It's a Procedure (part 1)

    That's what I had.

A procedure. It used to be called outpatient surgery. But now it's just a procedure. 

   A Vertiflex procedure.

   I have spinal spondylosis. I have neuropathy in my feet. I have degenerative disc disease. And sciatica. And throw in there some anxiety and depression for good measure.

    About a year and a half ago, I had reason to visit the doctor. I had a hematoma on my right gluteus maximus. The doctor told me that I was going to tear my stomach up with the pills I was taking. I was self medicating for my daily aches and pains by taking 3 or 4 Naproxen Sodium, 6-8 ibuprofen, and 6-8 headache relief tablets. The doctor said that's too much stuff to be taking.

    So I cut out the naproxen sodium. And I discovered that my knee was hurting. It may have been hurting all along and I just didn't know it. So then I went to get an injection in my knee. And that doctor told me the ibuprofen and headache relievers was going to tear up my stomach so I needed to stop the ibuprofen.

   When I stopped the ibuprofen I kinda discovered that the reason my feet weren't hurting (my feet have hurt me for years cause it's hard to find shoes wide enough for me). But the reason my feet weren't hurting me any longer was because I couldn't feel my feet. 

    There's a term for it. It's called neuropathy. So I went to the doctor and told her I thought I had neuropathy. I told her my symptoms and she said "yup, sounds like you have neuropathy". She referred me to another doctor. The day before I went to see that Dr. I stepped on "something". I don't know what it was. Maybe a piece of wire, maybe a nail. "Something". I never felt it. Didn't realize it had happened until Yvette noticed I was tracking blood around on the floor. 

   I told that doctor my symptoms and about stepping on "something" and she said, "I think you have neuropathy " and refers me to another Dr. They attach electrodes and stick pins in me and tell me "you have neuropathy." Some point in the deciding that 'yes, I had neuropathy' "we" also decided that I had sciatica. There was one final Dr visit where they did an x-ray and tests and the diagnosis was that I had bilateral neuropathy. 

(To be continued)