Three days later...

Well, I had the ablation on Tuesday and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. They gave me a quick acting pill that helps you relax (sort of like a Zanax) and I had kept an ice pack on my neck for an hour before the procedure so it didn't hurt much at all. That afternoon I didn't have much soreness, just a little around the insertion site. The next morning, after the medicine had worn off, I started to really feel the aching and tenderness. Two days and lots of ice and heat packs later I am still pretty sore but I can tell that the pain is different then what I am used to, it is from the sore muscles that were affected by the r.f. probe being pushed through them and not from the actual vertebrae where my fusion is. I am happy that it is feeling better and I know that the muscle pain will subside soon.
I have only one complaint about the whole thing and that is that I specifically told the doc that the pain goes from c-3 all the way down to t-2 (that is from the third cervical (neck) vertebrae down to the second thoracic vertebrae) but he stopped at c-6 instead of going all the way down to t-2. When I had the last appointment before the procedure he said he was going to ablate all the nerves on the right side from c-3 to t-2 but when I went in on Tuesday he said he would only be going down to c-6. I was out of it from the meds and I didn't push the subject, after all he would be sticking things in my neck in a few minutes and the last thing I wanted to do was irritate him. Anyway I am sure there is a good reason for the change and I will find out what that is on the 30th when I have the follow up. For now I will just be grateful for the relief I will have from what has been done so far, and I won't be as worried about having to have another ablation since I know it is not very painful.
-peace ya'll

One more day...

I am not sure if I should be pissed off or happy about it, but, while Suz and I were getting ready to leave the house this afternoon to head out for my appointment my phone rang. It was Dr. Danyo's nurse calling to tell us that they had a problem with the radio frequency machine that is used to perform the ablation and that they would have to cancel my appointment and see if I can come in tomorrow instead. I had really been dreading the procedure so at first I was relieved but then I started to think about it and I got pissed. I always find it interesting how when you have an emergency and have to cancel an appointment they make a point of telling you that you have to pay for the missed appointment, however if they have a schedule conflict or a problem with equipment and they have to cancel your appointment I don't see them offering to waive the charge or give you a discount on your next visit. I know it doesn't matter and it will not change anything I just thought it was interesting. I think when I go in tomorrow for the appointment I was supposed to have today I will tell the Doc I am going to have to bill him for having canceled my procedure. Just to see how he reacts. I have really been psyching myself out about this whole thing just because I have heard that the procedure is pretty uncomfortable (which is probably doctor code for "it is going to hurt"). Now I am just ready to get it over with and get on with the recovery and {fingers crossed} feeling better so I can get back to my life. Anyway, 10:30am tomorrow (baring any mechanical problems) I go in for the r.f. ablation and I am expecting to be very sore for a day or so and back to normal within a week or two.

-peace