The trip to the Doc’s office this afternoon held a few more surprises than I was expecting. I went already knowing that a the disks in my back from T-11 down were severely degenerated. I had made up my mind that there were questions I wanted answers to. I went in ready… at least that’s what I thought.
I have done a bunch of research on back injuries and surgeries. The amount of information available at your finger tips can be both valuable and terrifying. I learned long ago that you shouldn’t self diagnose. The internet has loads of information that isn’t always accurate. I’ve tried to cross reference data to sift out the good from the bad.
I asked Doc to review the results. Sometimes I just accept what he says the tests say. This back issue is one that I just won’t accept. Too much is at stake. The results came up on the screen. Sure enough… The report was pretty much as the nurse had read over the phone. She left out one detail. The disks at L4-L5 and L5- S1 were indeed shot and causing pain down my right leg but the disk T11-T12 was not only also bulging and narrowing. The other disks had degenerated to the front, left or right. The disk at T-11 is pushing out the back against my spinal cord.
I am now on restriction for about everything: No motorcycle or ATV riding, no lifting, no gym, especially no falling or twisting suddenly. The only reason I am allowed to go to work is that its a desk job. The restriction is because there is a good possibility that should this disk shift, I could be permanently disabled. “Oh great…” is all I could think.
The Doc is scheduling an appointment with a spinal specialist in Pittsburgh. He hopes to get me in there between now and next week. He said the specialist will be more concerned about T11 – T12 than with the sciatic damage. Early estimation says 4 to 6 weeks to get back to work. Three months to get back to ‘normal’ activity. I should add that those are based on his experience not on the experience of the spinal specialist who will read the scans for himself and go from there. The specialist may have some other option.
For now, no epidural or no more steroids. Heavy pain meds to allow me to sleep at night. Diabetic meds to get my sugar down to acceptable levels. Without the sugar being down, the surgery can’t happen. I am committing everything to getting things right and getting my back fixed. More waiting to get this appointment scheduled and get to the actual solution. Only then can the healing truly begin.
~Cappy