Welcome Back

I've been away quite awhile because shortly after my last post my health took a turn for the worse. I became almost incapacitated by the pain I was in as well as being barely able to walk due to pain in my leg and weakness. I was referred to a spinal specialist and pain management center. I thought it was just going to be more pills for the fibro and the usual run around. To my surprise I finally found out what had been causing so much of my pain and problems for so many years.

The spinal specialist said I very obviously had some sort of spinal injury and ordered MRIs of both my lower lumbar and neck. We discovered 3 herniated disks in each area for a total of 6 disks causing me problems. We immediately began therapeutic medicines and physical therapy. My leg improved but my neck seemed to get worse. The more they tried to touch it or have me exercise it the worse it got. I was referred to a neurosurgeon who told me I would need a triple cervical fusion of the vertebrae in my neck. He felt this was the only thing that may improve my lot and bring me some relief. This was in April of 2011.

I had already reduced my hours at work at this point using FMLA. I was barely coping even with a reduced schedule. I warned them they needed to find a replacement because I was going to have to leave eventually on full disability. I felt horrible leaving a position I had been in for four years and worked so hard at. I had truly established a career finally. But it was not to be. I left for good on June 16th, 2011. On July 4th I was rear ended again. My neck at this point was incapacitating me. The pain was unbearable. Another MRI had to be done to assess the damage before we could even begin to discuss surgery again. Yet during all of this I was still convinced I was going to make it to Burning Man at the end of August.