Dreaded Spinal Tap and 9 day hospital stay!

This morning started out ok. Radiology was a bit behind. We made sure that Morgan didn't have anything to drink except for a sip of water with her prednisone. The radiology nurse was super cool and was really great to Morgan. We had a student nurse go downstairs with us too. The pre-op area was deserted since it was Saturday, and we listened as the radiologist and the anesthesiologist butted heads over who should wait for whom. It was the battle of the egos. The radiologist wouldn't come until the anesthesilogist came. Then the anesthesiologist was mad that the radiologist wasn't there. Man...

Finally, they took Morgan in, and I waited in the surgical waiting room. The radioligist came in and talked to me and told me everything went fine. They didn't have to draw off much fluid and she did great. Then, I wanted for a really long time. She was supposed to be in recovery so I didn't think that much of it. Finally, the nurse came in and said that the radiologist was supposed to tell me to go back to her hospital room. Doh. Morgan was crabby when she got there and I wasn't there. Her back was really hurting her badly. She had to lie flat for 2 hours and then she could move. She got up after 2 hours and she had trouble standing up. She said her back hurt really badly. Weird. She didn't have this type of pain after her last one.

As the day went on, her back was worse and worse. She was taking all kinds of pain meds, but it wasn't getting better. The doc wanted her to stay until around 5 or 6, but it was very apparent that she wasn't going anywhere by 6. I just assumed she was having more pain than she did last time and that it would get better over night. WRONG. By 3 am, she was still not able to stand, was puking every time she went vertical, couldn't move her legs, couldn't stand even with assistance just to get into a wheelchair. It was awful. Around 5am she looked me straight into the eyes and without drama, she said, "do you think I will ever walk again?" It took everything I had to not melt. I tried to reassure her that her muscles were just angry and that it should get better soon. She got some more pain meds and went back to sleep. I was very worried by now and started googling spinal tap complications. In case you are ever in this situation, don't do as I did. It made me panic even worse. I tried to stay calm, but I had to step outside of the room to talk to the doctors when they came in the moring. I was tearing up and I didn't want Morgan to see.

In the afternoon, the pain management specialists came in and said that they wanted to try valium and a higher dosage of Morphine to see if she could get som relief. By 7 that night, she was MUCH better. She still had pain but it was like a 5 or 6 out of 10. I moved my car to the front so that we would be ready to go home. I packed up our stuff. I was ready to get out of there. However, by 10, she had a fever. Hmmm...weird. Her head was also worse. Hmm....

By morning, her head was a "10 million" out of 10. She could walk to the bathroom again with help (whew!!!), but she puked every time she was vertical. She laid almost flat and was miserable every minute. She didn't get on the phone, didn't watch tv, didn't really talk. This went on until Wednesday.  Tuesday, Mike came and took my place. I flew to Philly for a work meeting and flew back on Wednesday night. Of course, while I am gone they decided to do a blood patch (although they apparently don't use blood anymore and instead use contrast dye). She was MUCH better but not great after the patch. Her head was down to a 5/6 again. We were thankful. She showed signs of life and smiled and played on her phone again. Whew.  Mike was FANTASTIC while I was gone. It was SO very hard to leave her in the hospital, and he sent me notes every hour or so. I mean NOTES. These were VERY detailed and descriptive. I almost felt like I was there. Very sweet of him and I will be grateful forever. I did freak a little when he said they were going to do the procedure while i was gone, but Morgan said she was ok with it. Then, my friend Kari at work has a brother who is a radiologist at the hospital (small world). He was going to do the procedure, and I felt SO much better. I don't even know him, but I felt comfort that he would take extra special care.

By Thursday, she was doing better but still 4/5/6 headache. By Friday morning, her head was a TWO out of 10!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY! The doctor wanted to keep her one more night to be sure, but Morgan talked him out of it. :) She actually read a book most of the day. It was great to see her doing something again. We left around 3 in the afternoon. It was SO good to be home. I had gone to the airport on Monday and didn't go back home for 12 days since we were 9 days in the hospital. CRAZY! I am SO thankful to be home!!!!!