Thank you everyone for praying for us and the comments you have left us here or on FaceBook, or the hugs at church. We appreciate you all!
I am sitting at home drinking my coffee reflecting over the past few days.
It is so wonderful being all together as a family. We missed Joshua immensly! We wish he could've come with us to Arizona. He adds fun and brightness to our family. We are looking forward to this next week where we get to have him home all week!
Andrew had a great time with Angela and Jeremy in AZ while I was laying down and resting. It was good bonding for all of them. They got to have lots of fun together.
During our 10 hour drive I would look in the back seat at the two kids and see them holding hands. So sweet. Angela would constantly find games for the two of them to play together. She would help Jeremy when he needed it and encourage him. Someday she will make a great babysitter or mommy. She has a way of talking to him that is so mature and responsible.
Jeremy would keep saying, "Angela my brother or sister? I love my sister."
After this 3rd blood patch, I still have my headaches.
Big PRAISE: The recovery has not been bad at all!
No pain in my legs, just the usual pain at the needle insertion sight.
We talked to a different neurologist this time (because our usual Dr. was out for two weeks). It was nice getting a different perspective. He was very intent to take time to study the different MRI and Cat Scans and tests I've gone through. He wasn't as personable as our other dr. but I think he's going to add a good demention to the care we receive.
He said that he does not think that my headaches are from a spinal leak. If they were they would've been resolved with the blood patches. Also the steady placement of where my head hurts he believes gives way that the irritation must be located in that region or near there.
Here is one idea he presented us with:
He restudied tests I had done on my head and with the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor.
I have a devited septum with a small spur.
Translated: one side of the airway in my nose is smaller than the other side with part of the inside wall slightly touching the other side. The tissue in that area is very sensitive and if it gets continually pressed on it could cause pain.
We had heard all this info before, from the ENT dr., except he said that it wouldn't cause pain, only that it would slightly restrict breathing on that one side (which I have noticed for a long time). He didn't think it had anything to do with my headaches.
Thus, the two Dr.'s will converse (or might I say argue about it!) and then get back to us on their thoughts. :)
This is a Normal Septum
Its straight, right down the middle...
(the bottom of the picture shows the opening into where you breathe in and up into your sinuses).
This isn't my scan but it is a picture of a Deviated Septum (the middle ridge "breaks it's straight line" and goes off a different direction and then back again).
Do you see how the middle ridge curves off to the left, practically poking the other side of the nasal passage?
That's what mine does.
Here's a picture of a septal spur. It causes the deviated septum to touch the other side, causing pain:
In the meantime I was sent home with a numbing agent to drop in my nose. If it is able to relieve the pain I feel then we have a good agument that my headaches are due to the septal spur.
The other idea he had was:
There are nerves that come out of the scull near the eyebrows and behind the eyes. If they have been irritated or pinched somehow they could cause pain in that area.
(I have done a lot of study on that already. It seemed quite likely to me so I had done some research. My pain is not the normal description of pain a person would get from nerve irritation in that area but rather atypical, but it could fit).
If the septal spur doesn't seem like the solution we can also try to numb the nerves that I described above and see if that relieves the pain I feel.
2 comments:
I'm so sorry that it did not work. I will pray that the doctors are able to figure this out. Praying also for endurance and patience for you.
I am glad you saw this new doctor who was willing to think of other things since this isn't working. I am bummed that three patch procedures haven't worked for you. Praying for your endurance.
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