Friends and associates:
Early in June things were looking good. I was preparing my book marketing agenda (Inside NASA’s Quest for Life in Space) with hopes of appearing at the Miami Book Fair.
The recurring pain in my legs was improving to such an extent I was ready to start working on the stationary bike. And I quit smoking! Then, at the end of June I had a stroke.
Baptist Hospital was wonderful and my recovery was swift with few residual signs of damage. I had problems with complicated thought and recovering the correct terms for concepts and nouns, still do. The stroke knocked the book marketing plans akimbo because I could no longer speak with confidence on behalf of my book. That situation is improving, however.
The stroke had another unexpected consequence. When I began to recover enough to get out of bed while still in the hospital, my leg pain was excruciating. Fortunately, a wise attending ARNP suggested an MRI and from that MRI, I learned that separate from the stroke, I also have a cyst on my spine and spinal stenosis.
Since June I have been relatively immobile, taking meds four times a day to stabilize my blood pressure, watching TV, sleeping and going for tests leading to spinal surgery. Thank God for American Pickers!
Now that the blood pressure is stabilized and the tests are concluded I have scheduled my surgery for Dec. 28th at Baptist. They will separate my spine, cut out the cyst and offending bone/vertebrae, emplace a spacer then lock it all in place with titanium bolts. It seems a daunting procedure but I am assured it happens all the time with a high rate of success.
The surgery will be followed by three or four days of hospitalization while the pain is controlled then weeks of rehab at a Baptist-related facility.
My doctor made no bones about my situation. I am a 68-year-old car with flat tires and a screwed up drive shaft. He can fix the tires and straighten up the drive shaft but I am never gonna be a new car again.
My wife, Debbie has been an anchor throughout all of this. She smiles through it all and wakes me each morning with the pitter patter of my pills and a look of encouragement that could never be replaced. So I’m blessed, truly blessed.
Still, wish me luck; and for those of you who pray, add me to your list.
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