My back: an update

So, I feel like absolute crap today and don't feel like writing much, but I did want to catch ya'll up on the latest with my back. (I have some sinus thing going on--heading to the doctor's office on my way home as they said it sounds like a sinus infection and I don't want to have it while I'm on vacation--plus it kills to swallow, so I haven't eaten today and I'm a bit bitter.)

I got the MRI results today and there's both great and bad. The great part is that it's not a herniated disc or completely pinched off nerve. In fact, my spine looks great they said, so this confirms my long-standing suspicion that I am not, indeed, spineless. Anyway, I apparently have done something to a muscle that is now inflammed and putting pressure on a nerve (thus the loss of feeling in my leg), so they're looking to treat that.

I will continue with the Flector patches (a really slimy anti-inflammatory patch--probably about 6" by 8"--that I place on my back over the most painful area), but will also start a couple of months of physical therapy and a few months of electro-shock "massaging". I'll have a machine that I can wear all day (except driving and then it comes off while you sleep) that is supposed to massage the muscle back into shape. She also said that the physical therapy for the back will most likely include massages, which I'm all for as I've never had one and I've been wanting one. So, that's a bonus. The downside is that I hate physical therapy (this will be my third time doing it--and the knee therapy about killed me) and when they did the electro-shock thing to my knee last time, it burned my skin and left a scar. I did not heart it one iota.

My hope is that this time around, it will be less painful (not quite sure how--I can't lean backwards at all without it absolutely killing) and that I won't get burned or scarred...literally and figuratively. If the physical therapy doesn't work and I still don't have feeling in my leg, we'll move on to nerve testing at that point. I personally think that between being shocked all day and doing the therapy, I should not have to get to that point and will be just fine. It would also be nice to have some muscle strength back. It's really creepy to not be able to have full use of the extremities.

Anyway, I need to get going--there's usually a 2 hr wait at Urgent Care. Urgent Care= quite the misnomer. I hope all ya'll are doing well!

Love,
me

The straw that pinched Kade's back nerve...

Greetings, friends! Long time no blog. I've been a bit busy and life got a little insane, but I have a moment in which I'm sitting here feeling unmotivated to work, so I shall write instead. Besides this, by writing this once, it will save me several phone calls and overlooking someone I should've caught up on details, as that tends to happen a lot with me.

Well, so it was not exactly a straw that pinched my back nerve, and I'm not even sure it's a back nerve that's pinched, but that's what I'm calling it for now. I don't even know what caused all of this mess, really. My guess would be that setting up the flea market booth did some of the damage, but who knows? This is what I do know...

About three weeks ago, my right leg started acting a little odd after I'd sit for any length of time. It was almost like my leg was asleep, but without the tingling feeling. It just hurt. I'd hobble around and it would go away after awhile. This went on for about two weeks. It just got worse and worse. I'd sit up in bed and then try to stand up, but had the same issues. It was really odd. So, this past weekend was a bit rough and by Monday afternoon, I was doubled over the arm of my desk chair, contorted in all sorts of ungodly ways, trying to find some sense of relief. I called my health insurance's nurseline, but they weren't much help. I almost asked the lady if she really was a nurse, as she kept recommending that I take Ibuprofen, despite me explaining that because of a stupid condition I have, Ibuprofen causes internal bleeding. I'm not sure what part of that she thought would be okay. Anyway, she said I needed to be seen within 24-hours, so I called my doctor's office to get an appointment, only to find that they were booking three weeks out. Rather than just go to a random doctor or to Urgent Care, I instead emailed my doctor's nurse, whom I have a really good relationship with (a personal email address too). So, she said that she'd try to work around the system and get me in this week, but in the meantime, to check out the Carolina Back Institute. They offer same-day appointments online (though not when you call), but I was still able to get in yesterday (Wednesday). Laura (the nurse) said she'd be able to get me in today, so it was a better idea to go with the back institute, as I could get in earlier and I'd end up getting referred to them in the end anyway. (Plus, even though it does require an actual referral to go there, Laura said they'd just act as if it were an official referral should it ever be questioned, even though it wasn't an official office call.)

So, yesterday, I went on in to the back institute (that has a MOST unfriendly receptionist), where they poked, prodded, x-rayed, and prodded some more. Oh, and inflicted pain upon my legs too. I looked lovely in a green hospital gown that was an XXL, as that was the only one long enough for me (it looked especially great considering my significant weight loss, as I looked like a little kid wearing a tent). They asked a million questions, including several about whether or not I'm experiencing numbness or tingling. I explained that I didn't feel either, but that my leg is really weak. (I can't put full weight on it and I limp as I walk, which is really weird as it's back pain yet my leg is acting stupid.) Well, they did the reflex test and my legs flailed appropriately, but when it came time to what I like to call the torture test, that's when there was a slight problem.

They use an instrument that resembles a pizza cutter--but it's a long skinny metal handle and a tiny wheel with spikes, but it's just like a pizza cutter--to test for numbness. The lady warned me it would hurt, as it's like needles running along your skin, but to let her know if I could feel it more on one leg than the other. She started on the outside of my left leg, which I fully felt, before moving to my right leg, which I did not feel so much. Then, the inside of both legs had the same result. Finally, she did the top of my left knee and I definitely felt it; I didn't feel the right side. She then tested for strength by placing her hand in front of each leg, while I pushed against them. Then, she put her hands on top of my knees and had me push against her hands. When it came to my right knee, she said, "Push." I said, "I am." And, I was. Just as much as I was with my left...or at least it felt that way to me. So, though I didn't think I had numbness in my leg, it turns out that I actually have very little feeling in my right leg at this point and even less strength than I thought. It's kind of an odd feeling actually. When I had my first knee surgery, they struck a nerve that resulted in me losing all feeling in my shin for months and months. It kind of tingled, but for the most part, there was no feeling. I could literally pull on my leg hair and not feel it. Normally, it would hurt quite badly. Eventually, the numb space shrunk to where I have the majority of feeling back (just one little section left that I'll never have feeling in again). But, that had the tingling--this just has no feeling. Very odd.

At this point, I go in for an MRI on Sunday and the results are due back on Tuesday. I have an appointment that afternoon to get those results. I got a PA when I went in, which normally I like the PAs better than the doctors, but not this one. We don't even know what's wrong with me and she's already discussing physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery. I do not heart that. I think it's much less serious than an injury requiring surgery and my plan is to do every form of treatment BUT surgery. After my first knee surgery, the pain was gone and life was good--but my knee still didn't feel the same and hasn't ever since. I don't want that with my back. They said to let pain be my guide, so I'm still going to have my flea market booth this weekend (I'm taking off the following three weeks due to vacations and trips with friends/family.) I figure that any further damaged caused by setting up and breaking down the booth tomorrow will show in the MRI on Sunday, will all be treated starting next week, and I'll have three weeks of recuperation. It all works out beautifully.

At this point, I'm grateful I'm at least able to hobble about and function close to normal, that I have great insurance, and that financially, it's not a big issue as I have plenty of money in both my health reimbursement account (free money from my employer to help cover 1/2 of my $1000 deductible) and a lot in flex spending to cover any remaining cost. I'm going to use all of my remaining flex spending at the end of the year to pay down my braces, so I don't want to have to use much of it on my back issues, but I can use some and still make a huge dent in the cost for my braces.

So, that's the latest here. Life goes on, the flea market booth is doing very well, I'm making some great contacts, and I shipped off my first wholesale order this past week. Wahoo! I've got another retailer who placed a wholesale order with me that I'll be fulfilling next week when the products are back from my seamstress. (She's sewing my clothing tags into the t-shirts another company made--but they're my designs, so I want them tagged. :))

I hope all ya'll are doing well!

Love,

me

Designs ala Kade

So, it just dawned on me that I've never posted a link to the March of Dimes collateral I designed for this year's 5K here in Raleigh. You can enjoy my work by viewing it at the following link:
http://www.run4babies.org/Registration.php

If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll see two "Register by Mail" options--one is the form and one is the brochure. I designed both of them, but the brochure (as you will see) was a beast. It's a two-page tri-fold brochure, so picture it that way, otherwise it will look really odd. We have them in print too (which reminds me--I need to grab some to put in my portfolio), but they are also able to be printed from online so that more runners can be reached.

Anyway, I just had to share in my excitement now that I remembered it. :) Hope all is well!