Hello, World!

I'm using Jen's emails as the basis for a short post.

Dad's doctor just called and said everything went A+.  Took care of the fact that everything was "horribly compressed" by drilling out everything they could while keeping the integrity of the joints intact. They also removed a cyst growing out of one of the joints.  Extremely minimal loss of blood, a teaspoon maybe, and no spinal fluid leakage. All in all it went well.  He's in recovery now.

Update:

My Dad is going to be in the hospital past Friday (yesterday's plan) due to the need for observation and physical therapy.  He's in pain understandably and trying to sleep as much as possible right now.  So, he will reach out to chat when he's ready. I will share more as I know more.

I will share more information but I expect my Dad will be making calls and sending emails directly as soon as he can.

Well, here it is, Thursday morning, un-godly early, and I thought I'd check in.  Jen actually knows more about it that I do, since I sort of wasn't there at the time.  I was doing OK thru Wednesday morning,  until the Oxycodone took a sharp turn South, with me along for the ride.   Sadly, it caused my bladder to think that it could go offline.  After about 24 hrs of futzing, I got a new catheter, and by Monday I was in low-earth orbit.   Tuesday, I was transferred to a physical therapy/rehab center.  Goal is to get me able to magnage both the Shibas and the stairs at the house.  Wound is healing well (photos below the fold, for the squeamish).  Did I mention he took a cyst out, as well??  Good times!

Thank you all for your encouragement, support and prayers!

Lee

John Galt, Call Your Office

Without comment:

Obama gives himself control of all communication systems in America

 Found at Rodge's

We Can Repair Him...

...we have the technology!

Had my consult with the neurosurgeon yesterday.  He did a bit of poking and pushing on his own, and confirmed what I was pretty sure of - surgery is indicated.  Both L1 - L2 and L4 - L5 are pretty well munged, and L2  -L3 is also degraded.  (My numbering may be off a bit - it's the whole lumbar part of the spine.)  I could get away with letting the L2 -L3 go, but on the other hand, we both agreed that going back in later was something neither of us wanted.  So the entire lumbar section of my spine will be "decompressed".  Basically, that means re-opening the foramen (the hole) that the nerves pass thru, to alleviate the pressure, and thus the pain and weakness.  (I did a quick look on spine-health.com. which goes into some detail and apparently has videos.  I only take umbrage at the comment "A condition that primarily afflicts elderly patients, spinal stenosis is caused by degenerative changes that result in enlargement of the facet joints."  Elderly my tuchus!)

He expects the procedure to last about 2 1/2 hours.  He's not sure if there's any interesting disk degeneration, but will tend to that if need be.  He doesn't want to do a fusion at this point.  Based on my recovery, I'll be in the hospital one to five days.  My personal goal is one day only.

I go in on the 16th of this month.

Prayer in any denomination is appreciated.

Happy 4th!!

Found these at Mme. Scherzo

a-mass-musing:

Long exposure firework photographs - David Johnson

(via ascenseurstory)