Oh my gosh. This has been a rough few months. I cannot even begin to explain the pain I have endured with my back. The steroid shots have not worked, and the last one hurt more than it helped. I was sent to "pain management" because no one seemed to be able to help me. I am unable to drive more than about 20 minutes without having knives go through my sciatic nerve. I can't walk more than about 10 minutes, and I can't stand for even less time. I haven't been able to go to church or bible study, I can't go grocery shopping (oh darn!). I can't even walk my dog. I think we've both gained 15 pounds. And my mood was not getting any better from my last post, that is for sure. Finally, I took Ken's advice, and called my previous spine surgeon, and one of my top two favorite doctor people. He has spent more time with me in the OR than all of my other surgeons combined. He saved my C1-C4 fusion when the throat doctors wanted to take it out. And, with God's grace, he is going to save me again. Looking at my new MRI, I have a beast of a herniated disc at L4-L5 (and, I have an extra vertebrae at L6, which is not common. shocker.) which no one before wanted to fix. Dr. Choll Kim says he can do it. And not only can he do it, but he can do it outpatient. And not only can he do it outpatient, he's going to do it without general anesthesia. Wait... wwwwwwhhhhhhhaaaaaaaatttttt??? It's going to be a laser surgery, so he can go in through the side and not have to cut me open and go through my spine. That's a much less invasive procedure, and so it's much less recovery time. With general anesthesia, you are intubated, meaning a tube is put down your throat to control your breathing just in case something goes wrong during surgery. It is common practice. But I have an uncommon throat. And he does not want anyone trying to put anything near the back of my throat. I think I posted about my skin graft throat surgeries last year. Very grueling experience. Wow. So, no general anesthesia. Which is probably better, because anesthesia makes my tumors very angry, any nobody likes them when they get angry.
So, surgery is scheduled for August 22. Timing - not great, but definitely due. Kassy starts school the week after. My niece is moving into town that weekend to start school at San Diego State. It will be two days before my 45th birthday. And, I was supposed to have a birthday bash. I told my husband months ago I wanted a big party for my 45th. I hadn't had a birthday party of my own since I was probably 13 or 14. So, that is being postponed. (Ken is probably relieved!) We went through some drama, but it is scheduled. (Insurance and surgery center issues, Ken being out of town on a business trip scheduled 6 months ago, etc.) But now it's scheduled, and Ken is coming home a day early to be with me. My pre-op appointment for labs and ekg is scheduled tomorrow, my mom is coming into town this weekend, and I am so F***ING ready to not be in pain anymore, I can't even think of the words to say.
Stay tuned...
God is love.
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