@hopeful33250 , @amberpep

Thursday I had the appointment to have my thumb and shoulder looked at. The doctor recommended PT for my shoulder, and injected cortisone in the thumb to hand joint. By now it isn't hurting anymore, but it was a high price to pay for that. I'll put off having that done as long as possible. It REALLY, REALLY HURT!!! I think that after he got the syringe in, he injected cortisone in 4 places. He did it with x-ray guidance so he could put it in just the right places. I remember years ago, when I hit my finger with a hammer, and just hollered ouch!, The man I was working with said, "I bet there are times when you wish you weren't a minister".

On Friday I had an MRI of my lower back. I had told the doctor that I was claustrophobic, but all she prescribed was 1mg of Ativan. I already take its sister, Clonazepam, and Ativan was on my list of drug allergies, but it had absolutely no effect on me. When I first started going into the machine I started to have a panic attack, but I closed my eyes and focused on what chords I could play with a few songs. I was able to maintain the mental distraction and had no problems.

I talked with the pharmacist about it, and she suggested asking the doctor to prescribe an injection for my next MRI, coming up in a couple of weeks. This next one is a scan of my brain, on a new machine that gives better resolution than the one I had on an older MRI.

I don't know how many people in this discussion have had panic attacks, but I've had numerous ones, and believe me, they're no fun at all.

Time for my Sunday afternoon nap. Thank you all for your responses.

Jim