Epidural

When my doc said I'd need to get an epidural to manage my back pain, I about laughed myself off the exam table.

Me: "What? An EPIDURAL?!?!"

"Wait a minute. You're telling ME, I've gotta have an epidural just to get through everyday life, because of this broken back of mine.... yet I didn't have to have one, when pushing that sonuvabitch frank breech beautiful darling son of mine outta my nether regions??!?"

Doctor: "Yes, that's what I'm telling you. So, does next Monday sound good?"

Our convo didn't go exactly like that, but that's what I heard in my head anyway.

I had three injections in my lower back today. It turns out, epidural is just the term they use that involves any injection of drugs through a catheter into your epidural space. My epidural today wasn't the kind a laboring woman has during childbirth. Instead of anesthesia, the doc served me up a nice plate of steroids (with a small side of lidocaine as well). It's supposed to help reduce the pain and inflammation of my nerves (that my discs are hitting) SO THAT my PT can actually start giving me some real exercises to strengthen my core. It's a temporary "fix" but buys us some time.

This past week has been really rough for me, I'm not sure if it was the aftermath of our road trip to LA, or if my back is just getting worse, but the shots couldn't have come at a better time. And, altho the procedure itself wasn't particularly comfortable, I'm so glad we did it and am looking forward to finally getting some recovery time in! Wish me luck...