Today was a much better day for connecting with doctors and receiving information.
Mom will have an outpatient procedure done on Wednesday. They call it surgery, but there is no incision made. She will be sedated, have a very thin needle inserted into the compressed vertebra and concrete injected to reshape and "reinflate" the vertebra. Amazing what they can do! The doctor said 85% of the people walk out of the hospital pain free, some have come into the hospital in wheelchairs because they couldn't walk. He also said that many times the GI problems she's expressing are caused by pressure on nerves in her spine. My hope and prayer is that she will be one of the 85% to be pain free and the GI issues are related to the spine. We should know Wednesday.
I'm planning to leave for Mesa Friday afternoon and be there all next week. Hopefully, I'll be able to return the following Friday because she will be able to care for herself and feel great!
Please pray for God's healing touch on my mother and the doctor's steady hand during the procedure.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Mom - Update #2
Today was a disappointment as far as seeing or talking with any doctors, since it is Saturday that's not surprising.
Mom had an MRI of her back yesterday. The spinal specialist wanted to review the MRI before he meets with her. No appointment is set yet. Mom did say that this doctor's speciality is spine fusion, which is what she will need, if it's possible. So, it sounds most likely that there will be surgery in her future. Because of the MRI she was not able to meet with the GI doctor, but rescheduled for next Friday. I have encouraged her to try to see the GI doctor sooner than Friday.
What I'm hearing from her is she has extreme pain in her back from the vertebrae and pain in the top of her stomach that spreads up under her breasts and into the breastbone area. She is able to eat without discomfort, but is lacking in appetite lots of time. Her attitude is good, but she is becoming increasingly depressed, which I feel is pretty normal under the circumstances. I think the depression will improve once she finds out everything that is wrong with her.
So, again we play the waiting game until next week. Her next doctor appointment with her primary care physician is Tuesday. Hopefully, she'll hear from the spinal specialist Monday.
Keep us in your prayers.
Mom had an MRI of her back yesterday. The spinal specialist wanted to review the MRI before he meets with her. No appointment is set yet. Mom did say that this doctor's speciality is spine fusion, which is what she will need, if it's possible. So, it sounds most likely that there will be surgery in her future. Because of the MRI she was not able to meet with the GI doctor, but rescheduled for next Friday. I have encouraged her to try to see the GI doctor sooner than Friday.
What I'm hearing from her is she has extreme pain in her back from the vertebrae and pain in the top of her stomach that spreads up under her breasts and into the breastbone area. She is able to eat without discomfort, but is lacking in appetite lots of time. Her attitude is good, but she is becoming increasingly depressed, which I feel is pretty normal under the circumstances. I think the depression will improve once she finds out everything that is wrong with her.
So, again we play the waiting game until next week. Her next doctor appointment with her primary care physician is Tuesday. Hopefully, she'll hear from the spinal specialist Monday.
Keep us in your prayers.
Friday, November 7, 2008
My Mom - Update #1
I decided I would post updates on my mom rather than trying to email everyone her latest status. First, let me say I appreciate, more than you know, all of your prayers and concern.
My brother is in Mesa staying with my mom and this is what we know through Thursday evening. She had a chest x-ray on Wednesday. When the radiologists reviewed her x-ray yesterday they saw something that they wanted further testing on. She has not seen the doctor yet, but the radiologists told her that her 6th vertebrae is compressed and crushed, which is causing her pain. What we don't know is if this is a result of osteoporosis due to the prednisone she has been taking for the last year or from some other cause. I'm not sure when they are meeting with the doctor for further explanation. The x-ray also showed she has bronchitis which is not a big deal, but just one more issue to add to the mix.
She is scheduled today to see a gasterologist as there is something else going on in her stomach. More than likely they will scope her to look at her stomach and I think intestines. Not sure when that will take place. My hope is today or tomorrow so we have more information for the doctors to give us a diagnosis and hopefully a prognosis.
My brother said my mom is doing okay, even though the vertebrae is a huge issue she's happy to at least know what is causing some of her pain. I wish I would have been more sympathetic to her pain as it was real and severe.
I will know more later today.
My brother is in Mesa staying with my mom and this is what we know through Thursday evening. She had a chest x-ray on Wednesday. When the radiologists reviewed her x-ray yesterday they saw something that they wanted further testing on. She has not seen the doctor yet, but the radiologists told her that her 6th vertebrae is compressed and crushed, which is causing her pain. What we don't know is if this is a result of osteoporosis due to the prednisone she has been taking for the last year or from some other cause. I'm not sure when they are meeting with the doctor for further explanation. The x-ray also showed she has bronchitis which is not a big deal, but just one more issue to add to the mix.
She is scheduled today to see a gasterologist as there is something else going on in her stomach. More than likely they will scope her to look at her stomach and I think intestines. Not sure when that will take place. My hope is today or tomorrow so we have more information for the doctors to give us a diagnosis and hopefully a prognosis.
My brother said my mom is doing okay, even though the vertebrae is a huge issue she's happy to at least know what is causing some of her pain. I wish I would have been more sympathetic to her pain as it was real and severe.
I will know more later today.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Being Defeated Is Often Temporary, Giving Up Makes It Permanent
Being defeated is often temporary, giving up makes it permanent. -Marilyn von Savant
At times, have you ever felt that you were utterly defeated? It's much easier, and extremely tempting, when you're feeling defeated and overwhelmed, to see what's wrong with yourself and your life than it is to take advantage of what's right. The problem with that is too much focus on the negative can affect your attitude, your opinion of yourself, and how you choose to live life. Lately I've been feeling defeated and wondering what the point of it all is. I dig myself out of that hole just to have it cave in again. But, then I read the above quote and decided that all of the junk I'm going through is temporary and only if I let it will it become permanent.
My blogs are never profound or worldly. I blog because it makes me take the time to think about all that is going on in my life or what's happening around me. I'm choosing not to focus on all of my negatives (my personal negatives), but focus on the good and try to pay attention to the things I have the control to change and improve. I can try to maximize the things I'm already good at and use those strengths to help me boost my weak spots. I believe those strengths will help me through the situations I can't control or change, but I can look at differently.
Like I said, nothing profound in this blog, just me putting pen to paper and letting go of the negative junk in life. As some good friends have said, and I need to keep remembering, is everything that comes to me has come through God's hands first.
At times, have you ever felt that you were utterly defeated? It's much easier, and extremely tempting, when you're feeling defeated and overwhelmed, to see what's wrong with yourself and your life than it is to take advantage of what's right. The problem with that is too much focus on the negative can affect your attitude, your opinion of yourself, and how you choose to live life. Lately I've been feeling defeated and wondering what the point of it all is. I dig myself out of that hole just to have it cave in again. But, then I read the above quote and decided that all of the junk I'm going through is temporary and only if I let it will it become permanent.
My blogs are never profound or worldly. I blog because it makes me take the time to think about all that is going on in my life or what's happening around me. I'm choosing not to focus on all of my negatives (my personal negatives), but focus on the good and try to pay attention to the things I have the control to change and improve. I can try to maximize the things I'm already good at and use those strengths to help me boost my weak spots. I believe those strengths will help me through the situations I can't control or change, but I can look at differently.
Like I said, nothing profound in this blog, just me putting pen to paper and letting go of the negative junk in life. As some good friends have said, and I need to keep remembering, is everything that comes to me has come through God's hands first.
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