloth across my face because it wasnt sterilized. I just remember the cloth going over my face and then the pain management anesthesiologist told someone how much of the drugs to give me I dont know if I even remember coming out of the OR. I think that longer it has been the less that I remember. I am a little sore now, and Desi & Dolly have been fed, so I am going to grab a bite and then we all can sack out in the recliner chair for a while. I took Dolly & Desi to the vet this morning for their Bordatella vaccines. He said that they are now doing it by injection for the little ones because they are more susceptible to reverse sneezing when they do the nasal spray one. Dolly weighs 8 lbs, and Desi weighs 8.1 lbs. I think that Dollys weight is wrong but I would have to take her somewhere to verify that. But, Desi has an infection in his right eye. So, I have ointment to put in his eyes now. Desi needs ¼ of a Benadryl every 8 hours and Dolly gets a half of an Atarax every 12 hours for three days, then Dolly goes back to ½ of an Atarax every night. I took them today because I dont want to be lifting them so that I can give my cervical spine the best chance at the injections taking down the swelling of the disks. But, it turned out good because if I waited another week or two, Desis eye infection could have been worse. Thats my day going to sign out of everything until tomorrow. Joan
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