I had an MRI on March 29th. It was the worst! The MRI showed two “bulging discs” (L5/S1 or L4/L5 depending on which report you read. 🤔) Then they sent me for a steroid shot and nerve block (4/18), xrays to check mobility (4/26), and a meeting with the neuro/spinal surgeon on April 26th. The surgeon recommended …. wait for it… surgery! The steroid shot and nerve block helped a lot to reduce the pain, but the tightness/numbness/pins&needles/tingling/etc. persisted. I also have what they call “weakness” in my left foot because I can’t lift my toes off the floor very much and can’t press up as firmly as I can with the other foot. The surgeon said the numbness etc. would possibly get better with PT, but the weakness was concerning to him and a reason for surgery. The whole surgery process and recovery sounds soooo much worse than the situation I’m already in. I told him I’d think about it. Truthfully I’m thinking about all the thing I can do to AVOID back surgery! I cried to my mom for awhile, took a nap, then chatted with doctor nurse Rosy for advice. Since then I’ve done some research on chronic pain, got a massage and schedule another, scheduled a PT appointment, and joined the aquatic center. I’m going to manage this pain and do what I can to get through it. Next year with Lex and Eve are both away, I’ve decided it’s my year to focus on ME. Someone please remind me of that when I’m a hot mess missing my kiddos. 😂

The MRI also found a suspicious adnexal mass that is completely unrelated to the back pain. It was an “incidental finding” they say. My primary care doctor sent me for a transvaginal ultrasound on May 10th. The doctor called me yesterday to say the ultrasound didn’t provide any useful information and he wants me to get another MRI or a CT scan. I told him no way on the MRI until the back pain is gone. He put in a referral for a CT scan. Sigh. I’m sure it’s nothing, because I don’t have time for anything else. I’ll keep y’all posted!