Hopefully a Step in the Right Direction

As I've posted previously, I have been having pain in my lower back and down my left leg, I thought maybe due to shoveling snow. However, I'm still not quite sure. I also think it could have happened when I slipped getting out of my grandfather's truck the day after the storm hit. The darn thing is so high up that, having short legs, I couldn't reach the ground...my foot got caught on either the door or the step, I don't know... and I pretty much fell right out of the seat with my foot still caught! Yeah, yeah, I know...I would have laughed at me too.

After seeing my doctor for the second time this past Monday, I had an X-ray on Wednesday and then, yesterday morning, I went for an MRI to try to find out why I am still having this pain. I think that is what is confusing me so much about this...why is it still there?? I've had plenty of muscle pain before...it doesn't feel like that. I was a ballet dancer for six years...I've gone through the nights waking up with a charlie horse in my calf, after dancing for an hour-and-a-half on pointe. This is not the same. I am experiencing weakness in my lower back and left leg that physically stops me from being able to stand or walk for too long. I have pain in the arch of my foot that tingles and tightens up my toes. Even sitting for too long without my feet elevated leaves me sore. My cousin tried to tickle me at breakfast this morning and I wriggled away in pain. This just thoroughly sucks and I can't wait to find out something... anything...just so I know what is causing this and how to fix it. My doctor says he definitely thinks I have a pinched nerve somewhere, but I'm not so sure that explains all the other pains.

Onto the experience of the MRI, though...if you've never had one, it's quite an experience. I am mildly claustrophobic but, decided I would stick it out in the "tube" anyway. They did have an open MRI machine on site, but I didn't see that as necessary unless I really couldn't handle the tube. The radiologist was so very nice and put me at ease. He even gave me headphones so I could listen to my choice of radio station during the testing. Basically, then I had to lie down on a long, stretcher-like table...I was then slid into the tube head-first. That is the freakiest part though--that initial feeling of sliding in...feels like you are sliding into a coffin. The tube around you is only but 6 inches from your face. Once I got in there and took a quick glance at the inside, I shut my eyes and didn't open them again until it was over. During the test I heard extremely loud noises in the tube...buzzing, banging, knocking. If you can get past all of that, it's really not a big deal. Oh, and they do give you an "emergency ball" to squeeze if you need to alert the radiologist for any reason. Keeping my eyes closed was a huge help because I just focused on what I was listening to and didn't think about being closed in...and before I knew it, the 25 minutes was over and I was done. If I ever had to have another one, I definitely wouldn't be as apprehensive. This week, I'll be getting my X-ray and MRI results back, so I'll keep ya posted.