Originally Posted by Noah

I sympathise. Being in contant pain in both physically/mentally draining and effects your quality of life.

Originally Posted by Lord Snow

You'll probably end up being very sensitive to the cold.

Originally Posted by gekkogecko

Ortho-dude showed me the pics from the MRI: severe compression to the point of displacement of my spinal cord; the type and degree of displacement is often seen in paralysis cases (not invariably, though: that is obvious). Basically, I get bounced over to a neurologist for a second opinion. Ortho-dude thinks it might take outpatient surgery to deal with the discs causing the displacement. If those are removed, then I'm looking at probable spinal fusion to deal with the consequences of removal. We'll see what the nerve-dude says, I got an appointment for Tuesday. Shoulder/arm/elbow/wrist hurts from the drive, of course.

Originally Posted by gekkogecko

Just the next best thing: neurosurgery! At least, that's what the neuro-dude said today. Something I was unaware of: apparently, a piece of intervertebral disc has actually fragmented, and drifted over into between some of the vertebral spines: this is what is pressing so severely into the spinal cord. And, the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease was confirmed. I'm probably going to have two discs partially removed, and replaced with prosthetics, and that covered with a titanium plate. Bone re-growth should eventually cover that. The spouse wants me to get a second opinion, though, so I'm not sure when this can be scheduled. If I forgo the "second" (would be a third, actually), I could probably schedule the surgery for next week.

Originally Posted by gekkogecko

Pre-op bloodwork, physical, EKG, and contract to hand over my soul on Monday. Surgery scheduled for Thursday.

Originally Posted by gekkogecko

So, yeah, my chronic asthma seems to me acting up a lot lately. And the past few weeks, the shoulder pain has been coming back. That is starting to interfere with my sex life, certainly been interfering with my sleep, my typing, and the wildlife rehabilitation. Not fun. Last time I talked to the ortho-dude about this, he said if it recurred again, I'd have to go in for an MRI. Means, I'm going to have to go set up an appointment with him, so he can authorize it, I have to yak with the insurance company about it, see if I need to change meds: the anti-inflammatories have usually done little, if anything to knock out the pain. I'd rather not do the heavy narcotics if I can avoid them. The previous two episodes of this crap have used up all the physical therapy sessions my insruance company will allow me for the year. I think I"m rambling. Am I rambling?

Originally Posted by wyndhy

good luck and speedy healing.

Originally Posted by Irish

Discounting all other things-I also don't like to use "heavy narcotics" as I think that I am easily addicted!You might want to ask about the pain killer called "Tramadol".I requested it because it is not a narcotic. Irish :rant: