Richard Raley's Blog, page 11

Another Step In the Road

Got through post-op.

Really sucky news:  the insurance only allows one burnination a year, since most people generally only have one spot on their spine that's problematic, but for me with Question Mark Corkscrew Rattlesnake monstrosity...it's a pretty shitty policy.  Instead I'll be getting spinal steroid shots every three or so months going forward in that upper bad spot (C7-T1) until they can refocus the burnination up there.  It's become very clear with the mid back pain removed (T6-T9) that it's the upper spot of my not-so-hunchback that's pushing all the rest of the pain and not that peak part of the scoliosis curve in the mid back, so we have a much clearer picture...it's just the "best shot" wasn't actually the best shot and they're stop-gaping until they can take another.

Slightly Iffy News:  So...my dance card is very full again for May with the possibility of eight different appointments since for some stupid reason I also scheduled my yearly physical, dental cleaning, and EOE endoscopy for now too...so...just...fuck Past Me!

Good News:  even though the shot missed the big bad, it still killed a henchman.  My pain is a lot better in that spot.  So we know burnination works.  Don't know how much straight typing I can do, but editing and learning how to dictate is in the wheelhouse now that my general pain isn't just making me miserable all day long and I'm in no mood to be creative.  I know it's not what you fans wanted to hear and I know it's not what I hoped for, but after years of this lingering and then exploding we are fighting back, it's just a slog until we turn the tide and hold the nerve-hordes at bay.

May my next post after the injections have nothing but the good news!

Burnination #2

Miserable today afterwards, but if it's like the left side the discomfort should plateau about five days in and then I'll get some serious improvement around day 10.  Been sleeping really good, able to stand up straighter, able to sit up on the bed/couch much straighter with barely any pain in the section they worked on.  Shoulders/arms/wrist/fingers and lower back are still problems.  Sitting in a chair, riding in the car, and typing too much...also still problems.

Realistically, I might be able to manage some editing of what I already have in May followed by some dictation of new material.  Hopefully...more, but...realistically...

I'm sure I'll be having a post op pretty soon.  Yet again hopefully about what part of my spine they want to target next.  Higher up would be my preference, since that's where all the important bits are...not that walking without cramps and spasms in my legs isn't, but...the hands let me write and that's what I'll always put first.

I've found a sliver of relief and I'm greedy for more!

Nerves Burninated

In quite a bit of pain as the suckers die off and the poor confused muscles spasm over the mixed signals.  Recovery can take up to a couple weeks (usually doesn't, but it can).  Then we're directly into the right side of the spine and we start the clock all over again.  But yeah, can type this, so there's that!  Tired and thirsty and hungry and...

Anyone else always make these plans where they're like "oh I'll watch that amazing thing I haven't gotten to yet, that's such a good time to have nothing to do!" and then you remember "but...I'm miserable and I like that thing and I don't want to chance my current shittiness dragging it down."  So basically I'm currently surfing every channel/service for shows/movies I think I probably won't like too much but might entertain just a little bit instead of something I know I'll like but am in no mode to enjoy...

Tis quite the conundrum...

Two Weeks Until the Nerve Burnination

Looks like we're set.  Took a year and a half, with numerous x-rays, surgeons, MRIs, Insurance bullshit, but this is the first hope at real consistent relief, so...here we go!

Step 2 out of ??? Down

Second branch block finished last week.  Less magical results than the first, since most of my pain on that side is lower on the back.  Next week I've got post op with the doctor and then it's probably to insurance hell to try to get the ablation procedure approved.  Maybe I can talk them into giving me another round of trigger point shots while we wait.  Or the Sexy Time Naughty Boy Writing Corset might finally make it's presence known!

Did optimistically format my files for War to End All Wars and Mancy Masquerade and load them onto my Kindle to quickly read through assuming this works...

Slight Misunderstanding of the Process

So they aren't actually doing steroid injections, they're doing temporary nerve blocks to suss out the troublesome nerves and then they'll just skip the whole steroid injection and go straight to burning the buggers.

Had my first last week and my second this week.  The "relief" as it is only lasts a day tops.  For me it was about eight hours.  But what an eight hours!  Simply magical.  Just my hand and arm working perfectly, no pain whatsoever.  Didn't have to wear a wrist brace all day for the first time in years.  Not just the pain either, but the fingers feeling completely as nimble as they used to back before this problem started manifesting...well, almost six years now.

They DID bruise the shit out of my ribs hauling my unconscious post bariatric surgery skin monster ass back into a wheel chair and THAT hasn't been fun, but if the post ablation will feel like that eight hours did for months or years at a time, then that's something very much to look forward to.

Pain Management Road Map

Couple Weeks:  First spinal injection on the left side top end my spinal curve.

Couple Weeks After That:  Second spinal injection on the right side of my spinal curve.

Eventually:  Third spinal injection on the bottom end of my spinal curve.

After that they want to see which injection helps with the pain the most (they believe it will be the top end) and they'll send me back to get Rhizotomy done on those nerve endings (basically burning them either chemically or with some other snazzy science/magic shit).

No word yet on the Sexy Time Naughty Boy Writing Corset, woe is me!

I do feel better.  Typing still hurts and I still can't lift anything, but...it's a little better and when the pain is as bad as it was...a little can be a lot.  Difference between feeling like I was thrown down a couple flights of stairs versus having played a game of rugby the day before.  With really beefy roided up Eastern European women...

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Don't judge my fantasies!

Anyway...should feel even better by next month.  Maybe we can finally get back on track.  I mean it's been so long at this point I'll probably have to start with ANOTHER reread of the material I've written, but...very small problem compared to what I've been dealing with!  Hard to get optimistic after a year of delays and ball punting, but...maybe, maybe, maybe?!?

Some Relief

Met the new pain management team and immediately got trigger point injections in my shoulder and back muscles today.  On the path for epidural spinal shots going forward, but this and a couple new meds should help hold me over for the next month.  Supposedly.  Here's hoping.

Actually in a lot of pain tonight since, ya know, we've come pretty far from bloodletting but poking the patient and asking them where it hurts is still the best diagnostic tool!

Still...first time I've met a group of medical professionals this last year that actually seemed to care and relate and have a handle on the situation, so big props and just a sliver of hope for a more productive future.

Also I might be getting a back brace thingy...

Who's gonna call it his Sexy Time Naughty Boy Writing Corset?

This fuckin' guy!

Small Roadbump

 Got COVID for Christmas, so everything had to be rescheduled.  2022 had to get one last ball kick in!

Anyway, better now, seeing pain management in a little over a week, looks like a very nice place, and I think spine shots will come a couple or so weeks after that first meeting.  Pain hasn't been as overwhelming as it was, so that's nice too.  Still there, but not...stuck in bed type of deal.  Bought a split mechanical keyboard to help with my shoulder placement and ability to write propped up in bed or even lying down.  Haven't pulled the trigger on Dragon yet, cuz...that's stupidly expensive.  But if I have no choice I WILL pull the trigger...

Anyway #2...love all of you still sticking with me, thanks for all the kind comments and emails, good luck in your own endeavors at dodging the plague and hopefully you all enjoyed the blue cat people, since humanity has decided that's a thing again!

Still Stuck In Limbo

Surgeon confirmed some pretty gnarly scoliosis, but it's apparently balanced in such a way that surgery would be riskier than just leaving it alone for now.  The first pain management place I went to was pretty much...a fucking disaster.  Brought me in to tell me they don't prescribe painkillers there, only do steroid shots and that they don't do them for scoliosis or spinal issues...well fucking thanks guys, I'm gonna enjoy having to lie in bed for three days just for the pleasure of getting told to fuck off.  Ever heard of a fucking phone call?

So the surgeon is hooking me up with ANOTHER pain management place and hopefully they actually do what they're supposed to do.  Took my last tramadol just now and hey, pain is manageable enough to type this out.  Sure would like some more!  God forsaken hillbillys just ruining painkiller access for all us responsible people!

Some people would say this is good news, not having to have surgery, but...I still don't know why I'm in so much pain and I still don't know what's really wrong...what I love doing most in this word is still impossible, I'm still homebound, etc.  Yesterday was when I saw the surgeon, so...pretty big blow I'm still feeling the weight of, which is probably responsible for why this post is so morose.  Been nothing but one blow after another for over a year now...

I'll probably start leaning how to dictate using software next year, but...that's not the magic bullet some people seem to think it is, so don't expect books to magically be done in a few months once I start.  When you're writing a 200k book at 99% accuracy that's still two thousand errors.  And I'm a writer, not a talker, I could just suck at this.  The one plus is the King Henry Tapes are told in speaking style so...we'll see, I guess?

The software might implode the entire internet when I say Pougpaellieth the first time...

Don't expect any more updates for a few months at least.