Good News, Bad News

Depending on how you look at it, I've got some news today. My doctor is recommending that I have back surgery. The CAT scan I had yesterday revealed that my disc herniation has gotten worse, and it doesn't appear that it's going to get any better. (In case you're wondering, my herniation is in the disc between L5 and S1 in the lower back.) The procedure is known as a discectomy where the part of the disc that is protruding is removed surgically so that pressure on the nerve is relieved.

I am hopeful that I will be a candidate for the less-invasive form of this procedure known as Cervical Micro Endoscopic Discectomy. You can see a virtual presentation of this procedure at http://www.totalspine.com/Minimally-Invasive-Surgery/Lumbar-Micro-Endo.asp. Choose "I Agree" and then click on "See Narrated Animation". The doctor who will be performing the surgery is Dr. Paul Tsahakis. You can read about him at http://www.totalspine.com/Our-Doctors/Our-Doctors.asp#Paul. I will be meeting with him next Tuesday, December 9th to discuss the surgery. Please pray that I will be a candidate for this procedure and that it will resolve my back issues.

As for me, I'm getting around much better than I was on Monday. Monday was a terrible day for me. My doctor prescribed a steroid pack that I began taking Monday night and will continue taking over the course of the next several days. I'm not sure what has helped, but I'm able to sit much more comfortably now than the past 2-3 weeks. On the down side, I feel a lot more of the effects in my left leg. I get tingling and numbness at times clear down to the bottom of my foot. The main concern now is that I don't get nerve damage because of this. I've lost a lot of strength in my left foot already, but the doctor today said that for the most part surgery should resolve that 90%.

If my back cooperates I plan to return to work from home tomorrow and back to work physically on Monday. I need to find a new car to purchase by then since driving a manual transmission Nissan 200SX in traffic 26 miles each way is about the worst possible scenario for someone with lower back problems. Please pray that we can find a good quality, affordable car before Monday.

Your continued prayers, support, and comments here are appreciated. Thanks for all the birthday wishes as well. I know being told I need back surgery isn't the greatest birthday present, but like my dad says, at least I know what I'm dealing with now and what I have to do. Now it's in God's hands.

God bless,

Aaron