Epidurals...What's your story/opinion?

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I had been in labor with my daughter, my first and only child, for a total of 23 hours. I decided once they let me go into the delivery room that i was going to get the epidural. Once she was finished, she looked at me and said, "I screwed up a bit, I knicked your spinal cord a bit and you have a 90 percent chance of getting a spinal headache" She informed me of what a spinal headache was (a SEVERE headache caused by the leaking of your spinal fluid) and told me that if i had even the slightest sign of a headache, to tell a nurse and they would take care of me. So after i had my daughter that's when it began to hit me, I told the nurse that i had a headache, and she brought me some percocet. I still had a headache, so the next nurse came in... i repeated myself (this time pretty loopy from the pain killers) and she brought me more! so i thought nothing of it.. went home when it was time. This headache lasted for a week!! and i mean this was a terrible headache! compareable to a migrane x2 ... i mean if i even lifted my head off of the bed, i couln't see anything, and i felt like someone just stabbed me in my temples! it was horrible.. and on top of all that.. all i wanted to do was spend time with my daughter! but i wasn't able to :( anyways, after about a week went by (think it was a little more than a week about 8 or 9 days) i decided to call the doctor, they ignored me and said i would be fine and to just rest. so i called again a few hours later in hopes of getting someone else, and it was a good thing i did! i spoke witha nurse who refered me to the pain management center and they performed a procedure called a "blood patch" where they take blood from your arm and put it into your back in order to clot the hole in your spinal cord giving you instant relief! after that everything was fine.. so if there is going to be a next time.. i dont think i will be getting the epidural! i'd rather go through a few hours of pain than a weeks worth!