Well...well...well


After almost a 3 week dark period, I'm back. and I have a really good reason for it this time, really


It all started back on the 24th of June. As most of you know, I've been hobbled lately but we could never understand quite what was happening. After deciding that it was my left knee, my family doctor decided to get me nto physio at the Region 7 hospital. So on this monday, I go for my first physio appointment. after an exam, the therapist decides that I need to see a doctor before she feels comfortable in sending me home. The Orthopedic specialist was too busy so my family doctor says "OK, Admit him" and in I go for the first overnight hospital stay in 4 years.


The Next day, after a CT scan, I'm sitting in my room (on the pediatric floor, If you ever have to be in hospital and get the option of being on peds, Do it, Big TV's and very Quiet) when kind old Dr. Norris comes in and says that they didn't see anything on the CT scan and procedes to do a sensation test with a sharp (needle) that causes scars I still have. a few minites later, Dr. Wally(?) comes in and proceeds to say that there are a couple of disks out of place and I'll be making the trip to moncton via ambulance. SO away we go.


I arrive a couple of hours later and am taken directly to the MRI. If you've never had one before. It's a big, noisy box that they roll you in and out of. You can feel the magnets as they take the pictures of my spine. After this, I'm taken to the ER to wait for a bed in the nuraligy(sp?) ward. When I arrive, It's an old bed that's about 3 inches too short with warped head and footboards and the railings have thier paint chipped off. I think it came from the old Miramichi Hospital.


The Next morning, Dr. Gorman comes in and says that I have 2 disks herinated, (the 3-4 and 4-5) but he thinks that there may be more going on so more tests. So I go for an EMG a test where they take electrodes and shock the nerves to see how long it takes for the responce to come back. after thet they take another electrode and put it in to the muscle to listen to them. It was OK till he started moving the leg witrh the electrode, that hurt like a son of a bitch. everything on those tests comes back normal.


It's now 10 in the morning. I don't see anyone else or do anything for the rest of the day. I begin to get angry, and frustrated at what I feel is the lack of action going on around me. I can lay on my back and watch TV and read at home.


The next morning, Dr. Gorman comes in for rounds and I tear a strip off him for what I feel is the inaction and the fact that I want things done so I can get the heck home. He's not real happy and I personally could not and still don't care if I offended him at all. He like most good doctors I've met are arrogant and I have no problems pulling him down a notch if need be, I felt it was needed. My Mother on the other hand, was not impressed. But it worked. 20 minutes later, he shows up and sends me down for a 2nd MRI which confermes the 1st.


The next day, He tells me that I could do physio instead of going straight into surgery and that I can go back to the MIramichi to do it, as long as I spent a couple of days inpatent to get me started. Agreed and as soon as we get a bed it's back to the 'chi.


After a decent breakfast at McDonalds and a stop home to shave and clean up a bit, it was back to Miramichi Regional Hospital in Peds, where a friend of mine was also admitted with some back problems of her own. It being a long weekend, nothing was going to happen untill tuesday so we camped out and had a great time with Friends and family untill tuesday when I started Physio.


On wednesday, after physio. I was discharged and sent home with a physio appointment 3 times a week, a month off work and a dwindling chance of surgery if Physio continues working as well as it has. Here's hoping.