New Spine Doctor...

I went to see the new spine doctor that the neurosurgeon referred me to. The office is way over by my old apartment, but this guy is supposed to know his stuff. I was lucky that I was able to get in on short notice, because I want to get this process started before school is back in session. I got to the office on time, and filled out all the paperwork. I am taken back to a room, and proceed to wait for over an hour. Let me remind you, that sitting, standing, everything is uncomfortable unless I'm laying on my side. The pressure that sitting puts on my constantly numb backside makes it nearly unbearable, plus I'm still having the constant "zingers." The "zingers" are almost like electrical shocks. Sometimes, I'm lucky that they only occur in my left leg, but sometimes they'll run through my buttocks or even worse, my labia. Sometimes, they are pretty painful and I'll flinch or straighten (alerting Cody to the fact that I'm having one, which causes him to worry). The new doctor is going to put me on Zanaflex to help with the rectal spasms I'm experiencing. He has a different timeline than the neurosurgeon gave me for recovery. He says 2 years, the neurosurgeon said 3 mos. I'm glad because I'm not as close to back to normal as I'd like to be, and my 3 mos is almost up!! He wants to see me again in 3 weeks.

First Day of Women's Physical Therapy

Today I had my first "Women's" physical therapy. Thank goodness the therapist was a woman. We got to know each other a little bit, she talked to me about the Cauda Equina. Of course, she has no idea what it is, so she'll do research. I let her know that I am still numb in the saddle area, and she said okay. I had also called on Tuesday to ask if I could still come in for the Women's health visit because I had begun my period. So, here I am menstruating, and meeting the new therapist. She asks me to take off my bottoms and lie on the table. Then proceeds to spend the next 45 minutes with her fingers either in my vagina, or in my rectum. She asks me if I can feel either, I tell her no. She asks if I can squeeze, I try. She says that she can feel me squeezing, but sometimes she says that when I'm not squeezing. I'll see her again next week.

I also had my second visit for PT on my left leg. We continue working on balance, and setting my left foot down with a normal pressure instead of slamming it down. A lot of this reminds me of when I had a personal trainer at the gym. Its just basically someone forcing me to work out. It's funny though when I'm riding the exercise bike, because my left foot keeps slipping out. It doesn't matter how tight they have the strap, it just doesn't not want to stay on the foot grip.

After the therapy I am meeting with one of my new team members for brunch. We'll be starting school shortly, and I'll be teaching 3rd grade this year. I stop to use the restroom when we get to the restaurant, and as it turns out I've had a small bowel accident. Thankfully though, I've been carrying extra Depends and wipes with me. So I clean up and head out and have a nice lunch with Cindy.