My S-1 vertebra in the center, the needle at the bottom and the contrast dye is the black cloud up top. That’s 2-3 ml of dye and he injected 17 ml of cortisone. That white line in the middle is just interference. Click to see larger.
I got my cortisone shot this morning. It was relatively painless and the doctor felt pretty good he got the entire disk and nerve marinating in the anti-inflammatory. He told me that there is an 80-85 percent success rate with the injections and I can have up to three per year as necessary. My goal isn’t zero pain. My goal is the ability to get out and about without excruciating pain shooting down my leg. Some pain is tolerable and cortisone shots and a little pain is preferable to spinal surgery.
So, now I wait and hope the injection does it’s job. I’m hopeful but prepared for the worst. Today, I’m a little sore and tired from not sleeping well last night. Nerves! Now that I’ve done it, it was no big deal. I wore my street clothes even though it was performed in the surgical center. My doctor, Dr. Shapiro, was a good guy and used x-rays to get the cortisone right were I needed it and I even got a souvenir picture. I should have brought a Sharpie and had him sign it.
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