Okay, so to give an update on my journey to the promised land....

My first bilateral anterior scalene botox was done on May 5. On June 19, I had bilateral median scalene botox. Felt pretty awesome for about ten days, kinda overdid things, had a flare, and it felt like the anterior shots went away. Scheduled surgery in September on left side. Found a doctor close to where I live that does anterior and median scalene botox as a diagnostic procedure only. Talked him into doing the anterior scalene botox, this is scheduled in the middle of August. He said if that botox goes well he will do the middle scalenes four weeks later. He is going to get my records from Dr. Donahue in the meantime.

My original plan was to get 3-4 rounds of botox, and do PT during that time to see if it will rid me if symptoms so much so as that I do not need surgery. When I felt as though the first shots wore off so quickly, I decided to just have surgery.

Today is 76 days past the first botox shots, aka the day I felt my fingertips, lol. Botox is supposed to last between 90-180 days, with the duration of effectiveness increasing over time.

At this time, my left anterior scalene is tight again. The left side is my bad side. I can feel it, and it is very very hard. The right side is not as bad. I can feel its hardness when I push in, but it does not stick out and push into my clavicle like the left side. In case anybody is wondering, I feel the anterior scalene by looking away from the side that I am trying to feel while siting or standing. So to feel the left anterior scalene, I turn my head to the right, so much so as to look over my right shoulder.

At this time, I am giving consideration to continuing the botox shots and postponing surgery. At this point, I am hopeful that I might be able to not have surgery on the right side, but think I almost certainly will need it on the left.

Postponing the surgery is primarily due my finances and not getting fired from my job due to missing too much work as I only have 7 weeks of FMLA left, and was told I will be off work for three months following the surgery. Being a single mom, not working for so long isn't really an option. I have applied for disability, and if I am approved, I will happily move forward with the surgery as scheduled. Hopefully, in the meantime I do not have an artery rupture, because a stroke or a hand that doesn't work won't help my finances either. God bless the Social Security Disability system!