what's been going on?

i just wanted to catch you up if you read my blog on the goings on in my life. since i haven't posted much in the last month or so.
i guess it was a few months ago when my back started to flare up with the most horrendous pain i've felt in a long, long time and i was leery to go back to a physician after making a decision to quit taking any and all meds, but i could barely walk and bend down and i knew something wasn't right. last year i had an mri done but my doctor at the time didn't say much about it. she sent me a copy of the mri results and said to continue with physical therapy and that was that. so i finished physical therapy and i quit going back to see that particular doctor. she was a very nice person but medically speaking, she wasn't involved. she had to look at the chart every time i went there to know my name. that just speaks volumes to me.
so,
i decided when i went back to the doctor to get all this stuff figured out i'd switch and find a good doctor in my area and that accepted my insurance. luckily, i found this amazing doctor. well, the practice itself has two physicians, it's an extremely small practice with only 800 patients versus other physicians who average 3000. i have 24 access to my doctor. that's right 24 hour access. which means day or night i can call, text, email and they will answer my call 99% of the time, if not they call me back within 10 mins. so far, my doctor has answered my calls and texts immediately. i have a minimum of 30 mins set aside for each appointment, if not longer if i need it, he can admit me to both hospitals and be my doctor while i'm there. it's just amazing1 how many doctors are like that now a days? and the added bonus? both physicians are christians and so is the receptionist! oh, and there is only one nurse but she only comes in on fri mornings.
anyway,
so i met my doctor and we discussed options and he got the ball rolling immediately, he listened to my concerns and we made a plan together for my care. he got me into a pain specialist to get steroidal injections and he did what he could with various oral steroids and other medication to ease the pain without sedating me.
so last thurs i went to the pain specialists' hospital for my first round of injections and i was very hopeful, but after reading as much as i could and researching these various steroid injections i felt like it was about 25% in my favor but i was at least willing to try. it's just that these shots are 2,000 to 5, 000 per shot. well, i had four. yikes! and yes, i said 4. i'm really hoping that they were only 2,000 each because i'll be paying out 30%. well, i've never been in so much pain in my life after having those injections! i wanted God to kill me. the pain would not stop radiating, stabbing, burning, throbbing. it was awful. i highly recommend that you do not try it.
so, yesterday i went for a follow up with my primary and we talked for a while about what to do next. now i'm not opposed to a second round of injections(if they will possibly help this time), but my doctor and i both do not want to just throw band aids at a situation to buy time for the inevitable and the inevitable is getting back surgery.
let me add to my back story...
the mri.
the pain specialist and i went over my mir before these injections and i found out that i have a bulging disc, an extra vertebrae and air in my joints. yikes!
so, after leaving the doctor i feel okay with our decision to consult a neuro surgeon. we'll still be doing various medication and i'll be trying various holistic things, like yoga, acupuncture and seeing a chiropractor.
i'm thankful to have a physician who is very concerned and involved with my road to recovery and is willing to try any and all venues as long as it's not hindering and hurting and may possibly help down the road.
so, this is the majority of what's new with me. sorry if i seem grumpy and negative in my blogs, but i'm in pain and when you're in pain you just don't feel chipper.
how about you? what's new with you these days?
i've missed you guys!