Um...myelograms hurt...

Yesterday morning was the day of my dreaded myelogram. I had never even heard of this test until my neurologist ordered it. But once I looked up the procedure on youtube....I became incredible nervous.

Well, it turns out it wasn't too bad. My mother took me to the hospital early in the morning, I signed a ton of papers and was taken into a Day Surgery room. We sat there for about an hour until the radiology tech came to get me. They gave me a Valium on the way to help calm my nerves, and might I say...it did nothing. I felt absolutely nothing. I was scared, shaky, and evidently, Valium has no effect on me.

Once I got into the room, they had be lie down on the x-ray table in order to get a few quick images. Once the radiologist came in, I was very, very nervous. I had to flip over onto my stomach, which I just can't do. I simply cannot lie on my stomach without significant pain anymore. They put a wedge under neath my right hip which did take some of the pressure off.

And then, I started crying. The nerves and the pain of being on my stomach for so long was really getting to me. The radiologist was patient and waited for me to stop sobbing because I had to be really still. He found the spot in my spine where he could insert the needle and inserted the Lidocain. Once that was done, the needle went in. Oh boy, I could feel that all the way down the back the back of my leg. Once he put the needle in, he had to take it out and put a longer one in. Then the contrast dye went in and I felt such pressure through my lower back and back of my right leg.

Then, I got stuck on my stomach. They needed me to move to another gurney, and I couldn't move. It took me forever to get onto the other gurney and I started crying again. After they got me onto my back, the pressure was less and I was more comfortable to go into the CT machine.

Then they took me back into my recovery room where I had to lie still for 4 hours! I did not anticipate that at all. They gave me some pain medicine and a snack and I drifted in and out until it was time to go home. My husband picked me up, and I was told to lie down with my head elevated for the rest of the day, and to take it easy for the next couple of days.

I felt ok yesterday, and today...ouch! I feel like I have been in a fight. My back, leg, hip...ugh. So SORE!!!!  It is really difficult for me to get comfortable. Lying on my back, sides, sitting in a recliner, standing for a while, walking around....really sore.

So, on August 3 I go back to my neurologist for the results. Fingers crossed that it is something repairable!!!!