Kathi49
03-29-2007, 12:36 PM
Hey All,
I just got back from my PM visit and he did give me an injection into the right shoulder joint. What relief for now anyway!!! :) I was amazed how he went in from the front of the shoulder but I could feel the numbing medicine go clear back to the shoulder blade. Just goes to show I guess how all of those muscles connect to each other. But he said based on the relief I got and where, it is indicative of tendonitis. Which is what I have thought all along. But he did say if I didn't get significant relief, then he would have to look at the other cervical levels. But to give this about two weeks, see what happens, and if it works, to come back and get the other shoulder done. I was able to reach further. And this sounds silly but sometimes when I push myself up off the floor my wrist and top of hand would hurt. So, I tried it while there and didn't feel any pain. So, I just have to wait and see.
Okay, and just for kicks and since he is a SPINAL PM and his speciality is headaches coming from the neck, I asked him about the pain scale. So, I put it like this. I asked him, "The majority of the patients you see are people with cervicogenic headaches right?" He says, "Yes, every day!" Then I asked him, "Okay, so on the average, based on the pain scale, what would you say is their pain level?" He said, "By the time they reach me they are at a 9." I laughed and said, "Okay, I blew it! I always rate them a 10 because they are so horrible!" But then he added (because he has had two cervical fusions), "I get them all the time. When they are bad, they are normally a 6 or 8. But when they are severe, they are a definite 9! BUT they FEEL like 10 because I am ready to fall over. But I TRY to reserve a 10 for near dying experiences." Of course he was teasing and such but he also added they are tough to treat.
Anyway, then in all seriousness when I was done with the injection, he came out into the waiting area. Of course he was asking how I felt, etc. But then I said, "I don't know if you know this or not but I am applying for SSD because....
Before I could finish he says, real forceful, "I would support you 100%!" I kind of stopped for a minute because I really thought he might say...carry on or something of that nature. But noooooo! He said, "Based on the spinal issues and everything else you have going on...yes, 100%!" I don't want to go into everything else he said in regards to working even part time. Just suffice to say I was very pleased to hear this.
Oh, I do want to add and can add that he did say that the nature of this is so unpredictable that that is the biggest problem. I wanted to hug him because it is so true. The pain and the meds is bad enough but the unpredictablity is something else let alone more discs slowly going perhaps. He and I are both at risk for the "domino effect" and has already told me that we both have bought maybe 5 years before something else may go. So, there you have it. I just felt very good that he was validating what I have been saying all along which is...I NEVER KNOW what is going to happen next. One day I am doing fairly well and then the next...WHAM! And, no, I am not crazy LOL!
So, I have a lot of paperwork to fill out this weekend. :)
I just got back from my PM visit and he did give me an injection into the right shoulder joint. What relief for now anyway!!! :) I was amazed how he went in from the front of the shoulder but I could feel the numbing medicine go clear back to the shoulder blade. Just goes to show I guess how all of those muscles connect to each other. But he said based on the relief I got and where, it is indicative of tendonitis. Which is what I have thought all along. But he did say if I didn't get significant relief, then he would have to look at the other cervical levels. But to give this about two weeks, see what happens, and if it works, to come back and get the other shoulder done. I was able to reach further. And this sounds silly but sometimes when I push myself up off the floor my wrist and top of hand would hurt. So, I tried it while there and didn't feel any pain. So, I just have to wait and see.
Okay, and just for kicks and since he is a SPINAL PM and his speciality is headaches coming from the neck, I asked him about the pain scale. So, I put it like this. I asked him, "The majority of the patients you see are people with cervicogenic headaches right?" He says, "Yes, every day!" Then I asked him, "Okay, so on the average, based on the pain scale, what would you say is their pain level?" He said, "By the time they reach me they are at a 9." I laughed and said, "Okay, I blew it! I always rate them a 10 because they are so horrible!" But then he added (because he has had two cervical fusions), "I get them all the time. When they are bad, they are normally a 6 or 8. But when they are severe, they are a definite 9! BUT they FEEL like 10 because I am ready to fall over. But I TRY to reserve a 10 for near dying experiences." Of course he was teasing and such but he also added they are tough to treat.
Anyway, then in all seriousness when I was done with the injection, he came out into the waiting area. Of course he was asking how I felt, etc. But then I said, "I don't know if you know this or not but I am applying for SSD because....
Before I could finish he says, real forceful, "I would support you 100%!" I kind of stopped for a minute because I really thought he might say...carry on or something of that nature. But noooooo! He said, "Based on the spinal issues and everything else you have going on...yes, 100%!" I don't want to go into everything else he said in regards to working even part time. Just suffice to say I was very pleased to hear this.
Oh, I do want to add and can add that he did say that the nature of this is so unpredictable that that is the biggest problem. I wanted to hug him because it is so true. The pain and the meds is bad enough but the unpredictablity is something else let alone more discs slowly going perhaps. He and I are both at risk for the "domino effect" and has already told me that we both have bought maybe 5 years before something else may go. So, there you have it. I just felt very good that he was validating what I have been saying all along which is...I NEVER KNOW what is going to happen next. One day I am doing fairly well and then the next...WHAM! And, no, I am not crazy LOL!
So, I have a lot of paperwork to fill out this weekend. :)