@loriesco

Good morning, Lorie, and thank you much for taking the time to share what you have been through...and my, you have been through A LOT!

I am glad your great orthopedic surgeon finally helped you.

You have a strong voice, and are such a fighter!

Yes, I am afraid here in Canada with our universal healthcare system, one needs a referral for everything, (except for very pricey, pushy private clinics not covered under the government's health plans that have popped up everywhere over the past several years...)

The hospital where I was seen by the neurosurgeon is actually world renowned for all manner of neurosurgery.

Anyway, I want to thank you so, so much for your, and everyone who has supported me here and have been encouraging me, that yesterday I made my way back to the ER after calling the nurse's advice line here, which this time I was able to have someone hear all my symptoms, and when she did so, as on my 30 minute walk the other day where I uh...experienced an episode of passive fecal incontence...something mortifying which had begun when the sciatica set in, but as well like yourself I suffer from IBS...(my GP just told me to take metamucil and buy diapers...), she recommended that if I could nt get an urgent appointment with my GP...(an urgent appointmant with him?? Ha.) to go to urgent care or emerg.

So, I decided to go to the hospital.

I was taken seriously by the triage nurse I suppose due to the incontinence and no pain meds doing a thing, she sent me to the rapid assessment area.

I was given a room, a young, compassionate yet serious doctor came, i told him about the pain after my walk, the passive incontince,however without numbness in my saddle area, and he said we could do a urinary retention utrasound, and if the number was very high, I would need to be seen by a neurosurgeon right away.

He said for pain he could give me a short course of prednisone, asking had I ever tried it for pain...

I said I have only had it during exherbation of my asthma, and that my mother, a severe asthmatic who had to take the drug regularily eventually developed type 2 diabetes, so I am always paranoid about taking it, even though logically with just a short course it will only spike my blood sugar for a few days.

He assured me it would be a short course.

He asked what the neurosurgeon's recommendation was, and I told him he did not want to do the surgery.

However the ER doctor said he had looked at my MRI again, had read the neursurgeon's note which apparently stated if no better, or has gotten worse I could be reassesed.

The ER doctor told me it's a big deal to "slice into a person's spine.", to which I replied, "Yes, I know, I am terrifed.."(Although at this point desperately want the surgery.)

Anyway a nurse came and gave me a dose of prednisone and did the ultrasound and told me I had a few pockets of retained urine, but that "The number looks good, I will have the doctor look at it."

I waited, placebo effect or not, the predisone helped ease my pain by about 60 %.

The doctor came back, asked if the steroid had helped, "About 60%, but it is not a long term solution."

He said I would only be sent home with a script for one day.

He then said that I woud e reffered back to the rapid neurosurgery assessment clinic, and see what they think. And as well, as I have been waiting ages to be called by the pain clinic he said they could look into other options.

So, the nurse came back with my d/c summary and script.

That was it.

Although the last time I was referred to the rapid neurosurgery clinic I was called in a couple days...

Admittedly not vey hopeful.

Indeed, not shelling out cash I dont have for PT, cant afford massage, osteopathy, acupuncture.

As I mentioned here I never learned how to swim, but will indeed at least get into the pool a d walk back and forth with the resistance of the water.

Walk more too...

Anyway, my ongoing saga.

Bless you for your help and support.

I pray today is kind to you.