Treatment

Three weeks ago, I received my epidural steroid injection.

My brother is the one that drove me there, and because he had received an injection like this before, he gave me a word of advice: don't look at the needles. 

I was pretty stressed out walking into the hospital that day, and the level of anxiety only increased as I got closer to my assigned room. I laid on my stomach with my eyes closed, silently crying as the interventional radiologist banged around in my back, tugging and pulling on my spine for about a minute. He stopped and I thought he was done, then he said, "I'm going to inject you now. There are two medications, so just be patient." 

It hurt.





They had me lay there for about 20 minutes afterwards, holding a barf bag because the medications made me a little nauseous. 

Then I carefully got dressed and walked out to meet my brother in the waiting room.

The next morning, I got up at 7 and was starting to get ready for the day. I was planning on going to all 5 of my classes, but my roommates stepped in and made me get back in bed. Once they all left, I thought I would be okay to go to my last 3. 

That was a mistake.

I could hardly move! It took me a good 30 minutes to get to campus when it usually takes 10-15. I couldn't bend over, turn around, take long steps over patches of ice, nothing! I was pretty helpless. I got back that night, and told myself to take it easy. I spent a couples days sleeping, studying, and watching movies, trying to get my mind off the pain.

The doctors said I would be sore from the needles for about 2 days, and then the steroid would kick in. They told me I would feel great! My brother said after his, he wanted to jump around and do cartwheels. I was getting so excited and so ready to feel good again.

I felt strong for 1 day. Then it went right back to where we started. Worse, actually.

I have different sensations of pain now. There's a very strong, sharp pain shooting down the front and back of my right leg. There's sometimes a burning right where the injection was. There's now aching on my left side too. I can't sit for more than about 45 minutes, and I have to readjust my standing posture very frequently.

I knew this wasn't good.

I had my check-up 15 days after my injection. I told my doctor how it went and how I was feeling, and he said that was not what he was expecting to hear. He spent about 10 minutes reviewing my x-rays, my MRI, and the ultrasound images from the injection, then turned to me and said, "At this point, I usually punt." I asked him what that meant and he said he is going to drop-kick me to somebody else. He said the problems I have are out of his scope of knowledge and expertise. He says there has been damage done to my back, and he doesn't know how to fix it.

I got dumped! By my doctor!

He said he was referring me to a pain management specialist, meaning they won't fix the problem. They'll just teach me how to deal with it. I don't like that.


I asked what this pain management guy could do for me, and he said this specific doctor really likes injections. He will try different steroids and medications in different parts of my back, trying to find what works for me.

I immediately started crying.



That injection was the most painful thing I've ever experienced, and I do not want to do it again.

My doctor said he knew I was discouraged, but that we haven't wasted any time. He did exactly what any other doctor would have done, and he's sorry that it didn't work.

So I walked out of there a little sad and a little annoyed, with a prescription for the same pain medication that I used in Nicaragua. Then I called the pain management doctor.

I don't have an appointment until March 15.

I met with a friend's dad who also has degenerative disc disease. It became a problem for him while he was on his mission, but he ignored it for 20 years. Once he started receiving treatment, he tried everything under the sun: ozone injections, prolotherapy, different patterns of ice and heat, inversion tables, physical therapy, electric pulse machines, pain medications - everything. He said it's a good thing they caught mine so early so I can slow the damage to my back and I won't be in so much pain when I'm older.

So the search for an effective treatment continues! At this point, I'm willing to try pretty much anything. I have to find something quick because I have been interviewed for two incredible job opportunities up here in Utah Valley for the summer.

As for now, my MTC buddies are reaching the half-way mark on their missions. I wish I could be out there working with them, but instead, I get to cheer from the side-lines.

And I'm okay with that.