Vicodin doesn't work on me and it makes me hurl like there's no tomorrow. 

I'm looking forward to the day when I don't need it either...

Oh heck yes!  Any excuse for a party!  but, from what the doctor was saying yesterday, it's going to be a while.  The disc caused some permanent nerve damage, and the damage that wasn't permanent is going to be painful as it heals (I can feel my toes again, but now I'm getting shooting pains down my legs and the toes that were numb are painful).  I also have other degenerating discs and bones, arthritis and, best of all.....scoliosis.  See, my back was 's' shaped before the surgery, and having the fusion done straightened a small part of it out....so now my muscles all have to get used to this new position (not to metion get over the trauma of the surgery).  I might never be totally medication free - I might not have to take it daily, but I'll still need some every now and then.

I know.  I also know that it's the 'nurse's drug of choice' as far as abuse goes.  I did a lot of reading, crying, and talking before my appointments last week and yesterday.  Fentanyl is some tough stuff.....

The thing that was causing concern was that I had been taking percocet for a long, long time (like ever since the accident) and that the acetaminophen in it PLUS the NSAID's I was taking would end up damaging my liver.  I can't take morphine (allergic to it) and I'm not taking demerol (for much the same reasons as you stay away from certain substances.). Besides, the percocet just wasn't cutting it anymore, and I was taking more and more of it.  So, we were kind of caught between a rock and a hard spot.

This was something that I talked to my family doctor AND the neurosurgeon about, and it was a decision that we all made together.  I'm aware of the issues, of the dangers, and I'm being closely monitored.  I've been referred to a pain management doctor, btw, so this fentanyl is probably only going to be a short term (as in a few months) thing until we can come up with something better.  There armight be other options, and I'll discuss those with the pain management dude.....but for now, this is the best way for us to deal with my pain and not wreck my liver with tylenol and naprosyn.

I understand your concern and appreciate the sentiment behind it more than you know....and I promise that I'll be careful.  If I thought that I was in trouble with this, you'd be the first person I'd call. 

((((((((S)))))))) ...thanks for giving a shit about me.  You bought a tear to my eye.

I'll take care of the Keg and Chips!  Ya think Doc Miler, Modman, Rightwinger, Phoenix and the rest of us are going to do a tea and Crumpet?

Hell no!  Toga! Toga! Toga!

Grumble....grumble...grumble....

Alright.  It is your party.  Let me practice my pinkie moves.....

Hey!  Us Colonials got to learn culture sometime!  Your party your rules! (But I hear you Brits love Gin......hehehehehehehe)

You heard wrong.  Im going to introduce you to pints of 'snakebite' - cider and lager in the same glass.  Very yummy and VERY strong.  Then, we're going to have some Pimms and lemonade.

Kewl!  I'll stop by later!

Don't take this the wrong way, but....I'm kind of glad that someone else understands the kind of pain I have.  This is going to sound really wrong, but I'm glad that it's you....not because I would wish this on you, but because you're my friend and you can relate to me in ways other than pain.

Kind of sucks, doesn't it?  Having you back and legs hurt so bad that you can't hardly stand it at the end of the day?  I don't have the neuropathy any more, I can feel my toes now.....but I still have some pretty bad back and leg pain.  Like the surgeon said, it took 2 years to get this way, it's not going to get fixed overnight.....and it may never get better at all because of all the other stuff I have going on. 

Here's hoping you find some relief, Sabrina.  Let me know when the surgery is, if I can help in any way I'd really like you to let me.