Post-ablation update

[Guest guest]

Hi all. I had my RF nerve ablations done today, well, at least on

the left side, since the doctor can only do one side at a time, so I

thought I would let you all know how it went.

I got there about 10-15 minutes early, and let me tell you, I was so

nervous I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I went back

to the patient prep area, and I said " I will be getting sedation for

this procedure, right? " Well, apparently, it's not standard for

them to give it (although it's mentioned throughout their

informational handout!), and they didn't have me marked down to

receive it, but thankfully, they start the sedation in the procedure

room, so they hooked me up to an IV really quick. I have to say, I

was a bit worried there for a second!

They took me into the procedure room, and when I laid down, the

nurse gave me a shot of something, I don't know what, but it didn't

do anything. Then she asked the doctor if she could go ahead and

give it to me, and THEN she gave me the sedative. WOW does that

stuff burn like crazy. I could feel it going all the way up my hand

and into my arm....and then I was out like a light. And in what

felt like 5 minutes, but was actually a half hour, they were waking

me up. A funny thing about that. I was still half out of it, and

the doctor and one of the nurses were talking to me. I thought I

was at home in bed, and that my hubby and one of my daughters were

messing with me, and I told them " Quit it! " Then I started becoming

more aware of where I really was, and I was sooooo embarrassed!

It really sucked that they could only do one side at a time. I was

so hoping to get it all over with today. The other thing is that

they told me it might take up to 2 weeks for me to know whether it

worked or not. But then again, that might not be such a bad thing.

Waiting to see if the left side worked will give me the opportunity

to decide whether or not I want to go ahead with the right side!

So now I'm here at home, with a very sore left butt cheek, lots of

ice packs, and plenty of pain meds! At one point, I was talking to

my mom on the phone when my pain meds started kicking in, and I

started getting really loopy. Best conversation I've had with my

mom in years! LOL!

Well, that's my update for now, I will let you all know how things

are progressing, and thanks for being there to rally around me when

I needed it!

All my best,

Jen