RPomerleau.org

The first time I had back problems, I had back problems. There were days that I could not get out of bed, others where I couldn’t bend over to tie my shoes, and there were days where I was just fine. I had lower back aches, I couldn’t twist my back so I had to give up softball. I lived with that problem for years, and I don’t mean just a few, I would say almost 5 years I had off and on again back problems. I would go into my doctor every once and a while and they would diagnose me with back spasms, throw me some muscle relaxers and let me go home for the day. I was content with that.

It was when I started loosing sensation in my right leg that I really started to worry. It started off by feeling like your toes are asleep, then it gradually creeped up my foot making it harder to walk. By the end of the week when my surgery was scheduled I was really having to hold myself against a wall to walk as I could hardly feel my foot. 2 hours later I was walking around the surgery ward telling the nurse I felt fine enough to go home. And I did. I could feel both of my feet, I was walking 100 times better going out then going in. 3 days later I was in a van heading to Richmond for work.

That was in 2004. Fast forward to now. This is painful. I am just starting to experience some lower back pain, but this instance took a whole different path. I am sure that some of you know how this came on, but here it is again.

It started last weekend. While we were watching tv, I had to grab a throw to put over my feet as they were cold. This was my first “oh shit” moment. See, I have blood clots, and they make my legs warm, not cold. Monday it got progressively worse, and I had a notion in the early morning that I was going to have to make a call into the doctors. my foot felt like it was asleep. I didn’t have any back pain though, nothing, I even took an imaginary swing with a broomstick at the office, my back felt fine.

You know the argument that Kristie and I had, so I won’t go there! And you already know I go in Tuesday to my surgeon. I am expecting to be told that we need to schedule a surgery, and you know what! IT CAN’T BE QUICK ENOUGH!

I am ready for this. I want this, this is annoying, I can’t sit for more than 10 minutes before my leg starts aching, I stand for 10 and it starts aching, I walk, and yep 10 minutes later it aches. I cannot get comfortable, I can’t feel my toes, and my calf is throbbing. Everyone knows what a charlie-horse feels like right? Well you know the feeling when it first starts coming on? You feel your muscles start to tighten, and the blood rushes out, well I get that every 5 minutes,,,,just the first part of a charlie horse, then everything goes back to normal, rinse, and repeat!!!!

My back as a I said is fine, little loss of movement, but no aching.

I haven’t slept in 3 nights, I probably have 6 hours total. When tuesday morning comes, and I sit in that doctors office, and he tells me he has to cut me open, I am going to ask if he can do now. I am not going to eat after midnight, no water, nothing. I am ready for this.

THIS SUCKS!!!

Oh, and the clots???? Nothing, painless. I know they are still there, and I have another appointment later on this month with a Vein doc but that can fricking wait. I would like to feel my toes again!! LOL