back injuries suck

After a series of 3 epidural steroid injections into my low back since July of last year, I headed back to the pain clinic today. The most recent procedure helped a lot of the leg pain that radiated down from the herniated disc but it did nothing for my low back/butt pain.

There really hasn't been much in the way of consistency as far as the pain goes. It can be really high one day and low another. Regardless of pain level, bending, running, barely kicking my leg, loading/unloading the dishwasher, picking up toys, laundry, etc. hurt. And gymnastics in my daughter's Mommy & Me class? Torture. Because she wants Mommy to bear crawl with her among other things and ohmywerd it kills me.

I went to the clinic anticipating another injection into my spine but after talking with the doctor (and agreeing that surgery is not an option at this point) we went a different route. Because the majority of the pain is all the way across my back now (where before it was isolated to the left side only), he performed a lumbar medical branch block which consisted of 3 diagnostic injections into the nerves in my low back. This was done to see if I would actually get relief from the pain. If I did get relief the plan was to follow-up with a lumbar radiofrequency ablation in about a week.

The good news is that I had a few hours of zero pain today post injection. It was an awesome feeling. The doctor told me to go home and do whatever hurts my back. I ran, kickboxed (kicked my leg high enough to hit the bridge of my husband's nose - not literally hit it but parallel with it), did jumping jacks, bent, squatted, crawled on the floor. ALL WITHOUT PAIN!!!!! Guys, this was such an AMAZING feeling.

Now, about 7 hours post testing my back is bothering me again but that's okay because I know this will work when I go back to get the full lumbar ablation done (currently scheduled for February 10th). And the good news is that it should last 6-12 months. When the new nerves regenerate in my back I may have to have it done again but shouldn't need it any more frequently than every 6 months.

My 6 year old looked at me today and said, "Mom, does that mean we can run together?" Yes. It. Does.

*happy dance*