It has been a busy couple of days here at the Bengal Brats home..
Pet saw a neurosurgeon “DocC” yesterday, the interview and exam, discussion took more than 4 hours, talk about getting the most out of your insurance co pay!

The new “DocC” Abides in Gainesville, so it was a bit of a drive that I’m proud to say I handled well.
TheMasterOfTheUniverse and I were fairly impressed by this “DocC’s” knowledge and willingness to answer all our questions.

Click for full sized photo.

I was darn glad that I had been able to do some research into spinal infections as well as
arachnoiditis.

The upshot was this” DocC” agreed with the infectious disease doc that getting the spinal infection under control is the primary issue. The plan is currently that I continue on
(An increased) dose of vancomycin until doc gets the results of yet another MRI to be done next Tuesday.

So today was a good day.. Tears were minimal, and the hint of laughter almost occurred when Shotze fell off the cat house

Click for full sized photo.

I didn’t lash out at any one, a miracle by itself in my life, given all the crap that has happened.
It has become clear to me I have run off nearly all my friends.
I cannot apologize enough for this.

Perhaps the Brats and TMOTU will be my new and complete world.

That would be ok, because I know where the love is.

I have been out of the hospital for 3 days now.
It has not been an easy couple of weeks to say the least.
When last I posted I had just had an MRI, my surgeon also ordered blood work.
After my surgeon reviewed the MRI, he told us that he strongly suspected arachnoiditis.
After reviewing the blood work, he was quite concerned about infection.
For those of you who know, my CRP was 65 and SED rate was 96.

He admitted me into the hospital a week ago Thursday, and asked an infectious disease doctor to review my MRI and blood work. His name honest to God is Dr.Mirza.
I told my Doc I didn’t think he was funny. He swore that really was the Doc’s name.
So Doc Mirza, ordered that every available drop of blood in my body be drained ordered a bunch of blood tests as well as a needle aspiration guided by a CAT scan. That was lots and lots of fun.
So I’m home with another hospital acquired “unknown infection”, on a Hickman catheter again for 6 weeks of vancomycin.

I also got some answers about the pain that has so altered my life.
It is due to nerve damage of the arachnoid membrane.

Arachnoiditis describes a pain disorder caused by the inflammation of the arachnoid, one of the membranes that surround and protect the nerves of the spinal cord
Inflammation leads to the formation of scar tissue and adhesions, which cause the spinal nerves to “stick” together.
People with arachnoiditis have debilitating pain, muscle cramps, twitches, and spasms. The prognosis for most arachnoiditis patients is not good.
Treatment almost always fails to relieve the severe pain and neurological deficits typical of the condition. Usually, treatment is centered on relieving the pain, as no cure exists for the condition.

For those days I can’t walk, here is a picture of my new ride.

We just got a notice from the insurance co. that an electric chair has also been approved. Yippee.

Trackposted to Pirate’s Cove, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Cao’s Blog, Nuke Gingrich, Woman Honor Thyself, Right Truth, Conservative Cat, The Cat Blogosphere and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

As some of you know, I have been whining like a baby about back pain. complaining to our surgeon that “There is something really wrong with my back”, his response has been, “Give it time, it takes time to heal.”

After I had a screaming meltdown in the surgeon’s office on Wednesday, he finally ordered an MRI. I had the MRI on Thursday last week; this was the final bit of the report.

“at L-5 S1 there is a metallic body resulting in severe neuroforaminal
Narrowing and impingement on the right L5 nerve root suggesting a
Graft extrusion into the right neural foramen with post surgical changes and inflammatory changes of the soft tissues and within the spinal canal.”

I was fortunate enough to have a copy of the report to take with me, when I saw our family doc, last Friday. Now as you may remember, on Nov.3rd 2007, I had all the hardware removed from the spinal fusion area, because of the unresolved infection.

Our family doc, felt that I should nuke the surgeon, and tell God he got lost doing laundry calmly discuss this MRI report with him. I didn’t mention this last week, because I was in major overload. I spent the weekend in bed, sputtering and hissing every time the MRI subject came up. Wondering what the heck is this “metallic body”?

Yesterday TheMasterOfTheUniverse and I met with the surgeon.
It is very clear from the pictures on the MRI that the second cage at L-5-S-1, has popped out of my spine. This was the cage used to space my spine, when the L-5 disc was dissected out. These are a few of the things the surgeon said. “It happens Once in a blue moon, when it rains, it pours, it’s like a domino effect.” I didn’t find him too amusing in fact, I am still pretty angry. He has been putting me off for nearly five months now.

TheMasterOfTheUniverse sat next to him, and I sat across the room, because I felt like biting him, hard. I must be picking up Tigger’s bad habit of biting when he’s upset.
I mentioned snidely that I was sure he was as thrilled to see us, as we were to be seeing him. He smiled at me.

Bottom line, I am scheduled for surgery on Monday, April 14th. At 7:30 in the morning, that is if our family doc will clear me for surgery. I see him late this afternoon.

The good news is the edema in my legs and feet is much better, and the pneumonia, seems to be getting better.

Thank you all for your prayer support, it has meant the world to me. Please continue to pray for all of us!