Her neck issues actually predate her clumsy tackling of our garage in 2003 that some of you may recall. Turns out, when questioned mercilessly, she reveals that she's had neck problems all the way back into childhood. One of her most vivid memories of childhood is, at age 8, standing up in the backseat of her parents car while driving, and when her Dad took a hard left turn, she went tumbling out the door onto the pavement. Ouch.
There have been a series of mishaps and falls since that day long ago. Grace is NOT her middle name. In 2003 she was diagnosed with disk bulges between C4-C5, C5-C6 AND C6-C7. The pain would radiate into her neck, shoulders, back and arms. Constant yoga, stretching, frequent manipulation and electrical stimulation have been required to give her a modicum of relief. Ultimately, it got so bad she resorted to the steroid injections. Her first was in January of 2005. After puking her guts out for 24 hours afterward, she got amazing relief for around ten months. But by the time February of 2006 rolled around, she needed another shot. This is actually better than most, however. Most people seem to need shots every six months or less. This time, however, besides the puking for a whole day, she didn't really get much relief. So, we did another one in the summer of 2006. Again, unfortunately, after the puking, not much relief.
Enter 2007. She's grown tired of the puking. It's actually damn scary. Her pain doc also administers shots in her office, with NO anesthesia. A local, sure, but you remain conscious. To this point, the wife is still too afraid to try the surgical route. Can't reverse that stuff, and there are real dangers to it.
So, last week, she finally tried the quickshot, and it freaked her out. All those pokes and prods, pressure and puncturing, while you're trying to lay as still as possible. The doc had said that she would be able to drive herself home since she'd not been knocked out, and she called me up afterward sobbing and in shock. Scared me. Wish I'd been there instead. Fortunately, it passed rather quickly and she went back to work, instead of home, after the procedure. Such a tough little cookie she is.
Even more fortunately, these shots seem to have helped a lot. She still gets the occasional spasm, but they are not nearly as severe as they were before the shots.
Needless to say, I've gotten quite good at massage over the last many years. My thumbs are as big as watermelons by now, and twice as sweet. We discovered "elbow massage." Try it. Instead of digging your fingers and thumbs into someones back for massage, use your elbows, but one at a time. You don't have as much control, but you can do it longer, and it's a deeper, more intense massage. I now have amazingly sensitive elbows. Turns out elbow massage is an ancient Hawaiian technique. Another reason to love Hawaii.Enough of the personal shit. Back to bashing Bush.
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