THIC

The Healthcare Issues Continue. After several months of back and leg pain, trying to exercise my way through it and with care from a chiropractor reaching an impasse, an appointment was made with a neuro-doc. At the insistence – nay, demand – of the Spice, due to my grunting and groaning, I also went to my primary care doc to try to speed up the process – since the neuro appointment was a couple of weeks out. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory tablet pac and scheduled a MRI on my lower back to determine exactly what was going on.

Monday of Thanksgiving week was the day of the MRI and being out and about before 8am caused the realization to dawn on me that many people still work for a living. The traffic seemed to indicate that most all the folks were late for work due to their non-observance of the posted limit, plus they get a bit cranky when some retired person with only an MRI appointment gets in front of them that is in much less of a hurry than they.

The MRI center opened a few minutes after my arrival and I was the first appointment of the day. My information was given, insurance cards copied and after a short wait, I was taken back to change into clothes without metal of any kind. Then I was assisted into the proper position on the table, the table was moved under the machinery and the binging and banging started. Close places have never bothered me and it was a good thing because I was up close and personal with this machine.

The whole process was painless and I was walking out the door about an hour after I went in and had my MRI images in hand. The mind that God created within us has always been amazing to me – with the ability to create astounding things – some to kill and hurt but some machines like these to aid in the healthcare of humankind. God does all things well.

Since I already had the MRI images, we called and were able to move the neuro appointment up to the next day. Next morning I entered another healthcare office in which I had never been. This simply means that once again your life’s medical history must be written out on another form, insurance cards must be copied and you wait for your name to be called.

My name was called and I went to another place of waiting. After a while the doctor came in and introduced himself, he asked and I told of my ailment and somewhat of its history. He told me that he didn’t see any huge red flags on the images of my back during a quick reading. Then he said that he wanted to avoid surgery if possible – and while I could appreciate the thoughts, I also felt I needed some form of solution for the pain that was nagging my consciousness most moments.

He wanted to try another form of a stronger steroid to hopefully shrink the inflammation and hence either lessen or eliminate the pain, and I was all for either one of those solutions. We talked more and in response to my questions, he advised me the exercises I could do and the actions I should not take. The anti-inflammatory he prescribed was to be taken 3 a day for 5 days, take nothing for a week and then do 5 more days on the drug. All the while noting any changes taking place in the pain and cramping of the back and leg.

The first 5 days of the medication has now been completed and I’m into the week of taking nothing. While there has been a slight relief in the symptoms while at rest, walking brings them back in a hurry and it is a bit discouraging – but the future has not arrived as yet and we will see how it works out then. Prayer concerning this matter would be much appreciated. God is still good, all the time. ec