Thoracic Disc Herniation - Please Help

Ok, here it goes:

in february, I had an accident where a woman ran a stop sign and I ran into her driver's side, which cause me to break 3 ribs and herniate/rupture 2 discs in my thoracic back at the t7-t8 and t8-t9 level. They have tried trigger point injections, intercostal blocks, chiropractic adjustments, pain medication (vicodin 10mg @ 2 every 4-6 hours), muscle relaxers (soma, zanaflex), lidoderm patches and epidural steroid injections (3 of them) with nothing working (some nights, the mixture of the pain meds, muscle relaxers and lidoderm patches, I can get a little bit of sleep). The pain meds help relieve some of the pain to get through the day. Sometimes I even hurt in my lower back around the waistline. The doctor says it could be because my muscles in my whole back are working overtime to compensate for the injury.

The doctor sent me to a neurosurgeon to see if I was a candidate for surgery. To make this visit worse, I fell asleep in the waiting room before I saw the surgeon (i go there way too early). By the time I got to see him, I was so groggy from falling asleep, that when I was trying to tell him where I hurt, I think he was misuderstanding what I was saying, or because I was so out of it, I was misunderstanding what he was asking. The pain radiates from the t8-t9 level around to the ribs. He asked if it hurts around to the nipple line. I thought he was asking if it hurts around as far as the nipple line straight down, but he was thinking I was hurting around to the nipple itself, which in reality it hurts lower. There was just a big misunderstanding between us, not his fault. He said he felt the pain was not coming from the herniated discs, but from soft tissue injury. He said if it was lower, it would indicate it was from the disc, and could operate, and relieve the pain. I was taking this information in, but not processing it, like I said I was a little groggy. I talked to my doctor who referred me, and they were going to send me for a second opinion. I tried to get a follow-up appointment with that same neurosurgeon to go back over my case to try and re-explain my pain because I was so groggy when I saw him, but the nurse said the diagnosis by the surgeon had been made and will not see me again (she said they go by what I say and my mri films, which of course show 2 distinct major herniations). Unfortunately, the other surgeon my doctor tried to get the second opinion from does not accept my insurance, which of course is the biggest crock of bull, considering that someone else caused the accident, and until a settlement is made, I have to cover all of my medical expenses. Anyway, the doctor recommended physical therapy. I have a real problem with this. This is because, when I am able to do anything physical, I regret it for the next couple of days because of the pain it puts me in. Example: I have about 2 acres of grass to cut, and I use a riding mower. After I finish cutting grass, I hurt so bad for the next 2 days. I am so pi**ed that they are wanting me to do this, but figured I have to do what the doctor says, so that the other insurance company's adjuster/attorney sees that I am not refusing any of the treatment alternatives. To top it off, if they are seeing it as a soft tissue injury, which I don't feel that it is, my disability claim will probably get denied. The doctor wrote me out of work because I am unable to function at my job. It hurts to sit/stand for more than about 15 minutes at a time.

I am so stressed out and depressed with the situation right now, that I do not know what to do. I am stressed so bad, because I am out of work, and had to withdraw what little in savings I had, and sell our second vehicle to pay bills. We are now almost out of money. My wife has just recovered from a surgery, and is going for an interview next week. But, she has fibromyalgia, and her condition can affect her at work sometimes too. She also feels that she will not be able to make the money I was bringing home, not like it was that much anyway.

I am hardly sleeping anymore. Sometimes the pain keeps me up at night, because I can't get comfortable in any postion I lay. I have gone from the bed to the recliner, to the couch, and back to the recliner. I sleep on a heating pad at night (it has a timer on it so that I don't fall asleep with it on all night long). I also think the pain medication keeps me awake. My wife says I get real talkative when it kicks in, and won't shut up. (lol)

anyway, I know this was a long post, but I am hurting so bad, and so stressed out from all of this, I needed someplace to vent and someone to talk to. I try talking to my wife, but she gets tired f hearinf it, plus it is easier to talk to someone who has been through this (she had a lower back injury from a wreck when she was about 16, but nowhere near as severe). I also wanted to see if anyone out there is/has gone through something similar, and could offer any help or advice.



Sorry if any of my spelling or grammar is off. It is about 2:15 in the morning (i am tired, but can't get comfortable enough to go to sleep).



Thanks to anyone for taking time to read this super long post, and thanks in advance to anyone who can offer any advice or help.



Rusty