Quick Question/Potential Prayers Needed

[MacroGuru]

Alright,

I am sitting in my hotel room here in Va, while the wife is getting ready to go into a dr's appointment.

Why the appointment?

Well, she had an MRI performed yesterday and was told that her dr would receive results within 48 hours.

No here is the weird thing.


Phone call came in to my wife at 11 am, dr's nurse is on the phone.

1) My wife has 3 herniated discs in her lower back, we knew there would be 1, but 3?

2) Then, the nurse informs my wife there are other issues they have spotted on the MRI, and they are pretty serious, and immediately schedules my wife an appointment, which she is heading into, only 12 hours after the MRI.....I need prayers here that it is nothing drastic, because honestly, .....I don't know, I can't explain it....but I just had to type up something to get rid of the stress, frustration, not being there to hold her, if he breaks bad news to her, is killing me. Not being able to console her over the back is killing me.....

[Eaglesfan27]

You and your wife will be in my prayers. Hopefully, it won't be too serious. I know it's hard to do in situations like this, but try to relax and take your minds off of the situation.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Good luck to you and your wife, Dennis. My thoughts will be with you both.

Hang in there, I know how agonizing it can be to apart from loved ones when things like this happen. It's one of the reasons I decided to move back home.

[Marc Vaughan]

Your family will be in my prayers - hang in there.

[Raiders Army]

I will keep you guys in my thoughts. Good luck.

[MikeVic]

Good luck.

[MacroGuru]

*update*

She just called me.....all the greatest fears of mine are gone, however the extent of damage to her back is to me, horrific.

She has bulging and herniated discs from the L4 - L5 and L5 - S1, with Spinal Cord and nerve damage around the S1, combined with.....arthritis.

She basically has destroyed that area of her back, and the dr, has givern her warnings, basically, she should be close to paralyzed from the waist down the way everything is looking currently. He is amazed she is still walking, and doing her ADL's properly.

She is going in to get an epideral to deal with the constant pain, but she will be seeing a back doctor and discussing what can be done to repair it. She doesn't want the surgery, but will do it, if it means no more major pain.

This is a bit better than what hit my mind initially, but this still sucks.......

[terpkristin]

Good luck to you, Dennis, and to your wife.
I'm glad it wasn't as bad as you originally feared. You'll also find (at least in the cases I've seen) that whenever the spinal cord is involved, they always prepare you for the worst. My dad has his C3 and C4 herniated, his docs have said he could be a quad if things go "wrong" (like if he gets in a car accident). Oddly enough, the neurosurgeons he's been to (at some of the better hospitals in the area) have all recommended against surgery for now. Also, pain management has come a long way, and I know some people who it's done wonders for (including one of the techs that builds my designs, which involves him crawling all over the ground, sitting a lot, standing a lot, and doing a decent amount of lifting).

Either way, I'll be thinking good thoughts for you guys. Stay positive!
/tk

[oliegirl]

I'm glad it was nothing worse than it is, but I'm sorry to hear her back is in that bad of shape. We'll keep good thoughts and prayers coming your way!

[SunDevil]

Endoscopic Disc Surgery

My girlfriend's mother had this a couple of years ago. Much better then the regular back surgery. I do not know if this applies to your wife's situation, but please ask your dr about this, because it is very less evasive and has a faster recovery time. Your family will be in my prayers.

[Flasch186]

my prayers to you

[finkenst]

*update*

She just called me.....all the greatest fears of mine are gone, however the extent of damage to her back is to me, horrific.

She has bulging and herniated discs from the L4 - L5 and L5 - S1, with Spinal Cord and nerve damage around the S1, combined with.....arthritis.

She basically has destroyed that area of her back, and the dr, has givern her warnings, basically, she should be close to paralyzed from the waist down the way everything is looking currently. He is amazed she is still walking, and doing her ADL's properly.

She is going in to get an epideral to deal with the constant pain, but she will be seeing a back doctor and discussing what can be done to repair it. She doesn't want the surgery, but will do it, if it means no more major pain.

This is a bit better than what hit my mind initially, but this still sucks.......

yikes... i admit, dennis, that all the bad things were going through my head. :(

however, understanding the issue, i understand why they wanted to see her. i have bulging discs in l3-l4-l5-s1 as well... luckily the pain is not as bad as it used to be and surgery won't fix it anyway and no sciatica (spelling?)...

Epidural Steroid Injection was the greatest thing I ever went through. The next morning was the first in 5 months that I had no pain in my back....

wish your wife and you all the best.

[MacroGuru]

yikes... i admit, dennis, that all the bad things were going through my head. :(

however, understanding the issue, i understand why they wanted to see her. i have bulging discs in l3-l4-l5-s1 as well... luckily the pain is not as bad as it used to be and surgery won't fix it anyway and no sciatica (spelling?)...

Epidural Steroid Injection was the greatest thing I ever went through. The next morning was the first in 5 months that I had no pain in my back....

wish your wife and you all the best.

Well, I hate to see you go through this, but the news of it being awesome for you, will make her happy.

[FrogMan]

wow, read the whole thread all at once and wow, didn't have time to got very worried since I saw your post pretty quickly. you're both in my thoughts, sending good vibes your way.

FM

[JonInMiddleGA]

Macro, I've been through the whole "scared witless about what you may hear about your spouse's health" thing, and as cold as I'm capable of being, I can honestly say I don't wish that particular experience on anybody. I'm sorry you both had to go through it.

I'm relieved and thankful that the news was not worst case, and in light of that, I hope it makes everything else at least a little more tolerable.

[MacroGuru]

Thanks everyone for your kinds words, and helpful advice, it is truly needed!

[Emiliano]

Dennis, the best of luck for your wife and you. You're in my thoughts.

[MacroGuru]

Wow, I forgot to update everyone on this...

The wife took the injection, eliminated the pain immediately and it was gone for months, well it started to come back about mid october.

She heads in to the dr around the start of November and is informed on my birthday that she has Scoliosis (sp?) kind of devastating for her since she is so active and loves to work out. The dr basically told her, she can no longer do her workout she does for lower body and back because of this.

we are taking it in stride, she is talking with support groups and such.

[BYU 14]

Good to know the process worked well for her for a few Months, though sorry to hear that she will have to curtail her lifestyle. I know it is a helpless feeling wiching you could probably do more for her, but it is apparent from the posts in this thread how much you have been there for her........At the end of the day that's whats its all about. Keeping a good thoughr for you both as she continues to go through this.