what sandra thinks

This may be too much information… and it may be really boring… but I don’t care. I’m floating.

The woman who prepped me for my procedure this morning recognized me from last time (the failed initial diagnostic procedure). It’s a very busy office so it was nice that she remembered me. Maybe I left a lasting impression because I was so nervous then… and again today.

After she asked me about 500 questions to which she already knew the answers but she had to ask anyway, she put in my IV. Then back-pain doctor came out to talk to me for a minute about the procedure (injection). He’s so nice… which is great. I’d hate to have to deal with a doctor I don’t like.

He asked me if I had any questions. I said no… just nervous… what with a needle about to be inserted into my back. And I sort of laughed and said, “Don’t miss!”

Yeah, I make jokes when I’m super anxious. Or nervous. Or scared. Or when I’m about to have a big fat injection in my back. Hell, I make jokes all the time… even when it’s totally inappropriate to do so. Humor is my coping mechanism. Sometimes.

Anyway… the doc obviously has a decent sense of humor because he said, “Don’t worry. I use the force.”

Then I was on the table… and the other doc was giving me stuff through the IV. Something for sedation… and something for pain. (Don’t worry… I wasn’t sedating and driving. No driving allowed for me for 24 hours.) Then the injection… which was over quickly.

Finally, another guy helped me back out to the ‘pre-op‘ room so I wouldn’t fall or anything. Yes… four different people were involved in this injection… they make you feel very well taken care of. Fourth guy gave me some juice since I’d been fasting before the procedure and I was probably visibly loopy at this point. He told me all the aftercare stuff I needed to know. And he gave me that info on paper, too, which is essential because, again… loopy.

Then he walked me out to my driver. I mean husband. And also driver.

Once at home, I tried to make something to eat. That was fun since I was still kind of floating. But I hadn’t eaten for about 16 hours. So it was necessary. I ate. I finally had some coffee. And then I couldn’t keep my eyes open, despite the coffee. I slept, on and off, for two or three hours. I also got a killer headache… which the doc mentioned could happen. I still have it now… along with some residual floaty-ness. Which is why I should be sleeping again… but here I sit at 1 o’clock in the morning typing this.

So…

Now I wait. What I was told was that I could have more pain or different pain for a couple of days… and that it will take a week or two for the injection to ‘work‘. Hopefully that actually happens. No guarantees, though. I really have no idea what’s going to happen.

What I know is that I don’t like waiting. I have no patience.

©2018 what sandra thinks