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Bible verse of the day for Tuesday
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
—Matthew 5:10
Heavener School menu for Tuesday
Breakfast: Sausage biscuit
Lunch: Corn Dogs
Photo of the day
Hall about It
By CRAIG HALL
Monday was not a normal one for the Halls. Trish the Wife and the Craigman got up early and departed for Tulsa for the long-awaited visit with a neurosurgeon about my bad reading on the MRI. As I mentioned previously if you are going into the medical field, become a neurosurgeon as there are obviously not enough as it either takes forever to see one or they simply ignore you.
Thanks Mercy and Baptist neurosurgeons. I had gotten an appointment in August for another neurosurgeon, but not until December. I like to thank I handle pain fairly well since I am a tough you-know-what, but I hoped for a sooner visit and my main dude Tim Olive referred me in to see another neurosurgeon. This office actually called me the same day and made an appointment for later in the month, not kicking it down the block like the others.
Later in the month came yesterday as in a 9 a.m. appointment. That is, of course, a rather early time as we departed the greater Heavener region at shortly before 6 a.m.
Fortunately, no fasting as in my colonoscopy visit in August. We got right in. We looked at the MRI and it was plain to see the surrounding area in part of my back was much smaller than in other area. Severe stenosis, as it had previously been called and scared the dog out of me. My neck does hurt quite a bit, but the main pain is to raise my right arm or stretch to grab something. That hurts pretty badly and why I originally set out on this quest. Sometimes it feels like I have torn a bicep, others, like somebody is sticking a knife in my arm
The bad news is surgery awaits the Craigman. They are going to fuse something in my back. An overnight stay in the hospital, take it easy for two weeks and be ultra safe for another three months. Egads. The plan now is to have the operation on the first of Christmas break since I will be off.
However, it was mentioned earlier that sometimes a steroid shot helps alleviate the pain.
So, of course, I thought she would pull out a big needle and shoot me in the rear. But you had to go to a pain management office for that shot and no shot in the buttock region, where there is a little fat. Notice, I said litt.e. At first, I was told it would take a week to get in, then, good news, they took pity on me and said they could work me in yesterday morning. Hurrah.
After a short wait, I was taken back to one of the little waiting areas and was told to take my shirt off and I was given a hospital gown. I was able to keep my pants on. Naturally I put the gown on backwards before getting it straightened out.
I was asked if I wanted to be sedated before the shot. Of course, not, then asked what exactly was meant by sedation. I found out it was to put the person to sleep before having the shots. Not needed, I informed them, as I could handle a shot. Yeah, right.
I went back to the room and was introduced to the doctor. Since the shots were for the back of my neck, I had to lay down on my stomach with my head in the crevice. I was asked again about sedation. No need, I’m not one of those wimpy urbanites.
He was a really cool guy, I thought, until he said this might hurt a little as he gave me shots around the area for the steroid shot. Hurt a little? I thought a horde of hornets were attacking and sedation was sounding much better. I hoped I was about through and after a few more stings, I had made it through. And didn’t need bow down to no sedation. This time. Not to self, next time, no harm in sedation.
Now, I got no sleep at all last night thanks to the steroids. Pain is a little better, but I do not feel like dancing in the rain. Not that we have any rain at the moment. It did get me thinking, If the steroid shot works, I might be able to take a couple of shots and put off the surgery until summer and I won’t have to be seen in a neck brace and asked by many why I am wearing a neck brace.
Course, there is that possibility of increasing dizziness and balance problems, plus if I had a bad fall or was involved in an auto accident it could leave me paralyzed.
The funny thing about this, not in the ha-ha variety, mind you, is everybody asks what happened. I have no clue. As soon as I hit 60 in April, it started hurting one day and is getting worse every day. So I really hope to wait until the summer, although what to do about lawn care? Guess we will wait and see. But if the steroid shot does not help and surgery is necessary in December, I won’t even be able to haul around my trusty camera or equipment. Double egads.
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