GigiRN

It's nice to know I'm not alone facing this. Thanks so much for sharing your stories-there is light at the end, that much I know! LEVODEVO-I understand about picking up the milk-it felt so strange to have to ask the woman at the farm stand to carry my pumpkins for me the other day. Sorry to hear about you plantar fascitis. The weight loss should help that. Hey, you can do it! I just cut way back on my alcohol intake a few weeks ago (family hx of alcoholism and I could see it insidiously creeping up on me). I keep joking to myself I gave it up just in time to be able to take pain medication (though I'm only needing some ultram here and there). You can lose the weight once you make the decision to do it. Why is it that it's easier to commit to do something for others but not ourselves? Wooh-Funny that you mention dancing. That's one thing I'm worried about. I've always planned on taking some serious dancing lessons when the kids get a little older and now I'm not so sure it would be wise. But I have to remember not to put the cart before the horse and worry. Thanks guys! I've come to the right place!

I won't know anything until I talk to the neurosurgeon. Part of my anxiety is just waiting for his nurse to review the records my NP sent and call me back with an appointment. I have so many questions about options. I'm not sure how long I should expect these symptoms vs when it's a problem that they haven't resolved on their own. Will steroids/pain management/PT be enough or do I need surgery? If no one incident caused this damage, what are the chances for further damage should I return to work? I did ask my hospital for light duty work and there is none available.

Hi Everyone! I'm brand new here, so please excuse me if this has been discussed here before and feel free to point me to an old thread. A little introduction...I became an RN in 1997 and left nursing in 2000 for a high risk pregnancy. Last fall I completed an RN Refresher course and have been working on a busy med/surg unit ever since. I am thrilled to be back to work and have realized just how much I missed my patients and career during the time I was a stay at home mom. But early last week I took a couple days off for low back pain. No big deal; I've got an old L5/S1 hernia that I baby-I'm always careful to use good body mechanics because of it and the spasm normally resolves on it's own. After a few days the pain calmed down but I had other symptoms that I knew needed follow-up. Sure enough, I've got two more bulging disks and am now waiting to have an MRI and see the neurologist. I've been told by my NP that I should expect to be out of work for quite a while. Yikes! I'm a very healthy 30 y/o! I've only been home for a week and I'm going stir crazy. Not only is this financially devastating, it is emotionally wearing on me. I spent half an hour crying on my way home from the store tonight after I drove past my hospital. I miss my work and friends already. I do have an interview this week for a school nurse position which I had applied for before this occured. Beyond that, I'm not sure where my career might turn should that plan fall through. I'm so scared-and, even more, SAD-at the prospect that I might be told I can't go back to acute care nursing. Any advice and/or empathy would truly be appreciated.