Marina had her 2nd nerve injection today. Quite possibly the worst pain she's ever had. The injection pain was gone after 2 or 3 hours, but even thinking about it, 7 hours later, is difficult.
Contrary to what we believed after the first injection, the Cortisone was NOT injected into L-5, the damaged nerve, because there is 'hardware' in the way, so it was L-4 and L-3 only. It is even more remarkable that the first one -- and now the 2nd -- has resulted in absence of all pain. The first one lasted 4 days. We shall see. (The excruciating pain today was probably due to an additional attempt to access L-5, but not successfully.)
Here's what's happening, accordingto Dr. Deviren. Our remarkable bodies compensate in interesting and helpful ways. If L-5 is not working right, then L-4 and L-3 can and will take on some of its functions. But a full take-over can take a year or even more.
We are learning that pain and weakness are two very different things, although both caused by nerve damage. Even though Marina is pain-free at the moment, the left leg is still weak. The Cortisone may help address this, and so may the Topomax she takes daily -- and so may the new regimen proposed this morning by the physical therapist.
Amy believes that the extensive walking Marina is doing is great for parts of healing, but damaging to others, since her lower spine, where there is the most fusion, shouldn't yet bear as much weight as it is. The proposed remedy is returning to the walker, for walking outside the house, so that the strong upper body and arms can push down and take weight off the lower spine and hips.
Marina will see Dr. Deviren in two weeks, and will be spending an hour with the physical therapist every week. And everyone agrees that her body brace needs to be retrofitted, because the bursas (two of them), or bone spurs on two vertebrae, make things uncomfortable, especially while in the car. So it is back to the orthotist as well.
And we shall hope and wish that the pain-free period, which is such a blessing, will last more than four days this time.
Posted by John Bear
at 8:06 PM PDT
Updated: Monday, 16 May 2005 8:10 PM PDT