Jumpy Nerves

During my surgery, legions of spinal nerves were cut. Additionally, other nerves were torn as the surgeon de-rotated and straightened my spine.

By the way, scoliosis is not JUST curvature of the spine. Generally, the spine also rotates. Can you detect the rotation in the spine on the right?

Extensive nerve damage was apparent right after my surgery. There was no feeling . . .
- on the left side of my abdomen
- across the lower back
- down my left thigh

Below the numb surface of my skin, there was . . .
a bon fire of pain
but I couldn't feel anything superficially.

Now, twelve weeks out,
the nerves are waking up.

This means, tingling skin. And, sometimes I get little BEE STING SENSATIONS. But they are short-lived, quite tolerable.

I also feel itchy all over. That comes and goes. MOSTLY, tolerable. Sometimes I have little episodes of needing to scratch every inch of my skin surface, like I'm covered in Poison Ivy. The sensation passes in a few minutes.

The BIG ISSUE for me is something I'd call

"Jumpy Nerves".

As long as I'm active in the day, no problem. However, I can TOSS AROUND IN THE BED FOR HOURS during the night because of these jumpy nerves. Kind of like my body is reacting to little fireworks going off. Not really painful, just something a little stronger than twitching.

Point is, SLEEP ELUDES ME.

("R" is for Really Restless)

The truth is, this situation has provided me with a fabulous opportunity! Twenty years of running a child care center and parenting solo left me no time for small pleasures such as MOVIES. I am now catching up on two decades of great films while my nerves "DO THEIR THING" and I shift around in my bed.

(YES. I have a t.v. in my bedroom, due to a generous loan from one of my neighbors. YES. I also have an almost endless supply of DVDs due to the hefty collection of yet another neighbor.)

After one or two movies, my sleep-deprived body says "Enough!" and I contentedly go to sleep.

NOTE FOR THE SCOLIOSIS CROWD: I have also found that anti-seizure/nerve drugs are helpful. Most scoli surgeons prescribe them for the exact kind of nerve problems I've outlined here. Lyrica is what I use (second generation of the drug "Neurontin", also called "Gabapentin".)



After talking with my doctor and
hiking up my dose of Lyrica
from
100 mg/daily
to 150 mg/daily,
I went from wanting to
jump, literally,
to
simply shifting around in the bed at night.

I LOVE MY SILVER LINING!
Now, I am not dreading bedtime.
I GET A MOVIE OUT OF IT!!!
Would I ever hang out and watch movies
WITHOUT my little "problem"?
Probably not.
But I'm thoroughly enjoying this experience!

Thank heavens for small graces!

Early morning sun beams
coming over the mountain behind my home.