Oh, the Pain!

Most of you know that I have a herniated disc in my back.  It's been that way for years and years, and I'll go through periods of time where it doesn't bother me at all.  Then there are times when it hurts so bad that I have to alternate ice and heat, and walk very carefully because I never know when the pain is going to hit.

Throughout both of my pregnancies, the herniated disc NEVER caused a problem.  Not once.  It was like, as soon as I found out I was pregnant the pain just went away.  Unfortunately, though, it always comes back after.  This past Monday it had started to get uncomfortable again.  Not painful, per se, but uncomfortable in that when I bent a certain way I could feel discomfort.  I didn't think much of it and just went about business as usual.  That night, we went to my mom and dad's house so Bailey could tell them all about going on the potty.  When we got home that night, Bailey was acting like a jerk and refused to come in the house.  We tried cajoling her, talking sternly to her, and pretending we were just going to leave her outside (which didn't work because she just called our bluff and was like, that's fine...I like it out here).  When nothing else worked, I walked back to where she was standing next to the car and picked her up, intending to just carry her in the house.

The next thing I know, my back just exploded in pain and I was on my hands and knees on the ground.

I'd managed to not-so-gracefully put Bailey down before I fell, thankfully, and I remember her standing there going, "You okay, mommy?  You okay?"  We were both crying at that point, her because she thought she was in trouble and me because I was in so much damn pain.  Scott was halfway to the house with Gerry and turned around and came running back when I fell.  He tried to help me up but I literally could not move.  I was in so much pain I couldn't catch my breath and I just told Scott to get the kids in the house and come back for me.  Poor Bailey was freaking out at this point and Gerry was starting to fuss in his car seat, so Scott hustled them both inside the house while I pretty much laid there on the ground...did I mention it was cold and raining? 

After what felt like forever, Scott came back out for me and tried to lift me onto my feet.  I couldn't move.  The slightest little movement sent shock waves of pain spasming from my back all the way to my toes, and I couldn't hold myself up.  Scott pretty much had to half drag and half carry me into the house.  He called my mom to come and sit with Bailey and Gerry while we went to the ER.

Long story short, the ER was no help.  They gave me a percocet, which didn't come close to touching the pain, and told me to take Motrin and call my doctor in the morning.  So Scott half dragged and half carried me back home.  The next morning, I couldn't get out of bed.  Every tiny little movement caused such severe pain that it brought tears to my eyes and made me nauseous.  It took me 45 minutes just to sit up with my feet hanging over the side of the bed.  I spent that time crying, cursing, and gasping in pain before Scott finally put his foot down and told me I wasn't getting out of bed that day.  He helped me back into bed (another half hour) and went downstairs to open the door for daycare.  Then spent the rest of the day taking care of all the kids while running upstairs to check on me and bring me medicine.  I couldn't move without help, and at times the pain was just unbearable. Poor Scott spent his Spring Break running the daycare and helping me "recover". 

Thursday was the first day I was able to walk without needing someone to hold me up.  I got around by leaning on walls and furniture as I passed.  I went to the doctor to see what my options were and to (hopefully) get some relief from the pain.  I had done 8 weeks of physical therapy plus epidural steroid injections before I got pregnant with Gerry and neither had helped.  And now I was losing strength in my right leg, so my only option at this point is surgery.  My doctor sent me home with the number for a surgeon and a cocktail of steroids, percocet and muscle relaxers to get me through the next couple weeks. 

It's now Friday, and I'm able to shuffle around on my own as long as I walk hunched over.  I can't pick anything up yet and sometimes when I move it sends pain shooting through my back and down my leg.  But I'm moving around without needing help and I'm happy about that. I don't know what I'm going to do when Scott goes back to work next week, but I'm hoping that I'll be alright by then.  Every day it gets a little bit better.  Crossing my fingers!