Herniated Disc

I know, I know... It's been way too long. I apologize.

Things have been so hectic lately, and I really haven't had an opportunity to process my thoughts.

Today won't be one of my normal blogs, but more of an update on where I've been the past few weeks.

I had previously gone to the doctors regarding the major back pain I had been having. To make a long story very short -- They wrote me off, summed it up to having degenerative spinal arthritis and sent me on my way.

Friday, May 29, 2009 - I drove to work as normal. However, we I arrived at work my back was 'stuck' and I couldn't get out of my car. After about 10-15 minutes, I was able to shimmy out of the car and make my way into work. Once I got inside, I collapsed and was unable to move. My boss and co-worker came out, helped me to my desk. The pain was extreme, the pain was constant. My co-worker and boss helped me out to my co-worker's vehicle wherein here drive me to the hospital; St. Joseph's Hospital. It was 9am.

When we arrived, it again was extremely hard to get out of the vehicle. My back was stuck in a way that I had never felt. Once out of the vehicle, I was unable to then sit in a wheel chair. After about 15 minutes of trying to 'sit', a nurse, security guard and a stretcher came outside. I immediately fell back onto the stretcher and this was my first moment of relief.

This feeling of a sort-of paralysis and a constant pain scared me. A 'physician's assistant' came in to treat me. First with a shot of Teradol (Sp?). Then again with a Valium. Then again with a Vicodin. Nothing worked. I was still unable to move and the pain was still constant.

They took me back for X-Rays. Unable to move my torso, because of the extreme pain, and without the help of the two on-looking techs, I had to pull myself off of the stretcher and onto the table and vice versa. I couldn't believe how rude and unhelpful these people were. Little did I know, it was bound to get worse.

So after the X-Ray episode, around 12 or 1 p.m., Shane, my boyfriend had finally made his way up to the hospital. Because I had to pull myself back onto the stretcher, again without the help of the two techs, I was stuck now on my side and unable to roll back onto my back. I sat this way for about an hour and a half, until I bit down on my finger and allowed Shane to move me himself. Shortly thereafter, the "physician's assistant" came back in to let me know they were going to give me a shot of Morphine and discharge me. I couldn't help but giggle. I was dumbfounded. I couldn't even sit up, move from side to side, let alone walk -- and they want to discharge me? At that point, I rang for the nurse and requested that a 'real' doctor come see me.

What did I get? Oh I got a real doctor alright. A real grade-a asshole, who too wanted to discharge me. They then moved me to a different room, a sort of supply room, and out of the normal hospital room I was in.

I had to pee. I begged the nurse to get me a bed pan, as I knew I would never make it to the bathroom. Her response: We're giving you another shot of Morphine, give it 10 minutes and then get out of bed and go to the bathroom. I knew that the Morphine wouldn't make a difference, but I complied with her request. I got the injection, felt a wave of relief, sat up, stood up, and fell back on the bed when my back tightend and again I was unable to move.

I called for the nurse again. She came in. I asked for a bed pan. She told me I needed to walk to the bathroom. I told her it wasn't happening. Finally after hours of waiting, a bed pan arrived.

Again, I was floored by this treatment I was receiving. They didn't want me there, and I SURELY didn't want to be there.

So Dr.Asshole arrived. At this time, it was probably close to 5pm. Told me, he was giving me yet another shot of Morphine and that they would like to discharge me. I still wondered why these idiots could not comprehend the fact that I couldn't walk --- Why were they pushing me out of the door? I was frustrated with the extreme pain, scared, and now I was getting extremely pissed off at the way I was being talked to and treated. I had no I.V. No fluids running through me. Tons of pain medication being injected and hadn't had anything to drink since the previous night.

The nurse came back in. They moved me again. This time, I was moved into the hallway. Shane had already left. Now I was alone, everyone was staring at me, I was stuck and unable to move, dehydrated, high, and pissed off.

It wasn't until 10:30 that evening, after I pleaded and my mother called the Head Nurse of the entire hospital that someone finally listened to me. The Head Nurse brought me a pillow, something to drink and moved me into another room so I didn't have to sit in the hallway. I was warned that I would have to be 'interviewed' by two resident doctors before I was allowed to be admitted to the hospital. The nurse disappeared from her shift and I laid in bed for another six hours without any medication until I finally was moved to a permanent room. Even then, as I had to move myself again from the stretcher to my now bed, I cried out in agony as this stupid ass nurse asked me questions about insurance. WTF is wrong with people? Its like give me 5 minutes to get my pain under control before you start asking me how I am going to pay for treatment.

The next morning I was taken to get an MRI, and it showed that I had a herniated disc between the 5th and 6th vertebre and a cyst on my 5th vertebre. I felt like kicking the Emergency Department staff in the ass for not listening to me when I told them that THIS IS NOT ARTHRITIS.

I spent a week in the hospital. Getting Morphine injections every three hours. Thank God for my Mom and Shane. Mom drove up from Maryland to help me bathe and to help me walk.

I can't help but think all of this could have been avoided had the doctor MONTHS ago listened to me when I told him something was very wrong; had I not been written off and had the doctor done his job to begin with.

Currently, I'm out of pain medication (until Tuesday) and its still difficult for me to walk and move from a sitting to a standing position. I am thankful that I am able to be mobile, but I never appreciated sleeping in my bed so much until now, when I can't.