it wasn't a bad experience, just two minor moments of discomfort.  it does
feel a little better at the moment, all nicely anesthetized<smile>.  dr.
alex said to have my pain pills ready for a couple of hours from now when
the anesthetic wears off.  said the cortisone will last about a week,
because they begin the series with a small dose and next week they will
increase the dose.  i was right about this doctor.  he's just as kind and
gentle as i remembered him to be during my sinus ct scan when my neck
couldn't bend in the position he needed it to be in.

he said it was obvious to him from my lumbar (and thoracic) mri's that i
would benefit from this procedure, but he said some of my other symptoms
probably originate with the 6 other discs that are lumbar and thoracic.  (i
didn't bring the cervical mri's with the 3 other disc problems, because it
was a different series)

i was curious because of something my rd said about all of my mri reports
(rd said, "your spine is normal for somebody your age", which kinda pissed
me off, cuz why would i need an epidural for pain if it was so normal?---i
felt like she was being dismissive by minimizing.).  so, i pointedly asked
dr. alex if my spine was "normal" for somebody my age.  he got a quizzical
look on his face, like why on earth would you ask that and replied,
"noo0o0o.  it's not normal." with a kind of humorous inflection in the
word's expression.

my neice and her hubby drove me there and back.  what a sweet surprise when
yesterday they said they wanted to do that for me.  next appmt is for next
friday and mike said, "you take the sedation next week, too. i'll drive you
next week, so you can".  apparently, mike had had his first epidural without
sedation, because he drove himself.  told me he didn't want to ever do that
again.

ok.  i'll fess up.  i'm glad i didn't bail.<smile>  it was easier than i
expected it to be---so far.LOL

kate