Leaking Spinal Fluids and Freezer Burn in General Mental Anesthesia

That pretty much sums up my day.

My regulars know of my current battle with Ulcerative Colitis and the financial restrictions that have thus far prevented me from being able to get well and heal, but I also have severe back injuries that I contend with daily.

I mentioned this in my first entry here on PB.

I have L4, L5 — L5, S1 & T9 herniated discs, C7 compressed disc, spinal stenosis and damage to my C1 & Atlas vertebrae) which causes me daily pain (sometimes absolutely excruciating (a few times a month where it requires medication (pain killers / muscle relaxers)) and is exacerbated by not being able to stretch, exercise and having to stay in bed). In fact, on March 18th 2014 when I first injured my back, I died (literally (twice in fact)) when I was in the emergency room.

I should probably take meds for it more frequently so I don’t have to suffer as much, but I just deal with it.

I have gone through and tried seeing a chiropractor and did a lot of physical therapy over the course of about 6 months (sometimes aggressively) but in the end, none of it helped. An hour after treatment (or less) all the pain came back.

They even used the advanced Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic machine that blasts sound waves into the base of the skull to adjust areas that are too risky to manipulate otherwise. I had this done three times to no effect.

Here’s what that machine looks like

These are some of the medieval looking tools used on me, and the result. (And this is treating my middle back, not my lower (which is the more severe injury)).

I had a decent heating pad that cost me $50.00 but that broke a few months ago. Heat usually has better results for me than ice, but I often interchange them.

Now, my middle to upper back CONSTANTLY hurts! I never ever have relief in that area, but it’s my lower back (L4, L5, L5, S1) that is more concerning. When that area flares up (as mentioned above) a few times per/month, I actually have ptsd over it. I get anxious, stressed out and nervous, I get heart palpitations, my breathing becomes shallow and increases, because I know that pain is intolerable if it worsens (to the point where I’ll be paralyzed) I will literally be screaming and crying in agonizing pain, just as I was the day I died. Now, I am known to have a very high tolerance for pain and I don’t like to take pain killers; if I say that my pain on a scale of 1 - 10 is a 6 to most people that would be a 10. At the moment, I’m at 7.5. On a daily basis, I’m at or around a 4 on my pain scale.

So I got a large ice pack and put it against my shirt and wedged it there with a pillow as I tried to lay down, but I’m in so much pain I can’t get into any position that relieves it, even a little. As I struggled and writhed around, my shirt rode up exposing my skin to the ice pack. Shocked me at first, but the direct cold felt good, so I just left it.

As I continued to squirm the more my shirt rose up and I never bothered to pull it back down. After about a half hour, my back felt weird. I moved the ice pack away and touched the area it was on…

I have a bad ice pack burn (like frostbite) on my back. It is completely numb, feels leathery to the touch, and very swollen; no pins ‘n needles or feeling at all (though my herniated discs are still spasming and hurt extremely bad, especially down my hip and right leg.

I took a shower, though I can barely stand in water approximately 105 degrees by estimation. (which is what the interweb recommends). I Stayed there for about 20 mins, a couple of blisters have appeared, it’s bad, and now I’m here writing. Soon I’ll be repeating that step hoping to get some feeling back (even though it will be painful) because if I don’t, I’ll have to go to the emergency room, hoping to save the skin.

I am not a happy camper…

:’(

ADDENDUM: * The next three days were very difficult and worrisome. I took several showers a day (approx 105 degrees) The area did blister up, but eventually the numbness gave way to pain (which meant no permanent damage). It took 12 days for most of the swelling to go down and another week before the area went back to normal. *

Story Continued: Latest Update on My Health

Last updated August 26, 2017