Where's the Silver Lining?

A step forward, a step back, two steps forward

About a month ago xrays showed Robert's spine is in bad shape, as if we didn't know that already - the man is in a power chair.

The doctor ordered an MRI, and since lying on his back causes such extreme pain, it took two different tries on two different days before the tests could be finished. The results showed that a disc between lombar 4 and 5 was in bad shape and that Robert has strosis between lombar 3 and 4, where the bones have thickened to the point that the spinal cord is squeezed.

Thursday of last week, Robert had to be at the Spine Hospital before 7:00 AM for an epidural steroid injection. Hopefully it will cause the swelling and inflamation in his spine reduce, and thereby reducing the extreme pain. So far, so good.

An hour after we left the Spine Hospital, he had to be at the surgeon's office for his burn to be checked and the dressing changed. The artifical graft seems to be working. Now we do the dressings, and unless something changes, he won't go back to the surgeon. The healing will probably take another couple of months at least, but the prognosis is good.