I am am up

[Guest guest]

It is me , Whew ALL I CAN SAY IS GOD IS GOOD. What a last few

weeks, on August 7, 2003 I had my 2nd trial epidural to see if a

intrathecal cath would help. At that time the nurses noted my heart

rate was WAY to low 32bpm (beats per minute) which made perfect

since to me since most of the time I felt like I was just drained, I

mean I could not do anything brush my hair, teeth, daily activities

of living and probably should have been in a nursing home.I had alot

of testing done and have yet to go back to the cardiologist ( I was

in 1st degree heart block) which in a heart conduction problem.

Basically I wasn't pumping enough blood to have adequate profusion.

I had a tilt table test to see if I would pass out and I did. When

the cardioloist said I could go home ( it was safe enough) my pain

management Dr. took away all of my pain meds said you can either go

thru withdrawl now or later after the pump is in. AND DID I GO THRU

WITHDRAWL,I spiked a temp was hot and sweating shaking plainly ready

to pull my hair out, my mother came in and told them they were not

sending me home in such a state and that something had to be done.

They tried to say that I knew I would have to do this and that I was

fully aware LIE LIE LIE my mother was in the room with me the whole

time she knew what what said. Then came the appointment to discuss

the pump placement I had already made my mind up that if I had to go

cold turkey again forget it. The Dr. said he would work with me. The

day the pump was put in he had so much trouble getting in in he said

he cut 4 times, it was suppose to take about 45 minutes it took 2

and half hours when I woke up I asked them what was wrong with my

left foot and they took off my sock and said nothing it felt like

electric needles were being shoved in between my toes it continued

until they took me up to my bed and then I had pain shooting down

from my left back all the way down my foot plantar surface ( sole) I

was screaming and teeth chattering and yelling for someone to kill

me.They paged the Dr. and he wanted to Versed me ( which is drug

they often use in scopes and IV conscience sedatation) the nurses

refused said they don't do that on the medical floors, he said for

get you and ran down to surgery and got the stuff his self I had 2

IV's going and one nurse was giving me Toradol and he was pushing

the versed. He that he must have touched the L4 nerve root ganglion

with the cath when he put it in, so I had to have IV steroids for

that day which has helped some but my foot still hurts and I can't

stand for the air to touch it or sheets I just wear a house shoe

that is too big to cover it. I came home the next day and sat around

and woke up the next day and my neck hurt so bad I couldn't move it

then my head started hurting and I was just miserable we called the

Dr. and he said for me to drink a 2 liter bottle of mountain dew

which did not help. The next morning I spoke to him and he thought I

was leaking cerebral spinal fluid so I went back to surgery for a

blood patch where they draw blood from your arm after the do an

epidural and inject it back in. 1. The theory is to help replace the

lost fluid and 2. The blood will form a clot to where ever it is

leaking from. I was suppose to lay flat for the rest of the day but

I wasn't told that sometimes after the blood patch it will compress

the spinal cord and cause spasms which I had I could not lay sit

stand all I could do was scream. My husband once again called the

Dr. and said what was going on and he said put me in a fetal postion

and put heat to the area, I screamed all night long I honestly

prayed to god to let me die. The next morning yesterday I started

running a temp and was again still miserable nausea unable to eat or

drink Now I guess this is withdrawl, I have Lortab to take and

Valium to help with that it doesn't help much The Dr. said it would

last about 7 days. Although the pump is working and I am getting

about 1.5 mgs of morhine an hour my body was so used to the

Duragesic and how all of the stored up Duragesic is gone it will

take a while to get through this but I pray the worst is over and

that I will soon be on the road to recovery. I don't know that it

has been worth it only time will tell at this point I wish I had

never had it done, maybe in time I will change my mind. I wanted to

thank you all for your prayers and concern. I really believe in

prayer and in Jesus I believe that I am destined for some type of

victory all to proclaim it his name. Many Many Thanks

Very gratefull

Atwell LPN