Pain, Pain, Go Away

Yesterday Karri met with a pain management specialist. Although her back pain lessened last week, as she tried to become more mobile over the weekend, it increased again and so we were all looking forward to seeing what the doctor would have to say. Myrth and I went with her. We were favorably impressed and infuriated - because the doctor confirmed Karri's the diagnosis initially made (but later changed) in the hospital (disc impingement on nerves) and indicated that the most efficacious course of action would be a spinal epidural. We are delighted that Karri will get an epidural (on Thursday) but so angry that she wasn't simply given one two weeks ago in the hospital as she had specifically requested. The entire hospital experience was demoralizing in the extreme and visiting with Dr. DeLaney simply confirmed this. She also changed medications for something that is more specifically targeted to this kind of pain and intends to get Karri into a physical therapy practice once her pain is under more control, hopefully within a few weeks. All of this could and should have been done so much earlier - it seems so unfair that Karri has had to endure all of this pain so needlessly - and particularly since we were asking all the right questions all along. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the initial epidural will bring relief, but since she has been coping with this nerve damage for an extended period, it may take more than one epidural. However, we are cautiously optimistic that the doctor has Karri's case well in hand and will have additional remedies to use as needed. We would all like to get past this debilitating back pain so Karri's limited energy could be channeled into something more productive. Today she will try to go with Jerry to see Allie play in her first high school volleyball game if she is up to it. Love Kim