Epidural Steroid Injections

Ok, I know, I've been bad at keeping up my posting.  When I got back from San Diego, I started some drafts and was going to fine tune and publish them a little later, but I ended up having a Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) of Methylprednisone (80mg.)  It put me on my ass. 

I went in and everything went according to plan, I suppose. When I went in, they asked me if I've had any trauma, and I told them that I haven't been kind to my body through out my life.  I've played hockey for so long that I can't remember when it started, I've got 7 years in the Army.  They started asking about car accidents, and that type of thing.  I was in a fairly decent accident a month after I finished Basic. This last fall, I was in a 5 car pile up at work.  I didn't think anything of it, but they told me that little things like that, can speed up the disease process. Then the doc came in and asked me if I had any questions about anything and how I felt about all this. I told the anesthesiologist, that unfortunately being in my line of work, I can't play ignorant.  So... On top of the versed, I got Ativan.  I've never been more anxious, and just like Tabetha said so many years ago, Ativan is awesome.  (Tabetha was a classmate in Paramedic School.) 

Jodi went with me to the procedure, and she drove me home.  On the way, we stopped at Little Ceaser's and got some pizza, then went home and played Wii for hours.  When she went home I went to bed and slept like a rock.

The next day, I woke up and felt good, no better, no worse, so I went to work.  It was ok, towards the end of the day, it felt like I was having more of the sharp, shooting pains than I normally was.  When I went home, I went right to bed, I've been sleeping on a hot pad for so long now, I can't sleep without it.  I woke up the next morning, and felt a little more sore than normal, but nothing that made me think that I couldn't work through it. 

I went to work, made it just over half way through the day, then I had to call out on FMLA.  I hate doing it.  I'm stubborn and I know it.  I don't feel like I'm dead yet, so I don't think that I should have to change the way I live for this.  I spent the next two days home, rationing out my time standing, sitting and laying down, so that the pain would stop or lessen.

SJ and Josh were in town, and they were champs about just hanging out around the house and putting up with me.  Oklahoma City is kinda the half way point for this married couple.  They are physically separated due to the Air Force and schooling, but still very much in love and married.  When SJ is done with her schooling, they should be back in the same duty station, so this is just a temporary evil for them.  Even though I was super lame and didn't get to do anything with them, we were kinda planning it since I couldn't find anyone to work for me.   I just wish I was actually feeling better than I was, I spent my weekend all "hopped-up" on hydrocodone.