07/24/2023
It’s been 21 days since my injury so I figured it’s time for an update: (Super long post, sorry!)
Let’s just go back to the beginning real quick because I realize that I never really shared how any of this started.
It all began with normal (for me) muscle tension in my neck and shoulders- which is caused by poor posture and body mechanics, especially while I’m working doing Massage.
The morning of July 3rd I woke up around 6am very stiff and sore and simply lifted my hands above my head to stretch.
Immediately, something shifted on my left side and a sharp pain shot all the way down my arm.
The pain was excruciating and nearly unbearable, it felt like my arm was being strangled by a tourniquet.
I took a flexeril (muscle relaxer) that I had been prescribed for my TMJ dysfunction. I sat on the couch writhing around in pain trying desperately to find a comfortable position. Eventually the muscle relaxer began to make me sleepy and more calm, but it did absolutely nothing for the pain.
At 9:45am I was able to get an appointment with my GP- the ride to the Drs office was like a literal hell. Every bump in the road and every turn that jiggled my arm made the pain worse.
When I got there my blood pressure was 180/120 (super elevated due to the pain and stress I was experiencing).
The doctor gave me a steroid shot (kenalog) along with a prescription for 5 more steroid pills (prednisone) to take over the next 5 days.
I was hoping that the steroid would kick in quickly and I’d feel better right away, but that’s not how they work and it was just wishful thinking. I went home and tried to fall asleep, and eventually I was able to drift off for an hour or so.
When I woke the pain seemed even worse and I could barely move at all without screaming in agony. I called my doctor back and they told me that they couldn’t do anything else for me and I would need to go to the Emergency Room if I needed more help. I literally begged and cried on the phone for them to write me a prescription for the pain, because the idea of getting back in the car and waiting in the ER for hours was giving me severe anxiety and making my stress even worse. They refused and just kept telling me to go to the ER.
Reluctantly, we went to the ER and waited for what felt like hours before being seen. They gave me morphine, Va**um and torodol via IV and left me for a while to give the medication a chance to reduce the pain. After 30 minutes or so the pain was down from a 10/10 to a 6/10. They brought me back for X-rays and told me they “looked fine”. They told me they had put in a referral for the spine center where they would do further imaging/testing. They also sent me home with 3 hydrocodone pills, 12 torodol and 12 flexeril.
I went home and spent the next several hours in a drug induced lethargy, fading in and out of sleep every so often. The pain was manageable but only as long as I took the pain pills every 6 hours.
The next day I felt slightly better, which was good because I was out of pain meds at this point and the anti inflammatory and the flexeril were doing absolutely nothing for me except making me sleepy.
The third day I was convinced the steroids were finally working because my pain seemed much better.
The fourth day things got worse again.
I called and made an appointment with the spine center and hoped they would have some answers for me.
I struggled through the next few days with ups and downs, lots of rest and fluids. I got a massage and saw my chiropractor and just tried my best to manage the pain.
On Tuesday the 11th I saw a neurosurgeon at the spine center. He did some basic reflex testing and strength testing of my left arm and hand. After these very simple tests he informed me that I would need surgery to correct the issue. I was shocked and terrified by this. I asked him what he believed the issue was- he said ”it’s a pinched nerve in your cervical spine” (aka Cervical Radiculopathy as listed on the paperwork). He said they would need an MRI to confirm the location and severity of the issue but he was 100% certain that surgery would be the only solution. I asked about other options, physical therapy, chiropractic, even steroid or epidural injections- he again said that none of those things were very promising and “if it’s what I think it is surgery will be the only thing that works”.
He described the surgery they would perform (an ACDF) where they go in through the throat, remove part of the vertebrae and then fuse the two vertebrae together with a metal plate and screws. He was very nonchalant about it, and even said “it’s no big deal, most people do really well with it” They told me they would call me soon with the date for my MRI and that we would go from there.
He wrote me a slew of prescriptions (gabapentin, more flexeril, tramadol for pain, meloxicam for inflammation and some Ativan to take the day of the MRI) but gave me no information about any of them and certainly did not discuss any side effects or issues that could arise from taking them.
I left the office in tears and feeling terrified. Spinal surgery definitely did not seem like “no big deal” to me. It felt like a very big deal. I went and filled the prescriptions and then went home and started digging around on the internet and doing research on my “condition”.
I found, without much effort, that in 85-90% of cases cervical radiculopathy resolves in 6-12 weeks without any surgical intervention. I kept digging and found that physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, and postural correction had fantastic results and were able to reduce symptoms and even reverse the issue completely.
I also researched the prescription medication he gave me very thoroughly and decided not to take the gabapentin at all because of the unfavorable side effects, and the fact that you can’t stop taking it without weaning down slowly. I also decided not to take the meloxicam because it has severe side effects for the stomach and causes ulcers and internal bleeding- I have a history with these issues and cannot even take ibuprofen without getting sick so something that strong would likely cause major problems for me. It’s honestly surprising how the doctor prescribed these things without asking more questions about my history and other medical conditions.
After doing all this research I called my chiropractor and discussed it with him and he felt very confident that we could resolve the issue without surgery. He said he has dealt with this type of injury many many times and has had great success with it.
I decided I would give it 90 days (based on typical recovery times I had found in my research) of chiropractic, basic PT at home, working hard on my posture and body mechanics, lots of rest, and the help of many herbs and homeopathic remedies.
If after that time I have not seen significant improvement, I will do the MRI and consider more invasive treatment options.
So here we are at day 21 and I’m finally seeing some steady progress. It has definitely been a rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs, and I’m not at the end yet. But I will say my pain is, on average, somewhere around a 3 or 4 most days- and I have not been back up above a 6 in over a week. I’m finally sleeping through the night, which is a huge help. The first week and a half I wasn’t getting more than 2 or 3 hours a night and it was really taking a toll on me.
The only medication (aside from natural remedies) that I have been taking is the flexeril, on a few occasions, when the pain has been bad and I need something to help me relax and fall asleep. I’m hoping to be off of that completely by the end of this week as my symptoms are improving daily.
I haven’t been able to work at all since this began, which has been a struggle financially and emotionally. My work is really such an important part of my life and being away for so long leaves me feeling a bit empty, aimless and detached from reality. I’m hoping to slowly start getting back to it next week if things continue as they are right now.
Although this has been one of the most difficult things I have been through, both physically and mentally- it has also been very rewarding. It has given me a shift in perspective and an opportunity to see my many blessings in a new light. And I have been reminded how wonderful a partner I have, and how willing he is to do whatever is necessary to pick up the slack and keep things flowing when I am unable.
I’ve also been given the opportunity to be more present- as the pain is a constant force bringing me into the current moment, keeping me grounded and focused on the here and now, which is something I often struggle with.
And I’ve been given time to focus on important rituals like meditation and breathwork, listening to healing frequencies and realigning the energy centers in my body. I feel more in tune with myself than I have in a long time. And much more aware of my limitations as well as my abilities.
I refuse to let all of this suffering go to waste, instead I’ll find the good in every inch of it. I will keep these lessons and carry them with me far and beyond the point of recovery. I will hold my head high and shoulders back. I will continue to treat my body like the amazing vessel that it is. I will care for it and nurture the parts of me that have been so neglected over the years. I will work less, but with more intention and focus and grace. I will feed my spirit daily, through meditation and prayer and journaling and doing all of the important emotional work that is needed to feel good and strong and healthy. I will count my blessings and express gratitude more frequently. I will cherish the simple moments, the “in betweens”, the times when nothing spectacular is happening- when I am blessed with the opportunity to care for my family and my home and myself in ways that seem so very ordinary.
And most of all, I will always trust my instincts. I have a renewed faith in my values and beliefs as they relate to health and wellbeing. I have more trust now than ever in the medicine the Earth provides and the bodies’ natural ability to heal and recover. I am grateful for the advancements in medical technology, and I know they are there if ever needed- but my first recourse will always be to look inward and to use what is at my fingertips and the knowing in my soul about what is right and necessary.
If you’ve read this far, thanks for coming along on the journey. I share because I know many of you have reached out to check on me, and because I hope my experience can be helpful to anyone else struggling with this issue or something similar. I’ll update again in a few weeks and let you all know how it’s going! I’m feeling very positive that we’re coming out of the darkest part and that things will continue to look up from here. All of your love and support, prayers and positive energy are so graciously appreciated. ♥️
