CAREGIVER'S CORNER NO. 5

WOW! Carrie had a great day yesterday! I had an appointment with a pain management physician at the same time our old dog Jake needed to go see the dog ophthalmologist whose office is about 25 miles from our home. Although she has been driving, it has been mostly around the neighborhood and maybe to Manassas. Yesterday was a real challenge for her and she did it without a hitch! You cannot imagine how proud I am of her--she had really been hesitant about doing it, but she mustered up the "stuff" and did it. This may open up a whole new world for her.

Go back and read what I had to say at Caregiver No. 3 about driving after a brain attack--you will see that she has leaped a BIG hurdle with this most recent trip.

The Chiropractor followup

Well, I'm still going to the chiropractor, but also have seen a neurologist. She sent me for a MRI and the news was not as good as I had expected. As a matter of fact, it was really crappy. I have six joints in my lumbar region that are seriously compromised--L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1. The compromise consists of moderately to severe stenosis and an outright disc herniation at the L5-S1 joint. At each of these joints my spinal cord is slightly compressed to the point that it looks like a string of link sausages. I suspect it ultimately means some rather extensive surgery and I am guessing a long recovery time--weeks but more like months I suspect. Further compromise can lead to loss of bowel and/or bladder control and loss of motor function in my right leg and foot. All I can say is YUK!

I have to schedule an appointment with a spinal surgeon to see where we go from here. But am going to continue physical therapy since it has been helping and anything I do to strengthen my back can only help the recovery process when and if surgery becomes a reality.

Will just have to wait and see, but we are going to Maine first. Then will see what is next.