Hi All

Sorry I haven't been on much lately but things have been pretty hectic. I have had the builders in for the last two weeks fitting my walk in shower and extending my bathroom, putting ramps outside the house and making the house suitable for wheelchair access and finally getting a stair lift fitted, although this isn't finished yet.

On top of this I have found out I still have a severe disc bulge at L5 despite previous discectomy and fusion. I also now know I have SI joint degeneration, this explains the horrendous pain I suffer when I try and do anything other than lie down. My new consultant said they are severely degenerated and that I have two options. Firstly to see if the spinal cord stimulator can give me some relief when I have the trial in six months time and then if that doesn't work to then move on to injections into the SI joint to help with pain and also at the same time to get images and check for suitability for fusion surgery of the joints. I am very wary of anymore invasive surgery so have opted to wait and see if the stimulator helps. I am going to be trying a new one that's out now that specifically targets back pain and not just leg pain.

Lastly I am waiting to have a CT scan of my gallbladder, liver, stomach and bowels as I am still suffering with what the GP thinks is gallbladder pain. Saw the surgeon on Thursday and he will make a decision after he has seen my scan, which is on the 9th October.

As you can see things have been pretty busy and also very rough at times. I don't like to come on here and moan about my problems so was waiting until I had some news.

I am glad to hear you are doing so well Angela, I do look in every day just to check. I sent Clare a message but haven't heard back so I hope she is ok.

I promise to try and come on here more often. Take care everyone,

Wend xxx