Who came up with the phrase, "lumbar puncture" anyway?

I'm not going to lie, it's been a hell of a week this week.  I had a lumbar puncture, (also known as a spinal tap) on Monday.  (I personally think that is the WORST name for a procedure... just hearing that phrase puts terror in my head).  I spent the rest of the day and night flat on my back watching "Criminal Mind" re-runs just as I was instructed, and felt completely fine.  However, early Tuesday morning I started having some pretty intense headaches in the back of my neck, up in to my head, so I also spent Tuesday laying flat in bed while getting caught up on some work.  Wednesday, I was feeling a little better, so I had Mike drive me to work, but the day was pretty miserable... Sitting was pretty uncomfortable, I had a blanket on the floor of my office that I kept lying down on intermittently during the day, but the headache was not leaving and after Dee picked me up I went home to lay down for the rest of the day AGAIN.

Thursday was the day I literally thought I was dying.  I could not lift my neck at all... I could only stare down at the floor and the pain was so intense I actually thought death might be better.  I would feel relief when I laid down, but even getting up to walk to the bathroom reduced me to tears.  I finally called the Dr because surely this was not normal, and they sent me back to the hospital for a "blood patch".  Bless Dee's heart she rushed home from work and picked me up to get me there within the hour.  I could barely function at this point, couldn't even sit properly and had difficulty walking as I had to keep my neck hung due to the pain.  I would like to take this opportunity to suggest to St. Marks that they have a chair at the registration desk. :)

After what seemed like forever in the waiting room, they finally got me back on a hospital bed, (laying down helped relieve the pressure), and then they promptly hooked up the IV and got me back for the procedure.  From what I understand, a blood patch is basically having the same procedure over again, but they go one less layer deep and have an IV in your arm ready with your blood.  Once they get the needle in your back, they pump your own blood from the IV in to your spine to patch up the hole. While I was definitely scared of having it all done again, I was in too much pain not too.  All I can say is that it was the most miraculous thing and we are SO blessed to live in a time of modern day medicine.  Within just a few minutes of the procedure being complete, I could sit up, stand, walk and talk with no issues, and felt completely back to normal.  I was seriously so grateful I literally cried.

I can't not write enough about the amazing staff at St. Marks Hospital during this second procedure. The nurse that prepped me was adorable.  Her name was Tami.  She just talked nonstop to Dee & I, keeping us laughing and deflecting our minds off of what was going on the whole time.  There was an older male nurse or CNA who was wheeling me around who was just the sweetest thing... he kept encouraging me and telling me I would feel better soon and calling me "dear".  The guy who performed the procedure led me through every step of it, letting me know what was coming and how soon it would be over.  Finally, there was a little nurse in with me during the procedure whose face I never saw, but she literally held my hand and rubbed my head through the whole thing, telling me it would be OK and that I was almost done.  It was the best experience.  I have never felt so well taken care of anywhere.  Tami then took care of me again during the recovery.  She got Dee and I Diet Cokes over pebble ice and different kinds of cookies, telling us we had to have a "cookie party to celebrate."  I can't even think about this experience without tearing up, because the people there at St. Marks Hospital were so very kind and loving. I think that has been one of the things that has touched me the most, is the genuine compassion i have felt from the people who have assisted me.

I also can't say enough about my Dee this week. She has made dinner daily, helped me emotionally and physically, and she dropped everything to come to this appointment because Mike had already taken so much time away from work to take care of me.  I'm so grateful for my family.  I'm so grateful for their support.  I could not go through all this without them.  Sometimes it is overwhelming to me already how much I depend on them.  I have an incredible desire to be stronger and figure out how to function better so I'm not putting too much on their shoulders.  My hope is once I get some medicine, things will improve.