My First Spinal Tap Experience

Lumbar Puncture

In 2014, I had a spinal tap to help relieve the pressure in my brain. My very

first spinal tap, however, was a terrifying experience for me. During the moment of the needle entering my back while I lay on that glass table half naked, I feel the tip of that needle go too far into my back hitting a nerve. It took my breath away, I thought I would scream from the pain but I was taught not to cry out in pain, so I held it in. My right leg was shaking uncontrollably, and hearing the words, “oops! Went a little too far there”, while I start to cry quietly in pain. The radiologist trying to move the needle but it doesn't budge, I am on the verge of screaming in pain. The radiologist starts to demand I stop shaking my leg and relax, he tries to move the needle again while my leg is still shaking, nothing happens, the needle still won't move. My leg continues to shake. I glance up at the monitor, I can just barely see the screen out of the corner of my eye, what I see puts me into a sheer panic. The needle was lodged between my two vertebras. My spine had shut onto the needle and the more he tried to move the more pain I felt. The radiologist had to have a nurse sit on my leg and hold it, so the radiologist could try and finish his job.

After a third attempt at moving the needle, the radiologist had the nurse call the on-call Attending to come fix the problem. Lying on the table for another ten minutes in agony the Attending shows up, "what's going on", the Attending asked the radiologist. Before the radiologist could say anything the Attending looks at the monitor, "Holy Shit!". The attending has a nurse give me something to help relax me so the needle could be moved. I was terrified at this point. The Attending had the nurses hold onto each of my limbs and told me to relax and breathe. The Attending dislodged the needle and he was able to remove the necessary spinal fluid to relieve the built-up pressure.

I spent six weeks in physical therapy after that for the damage that was caused. The radiologist tried to cover it up by saying on my chart, “everything went excellent”, despite the comment and pain he had endured me through.