I would like to thank all of you who have kept me and my family in your thoughts and prayers during the past few weeks. I am feeling much better but still have a ways to go before I am back to 100% health. I really appreciate all of the friends who have offered kind thoughts, prayers, meals, and other help during this time. I am amazed by the people who have made me feel loved and cared for during this difficult and painful time.
As many of you know last week I had to go to the ER due to incredible pain. I have a high threshold for pain, but this pain was unbearable. While I was at the hospital a CT scan was performed and I was diagnosed with a kidney stone. Upon my release I was told that I should make an appointment with a urologist. Because it was a holiday weekend the visit the the specialist was delayed since everything was closed. I spent the next several days drugged up, in pain,waiting for a stone to pass. Saturday night I found myself in pain that could not be managed even with the use of Percocet. It was a miserable night not only for me but also for David. With a diagnosis in hand there was really nothing we could do but ride out the pain and hope for the best.
Once I finally got in to see the specialist more x-rays were completed and I was told that I did not have a kidney stone. The ER doctors had interpreted the x-rays incorrectly. I actually have calcium deposits on a vein within my kidney. These types of deposits are pretty normal and not a source of pain. The urologist used to be a neurologist and he said the problem looked to be a spinal issue and he recommenced that I see a spinal specialist. I left his office in pain feeling no closer to a solution. I was also very confused because this “back pain” was not like any other back pain I had experienced.
I have a history of back issues and really did not want to see a regular doctor that would prescribe pain medications, surgery, and time. After some thought I decided that instead of seeing a traditional spine doctor that I would visit a Chiropractor. My thought was that I really did not have much to loose by looking into alternative treatments. I was able to get an appointment on the same day in which I saw the urologist. Once again I underwent x-rays and a consultation. Dr. Moss confirmed that no kidney stone was present and that I did indeed have a spinal issue. It has been determined that several of my vertebra have become misaligned and have rotated. These vertebra are pressing on several nerves including the sciatic nerve which is the source of most of the pain I am experiencing. This condition can be corrected but it cannot be corrected overnight.
I will be visiting the Chiropractor several times a week during the next few months in order to realign my spine and to correct the position of the rotated vertebra. The hope is that with time and care that surgery will not be necessary and that I will be able to resume normal activities. As of today I am still in pain, but with each treatment I feel better and decreased pain.
Continued prayers are very much appreciated.