RELIEF !!!

August 11, 2023: RELIEF !!!

This early afternoon, I had my first in-office appointment with my pain-management doctor. I have been dealing with severe pain in my lower back for several weeks and was recently hospitalized for it, as well as for a blood infection and possible osteomyelitis (bone infection) in the fracture of my Tibia bone in my right ankle from two falls in April 2023. My Fibula bone in my right ankle is also fractured.

At the hospital, I was diagnosed with an inoperable herniated disk in my lower back and also arthritis in my lower back. I left the hospital after two weeks with an 18-inch-long PICC line in my upper left arm for a six-week-long daily regimen of intravenous antibiotic which I receive at home, but with the same amount of pain in my back. I'm about two weeks into the regimen. I have done this antibiotic regimen around 10 times in recent years for cellulitis (infection) and osteomyelitis in both of my feet/legs individually. My podiatrist attends to the diabetic ulcers in both of my feet every two weeks.

As for my back pain, my pain-management doctor prescribed:

1. Oxycodone-Acetaminophen: pain reducer
2. Cyclobenzaprine: muscle relaxant
3. Pregabalin: nerve/muscle pain reducer; I have neuropathy (numbness/pain) in both of my feet, so this will also help with that.

He said that he can NOT yet give me epidural injections in my back (to relieve my pain) until after I finish my six weeks of intravenous antibiotic.

My home nurse (for the intravenous antibiotic) is checking into at-home physical therapy for me. I have been through both physical therapy and occupational therapy following my quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery in March 2022 and two chest surgeries in May 2022, so I have been attempting to do some of those exercises in bed.

Even with taking the Oxycodone-Acetaminophen pills, well, just one so far today, I am still not able to stand without severe pain, even when using a metal walker for support.