I had a followup visit with my PM Doctor to review my Thoracic MRI film. The NS a few weeks ago was fairly certain my back rib pain that I have been experiencing since my ladder fall in June 2005 is being caused by a small herniated disc at T8/9, but that it is compressing the spinal cord enough to generate the pain. The NS recommended that my PM Doctor treat the herniation since surgery is not needed.

When the PM Doctor first looked at my MRI film, he said that the Thoracic looks pretty good, that is until he looked at one of those "sliced" views and than said "ah hah! there it is" . He explained that the disc is compressing the cord enough for the pain and then gave me the option of waiting a few more weeks to see if the pain subsides or to get an ESI as soon as possible.

I kind of looked at him funny when he made the statement about waiting a few more weeks to see if the pain will subside, since I have already waited since June 2005 and no change!

So, I decided to let him to do the ESI on T8/9 and then he starts to mumble that he has not collapsed a lung yet doing a Thoracic MRI. Well, that woke me up! "What do you mean when you say "collapsed lung"? I asked.

He said he would insert the needle from the side and not directly into the center of my back, so I guess he was saying he must insert the needle thru the lung to get the angle he wants with the injection.

So, I do have a question, Did I hear him correctly, that he actually will go thru the lung to perform the ESI??????

Somehow, someway, I think I wanted to block those statements out when he was talking and did not ask enough questions about the procedure, but then again, I wanted out of there after waiting since 12:15, which was my scheduled appointment and I was in the waiting room till 2:30 and finally saw the PM Doc at 3ish!!! So, I was a bit impatient.

Next Tuesday afternoon, I will get the ESI on T8/9 and I guess the Lumbar area will be next, but hoping to hold off on that till after the holidays.

Oh, one other thing, I was given the usual instructions on no food or drink after midnight, no aspirin, and so forth. I asked, since my procedure is not till 1:30PM, is there not an hour amount before that no food or drink, since that is a long time to go without anything.

I explained, heck if I had a 7:30AM procedure the instructions would still be nothing after midnight, so that is less than 8 hours. So, if my procedure is at 1:30, why do I still have to fast starting at midnight??

I got nowhere with the scheduling lady on that question, she said flatly, that is what "they" want............... Her answer was sleep late that day!! Grrrrrrrr

Jyes