Nerve Block?

Really. I had a nerve block today. And just in the nick of time. I am closing on the sale of my house on Monday. I am totally ok with that. It is time. I am on-board with my plans with my boyfriend (now that I understand the plan. I think I am just a little slow about these things. I am a bit socially delayed. More about that in another post I am so sure). My long ago received emotional wounds are healing. My chronic pain in the neck had to go too.

I have had neck pain from osteoarthritis since 1999. I took celebrex for a while but I got the feeling it was not a good thing so I quit. Then drugs like celebrex and vioxx were found to be not good at all. So I was relieved about that. But the chronic unrelievable pain continued.

I tried chiropractors. The treatment restored and maintained my mobility. I go once a month and have since 2002. It took until 2005 to be able to turn my head independently of the rest of my body.

I tried acupuncture. I relieved the pain very short term but my insurance would not pay for it.

I tried muscle relaxers. They are basically just tranquilizers that relax muscles and make you not care about the pain.

Tylenol, advil, capzacin, glucosamine, and herbal creams all provided temporary relief.

The pain is a burning, prickly constant pain that starts in the left side of my neck and extends up through the base of my skull to behind my jaw and ear. It also wraps from my neck down around my shoulder blade and to underneath my arm. It is nerve pain. It only goes away when I am asleep. It is maddening.

I finally went to a Pain specialist. He immediately scheduled a Facet Joint Injection and got me a TENS machine. He wrote me a prescription for Ultram. I had a Cervical Facet Joint Nerve Block at about 930am this morning. I had to be sedated and I was given 12 injections of an anaesthetic and a steroid. I am still a bit groggy and sore. But I can still type.

So yes. Its time to let go of pain of all kinds. I have made some giants steps.

Over the last 3 years I have read hundreds of books and have watched several movies that have completely changed the way I think and the way I see the world. Some of the books were "Ask and it is Given" (Esther and Jerry Hicks and The Four Agreements by (Can't remember author...but I will and add later). Some of the Movies were "What the Bleep do we know?" and "The Secret". Thanks to Deb Benton and her glorious book club in Gastonia, NC.

I discovered the concept of "pain specialist" when I read Newsweek earlier this year. It was an article about how the horrific wounds experienced by the soldiers in the "war" in Iraq was prompting new ways to treat physical pain.

In previous wars soldiers just died.

I don't have a physical wound from a war. An emotional one maybe.

My pain specialist has helped me. Thank you Dr. Herman Gore (also in Gastonia NC.)

I imagined the man, the sunporch, the life lessons, freedom from old emotional pain and freedom from the great big pain in my neck.

My beloved boyfriend took me to and from the Dr. and waited on me all day. After 10 years of having no one to take care of me this was profoundly wonderful. Thank you Dean.

Must go to bed now. Hope to wake with even less pain and even lots more joy.