12/7/2015 to 12/10/2015 Update

12/7/2015

Well what a difference a few days makes!  I have had several good days even with hopping into the car and doing short shopping trips.  It helps that the husband has been going with me to do the driving.  Also, I did not bruise from the ‘trying’ to get the IV in for the MRI contrast.  Well, truthfully I did just a little.  I have a band around the upper part of both arms and then the top of my hand got a pretty blue color.  But it took 2 days for them to show up.

I was called by the nurse at the family doctor’s office and was told I could come and pick up a copy of my MRI report.  She then told me to make an appointment so the doctor could go over some items.  She did say those items were not surgery related.  But she would not go into too much detail.  Oh, the plot of life thickens.

12/10/2015

I finally went and picked up my MRI report.  I think I might need a medical dictionary.  The MRI ‘reader’ did note some changes in my spine, and in the genitalia area.  (Yes, people with Tarlov cyst can experience changes.)  The ‘reader’ only compared my new MRI to the pre-surgery one!   OK, good.  But why did he not even look at the first set of images after surgery?  I know the Tech that preformed the imaging took note of what he was to ‘look’ at; and to make notes on sizes, on the plate that was stuck in my rear, and to note if any changes in the ones that were wrapped.  Did not happen!  So, I now have to send the copy of the MRI and their notes to the Doctor Feigenbaum.  With the holidays, and surgeries, and maybe a trip in January or February  to Turkey (one of the places he performs the surgery),  I might get to hear from him in late January or February.  But, hey, I get to go see the family doctor so she can order some more tests.  What a way to spend the end of the year.

I was thinking about holding off until the new year.  I then decided that since I have reached my out-of-pocket with the insurance  this year, why start the new year with a large deductible.  Lets just say, if I can get them all done before December 31, then maybe I won’t have to pay anything but a co-pay.  Smart, right?

Now, to how my last few days have been going.  I felt that maybe I have been bragging a little too much on how I have been less uncomfortable.  Yep, I was going to post all this  ‘wow’   on my good days.  Mind you, they are good day for the new normal.  So I get really energetic and finished the inside Christmas decorations,  some more shopping (longer trips) and even sat in my office chair to do some paint-by-numbers.  I even ran the vacuum in a few rooms. Needless to say that I had to call the husband on the 8th to bring dinner home.  The hips really do not like me sitting in a proper chair, or my car seat.  By the time I got in my house, I didn’t think I would make it up the steps.  I haven’t cried for a few weeks, but as I took each step I will admit I cried like a baby.  I am pushing through this little upset.  I went outside and un-potted my deck garden, vacuumed those steps and the office downstairs.  But I did not sit in any proper chairs.  I even went today and had lunch with my daughter.  [I said that with a stomp of my foot for those who can not see me.]

I did get a ‘scare’ today.  I had left some lights hanging, to stretch out, so I went to finishing hanging them.  I used a step stool and climbed up on the kitchen counter to get those buggers hung.  No problem– Until I tried to figure out how to get down.  I had dirty dishes everywhere, my usual escape route when I get on the counter tops was a war zone.  I don’t do very good with bending over and touching my toes, so how was I to find enough room to drop to my knees to get to the step stool?  I can tell you I did not break one dish, apparently my feet can move dirty dishes as well as my hands.

For the grammar police out there: I know un-potted is not a word, but how else was I suppose to say- pulled the dead plants, emptied the dirt, bagged the dirt until spring, and cleaned the pots?  What plants?  My tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc.  Please forgive me.