Pugman1943
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2009
- Messages
- 8,178
Apologies for involving you all at one time, but this is so much more efficient.
It started over a year ago by appearing as arthritis. I lived with it, saw the Dr. about it, tried to treat it, but it just slowly became worse. Two areas bothered me, my entire left side, and a mid back area that really was eating my lunch.
The local dr. set me for a MRI for my spine ( he neglected to include the lumbar). The second day I went back for the lumbar MRI. The MRI's are read and I told to see a great neurosurgeon ( Dr. Giri ). Super good guy, liked him immediately.
So I see dr. Giri and we do touch, feel, pressure, push, pull, reflex and what am I feeling where. In truth, the back issue to busting my chops,, he looks up and says the back can come later, you cervical area is in deep do-do. I have a narrowing of the spinal canal, C3 C4 C5 have lost bone mass and cushion, and I have leaked out spinal fluid. The spine is #1 priority.
Ok, before I can do the fusion you have to see the heart doctor ( I'm over 70 ) ( no shit ), so off I go to the heart doctor ( actually married to our family physician). See her the first day and do the general work up... Since it's my spine I can not do the standard huff & puff stress test, I have to have a nuclear stress test. That is scheduled for the following day. Keeping this simple, over the course of hours I'm injected with four different nuclear medicines, photos take on two different machines. Since the doctor is out, I had to wait until today for the result. *** Time for a funny..., my sheet says that for the next three days I should not hugs baby's as the nuclear material is losing its half life. Well, OK, I don't have babies to hug. It also mentions that should I be passing through an airport I might set of their sensors. Found that rather funny.
Well, the result is 70% positive, but there are three areas that the nuclear tests don't show, so tomorrow, Friday I go for a radial angioplasty. If that is good, I'm cleared for the spinal surgery. If there is an issue, they will proceed with a stint right away. If the 30% is ok, I get my surgical release immediately. If I need a stint I have to wait 6 weeks for the surgical release.
Last but not least, after we resolve the cervical spinal issue, we more to the back issue. I am bone on bone on L5/S1, so sometime later this year there will be another back surgery.
And that is the end of that story. Thank you for listening, caring, praying. I will keep you up to date as things happen. Please, don't send cards ( I enjoy cigars better).
Thank you for being my friends, associates, pastor, family and confidants.
Thank you brothers and sisters for your thoughts. Feeling like my ole 43 Ford. Been a dandy week. Once resolved I'll let you know what road I travel. Smoke one for me gang.
Thanks, Pug
It started over a year ago by appearing as arthritis. I lived with it, saw the Dr. about it, tried to treat it, but it just slowly became worse. Two areas bothered me, my entire left side, and a mid back area that really was eating my lunch.
The local dr. set me for a MRI for my spine ( he neglected to include the lumbar). The second day I went back for the lumbar MRI. The MRI's are read and I told to see a great neurosurgeon ( Dr. Giri ). Super good guy, liked him immediately.
So I see dr. Giri and we do touch, feel, pressure, push, pull, reflex and what am I feeling where. In truth, the back issue to busting my chops,, he looks up and says the back can come later, you cervical area is in deep do-do. I have a narrowing of the spinal canal, C3 C4 C5 have lost bone mass and cushion, and I have leaked out spinal fluid. The spine is #1 priority.
Ok, before I can do the fusion you have to see the heart doctor ( I'm over 70 ) ( no shit ), so off I go to the heart doctor ( actually married to our family physician). See her the first day and do the general work up... Since it's my spine I can not do the standard huff & puff stress test, I have to have a nuclear stress test. That is scheduled for the following day. Keeping this simple, over the course of hours I'm injected with four different nuclear medicines, photos take on two different machines. Since the doctor is out, I had to wait until today for the result. *** Time for a funny..., my sheet says that for the next three days I should not hugs baby's as the nuclear material is losing its half life. Well, OK, I don't have babies to hug. It also mentions that should I be passing through an airport I might set of their sensors. Found that rather funny.
Well, the result is 70% positive, but there are three areas that the nuclear tests don't show, so tomorrow, Friday I go for a radial angioplasty. If that is good, I'm cleared for the spinal surgery. If there is an issue, they will proceed with a stint right away. If the 30% is ok, I get my surgical release immediately. If I need a stint I have to wait 6 weeks for the surgical release.
Last but not least, after we resolve the cervical spinal issue, we more to the back issue. I am bone on bone on L5/S1, so sometime later this year there will be another back surgery.
And that is the end of that story. Thank you for listening, caring, praying. I will keep you up to date as things happen. Please, don't send cards ( I enjoy cigars better).
Thank you for being my friends, associates, pastor, family and confidants.
Thank you brothers and sisters for your thoughts. Feeling like my ole 43 Ford. Been a dandy week. Once resolved I'll let you know what road I travel. Smoke one for me gang.
Thanks, Pug
Every day I tell the world, "Smoke 'em if ya got 'em". All we ever had was today. That the only truth you know for sure. Of course, hardly anyone pays attention to my ravings. 
