If you’re reading this and this is the first you’ve heard about all of this, sorry.  I’ve kept it pretty much to myself because 1) I didn’t want to worry anybody and because 2) I’m not worried.

8/2/10- ETA- I didn’t have to worry cuz all tests came out NEGATIVE!  So, everything going on with me is either genetic or related so some other non-neurological reason.  GREAT news.

But, just had to post this little PSA about spinal taps. 

Considering a Spinal Tap?  Always curious about what a needle into the spinal column would feel like?  Well, unless it’s a life and death situation, do not, I repeat, do NOT do it!  Tell your Dr to suck it!

So, I had to have a spinal tap.  And, it sucked ass. 

I have this weird vision crap going on and my Dr is trying to see if there’s a neurological cause.  So, I had to have a bunch of tests done including an MRI (which was normal) and a dang spinal tap.

The spinal tap was last Friday.  While the procedure itself wasn’t too bad (minus one brief second when the Dr hit a nerve with the needle and I screamed out and cried like a little baby), the aftermath was horriffic.  Absolutely ballz to the wallz crazy. 

So, I got this thing that 20% of patients get after the procedure called a “Spinal Headache” which basically involves the pressure in your spinal column going beserk due to the removal of the cerebrospinal fluid as well as a small leak in the punctured membrane that surrounds your spinal cord and brain.  Basically, they puncture the membrane containing the cerebrospinal fluid to draw it out (4 test tubes worth they told me) and the hole doesn’t seal so you’re leaking spinal fluid into surrounding tissues which results in pressure loss which screws up the positioning of your brain.  From what I understand, in an upright position, due to the low fluid amounts and weird pressure, the membrane, with your brain inside it, “floats down” and sits on the base of your skull.  When usually the brain is floating about all happy in your skull enveloped in this fluid-filled membrane, you see.  And, when the fluid is low and the leak is screwing with the pressure, you see, the brain sits in the base of your skull, you see, and….. it hurts like a BITCH.  I’m talking 100% incapacitating pain- like nothing I’ve ever felt- absolutely excruitating.  I was on bedrest for 5 days straight.  If I was upright for 30+ seconds, the pain set in- like if I was getting a drink in the kitchen or something, I’d literally RUN back to my bed, crying from the pain.  Oh, and if I was up for 2+ minutes, I started vomiting, which was another nice surprise.   I finally had to be readmitted to the hospital so they could do a procedure to fix it.  It was the worst 5 days of my life  health-wise.  100% sucky.  100% frustrating cuz I was stuck in bed and didn’t get to hang with Luci.  100%  crazy-awful-horrible.  And 100%  tramatic.

Oh, and all in all, it cost me 2 full days in the hospital, 3 unexpected missed days at work AND $800 bucks outta pocket.  Awesome.

So, don’t get a spinal tap.  Don’t even think about it.

I know, all gloom and doom and woe is me here.  But, not really cuz:

In other, more exciting and happy news:  Date night tonight!  AND, vacation in a little over a month!  Going to Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.  Then, NYC trip for work (and will get to see my sis!)!  And, I just got off of work and get to hang with little Luci and Craiggie for the rest of the weekend.  Oh, and Luci turns 2 on Aug 4th!  WOW!

I talk about it just about every day.  Just how damn happy I am.  Although the rest of my life is crazy (work, etc)-- pre-Luci, I'd really really be freaking out.  But, now that I have Luci, everything is put into perspective and I just don't really give a crap about anything else.  So I worry less about non-Luci topics, →

Date nights are AWESOME.  We hadn't been on one in a long, long, long time.  We have been out, have gotten a babysitter and all that, but we've gone to weddings, have had friends in town, etc etc, so we haven't actually been on a "date-date" in prolly 4+ months? So, I redesigned my blog!  It's kinda fancy but I like →

And WHAT have I been doing with my time?  I can tell you.  In one short, succinct sentence.  Or word, rather. WORK. Holy Crappers.  I haven't posted since November!  Now, that is insane.  In the membrane. Work has really taken it out of me lately.  The last 8 months have been hell on earth or hell in the McCombs school and I am →

It seems like Luci has been making a ton of advances during the last few weeks. I'm not sure what's going on, but she's learning new "tricks" almost daily. It's just so much damn fun. We've had the most fun with her over this long weekend. Makes me wish I was a stay at home mom. Like, really really bad. Here's →

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Wow, hello, posting hiatus!  I guess life has gotten in the way.  Things have been so crazy- it seems like each week is crazier than the last! I thought I'd do a quick post to profess my thanks for the incredible life I live! I am soooooo thankful for: My awesome husband, who can name a record just from the sound →

Carlos Basso Dos Fincas- 2008 Cab/Sav-Malbec. Broken English. Perfect combo for a loney Sunday night. Perfection. Oh, my sweet Parker Posey.  The gal never disappoints.

Interviewer= Shannon= "S" Interviewee= Shannon= "Self" S:  So, how's life since the marathon? Self:  Well, it's good.  I miss running though.  I haven't done a lick of running since the race and I feel fat and lethargic and just plain disgusting- my regular jeans feel like skinny jeans etc, etc....  I really didn't do any running 3 weeks before the race because of →

Happy happy day.   I am foot-loose and fancy free!  My foot is better! I had a crappy test run on Sunday- limping afterwords and almost couldn't even walk back to the car.  Went back to the Dr Monday feelin' blue with not a lot of hope about the race.  Dr. reexamined me,  said it was a problem with my "cuboid"  bone- →

I'm sucking at blogging.  Not surprising.  I just can't get it together with everything going on.  So, I've decided to take matters into my own hands and add a little something new to the mix that should be fairly easy and quick for me to blog about.  Myself.   I'm gonna call it "What's up, Speezle" and it'll be a series →