Hi all. It's been a while sine I've posted.

Ive been on hydrocodone and tizanidine which I dont think are really doing much to relieve my pain.

Today I saw a NEW pain management doctor who I really liked. Well the bottom line is that we are proceeding with the "trial" Intrathecal Pain Pump -- morphine. Getting the usual precerts from the insurance company and then hopefully it will be done the 2nd week in December. It will address really the mid/low back pain. then after that we will address the issues in my neck. I do have myelomalacia and focal cord atrophy as per the cervical MRI.

We will do a further workup, not sure what that involves just yet, to see how to deal with the neck issues, the weakness in the arms etc.

One thing that may or may not end up happening but he suggested that I be seen either at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC which I was there years ago for a previous surgery or to be seen at John Hopkins down in Maryland. Whether that comes to pass will depend on what we come up after the morphine pump is implanted. But we did briefly discuss that being an option.

So the trial will be done and if all goes well then a permanent implant will be done as well.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I get some relief at this point. Some days I am not functioning at all or barely.

I need to do something. Hopefully this is the beginning of being on the right course.