Week 36

I've entered into week 36 and I'm beginning to feel major back pain. Elizabeth is moving all of the time so I know nothing is wrong. But the pain is horrible. I was used to pain in HS due to my scoliosis but this is worse. Or maybe I just used to take really strong medicine to mask the pain and now I can't. It was only at night when I tried to go to bed for a few days and now it has moved to all night, morning, and afternoon. I'm using the brace we got but it is so hot outside. (I know I'm complaining but this is first time my back has really hurt or I couldn't stretch out the tension.)

So the epidural has come into discussion and really been on my mind. I'm decided to wait till I'm around 5 min apart in contractions before I go to the hospital if I can. Otherwise I've decided to get checked in and get hooked up as soon as the pain is too intense. I want to have a good experience with labor not one that I look back on and remember the pain.

The main reason I didn't want to do the epidural in the first place was because of my scoliosis. I have lower back scoliosis and the curve, while not severe, is enough to where it has pushed my right muscle to be big. The yoga has helped to keep my spine straight till now. I think with the weight I've put on and the position of the baby it is inevitable for my body to give......a lot. So the other night was the first time I was in so much pain that I walked around the house for an hour, did my stretches, and ended up sleeping in my glider. Tyler decided to look up what the epidural does and where they insert it. He discovered that they do insert it in the spot of my curve. So he thought "what if we find an anesthesiologist who has worked with lower back scoliosis? Is that possible? That might make Erica feel more at ease." He called the anesthesiologist network and explained the situation. They said that it shouldn't be a problem as long as I don't have any rods in my back. Thank the Lord I never had surgery performed. Then they said to bring up the latest xrays which will help the anesthesiologist find the right spot. I hadn't even thought about that but it makes complete sense.

So I begin to look for the xrays, taken in 1991, which I figured were at Dad's house since that was last place we saw them. Then Elissa remembered that she and I had gone to another place in 2000 and I took my xrays over there. I'm hoping I didn't leave them there because I can't remember where that was. I looked through our house last night and couldn't find them. Yesterday I did find the file Dad has kept and called the original doctor to ask for a copy of the original xrays. I'm hoping he has them still because otherwise I'm out of luck.

So we shall see what happens over the next few days.