GOOD NEWS

[Wildcat]

Well, I have good news, but a little troublesome at the same time.  For several years my wife has had some medical problems.  Many years of ear problems with multiple surgeries.  She had an aneurysm (not sure of the spelling) in her brain repaired in her brain about 4 years ago.  For the past 3 years we have been to many doctors and 2 teaching hospitals trying to find the cause for her severe and constant head aches, ear aches, dizziness, and for the past few months severe twitching in her left arm with tingling in a couple of fingers on her left hand.  It turned out to be a vertebrae (spelling?) in her neck has a bone spur and is compressing on her spinal cord.  This Tuesday she will have surgery to fix this problem and we have hopes that all the problems are related.

Linda is a very special lady (puts up with me lol), a first class algebra teacher, and an all around great gal.  You folks are like family and I just had to share this wonderful news with someone.  It is wonderful because we finally know what the problem is and it IS fixable.

[Kummok]

Glad to hear the good news, WC! I feel her pain....honestly. Been dealing with C5/C6 problems for years since I injured them in the FD back in the mid 90s. Seeing floating stars, extreme pain, numbness from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers sometimes. Fortunately I was able to keep it in check with chiropractic treatment instead of the surgical route first recommended. I little "booga-booga" stuff from some DCs, but overall I'm glad I've met some good honest ones. Just dumped $700 into DC treatment in March/April/May and finally achieved success literally overnight when I changed my pillow from a "chiropractic foam" to good old fashioned down. Dang, that $700 coulda bought some great tackle or a GPS for the snowmobile! ;) ;D

After surgery, tell her to avoid tension that contracts the neck muscles....fishing a couple times a day achieves that kinda relief...shopping for a boat causes it! ;)

[HCT]

I know the feeling only too well. Last year I had surgery on my C4 to C7 with a titanium plate put in. I had the same symptoms, numbess of fingers in left hand, couldn't lift my arms, neck pains, you name it. The surgery helped alot with the neck pain. I still have some real problems with my left hand but that's due to a botched intraveinous in my arm from a hospital stay prior to the surgery. Yep, different hospital, different doctors for sure. Wish your wife best wishes, she will see a difference immediately.

[tsquared]

Best wishes, Wildcat--I'm glad to hear your wife's problems are treatable.
T2

[West Coast Kansan]

 8)  Post the results,  waiting for more good news.

[coyote]

I'm in your corner Wildcat. Prayers and best wishes for a full recovery. It'll be like getting you lives back.
Relay my best wishes to your wife.
                                                                    Coyote

[Habanero Smoker]

Glad to hear that your wife's medical problem has been isolated; and is treatable.

[manxman]

it IS fixable.

Wonderful news Wildcat, all the best for her operation and a speedy recovery.  :)

[Wildcat]

Thanks guys.  They are going to remove C5 and attach C4 to C6 useing a graft from a cadabber (spelling) and hold it in place with screws.

Kummok - she only uses a down pillow.  She does love fishing (even more than I) but have been unable to for about 6 or 7 years now.  May get back into it if this all goes well.  We have owned 2 boats in the past.  Will not make that mistake again.  Better to charter or rent.  Much cheaper that way.

[manxman]

Better to charter or rent.  Much cheaper that way.

You are not wrong there Wildcat, sometimes I am tempted just to empty the contents of my wallet over the side of the boat on a regular basis and cut out the middle man!!  :-[

I have never dared work out the cost per lb of fish and lobster..... it would be astronomical but that is not really the point I suppose.

With luck, at least she will have a choice to be able to go fishing.  :)

[Wildcat]

The boat stuff was intended to be funny but realistic.  Should have said, "Been there, Done that, Got the T-shirt'.  ;D  With insurance, maintenance costs, payments, fuel costs, labor to keep it ship shape, etc., etc., it was simply a very expensive hobby. While I was still working, I rarely got to go out except on weekends and many times the seas were too rough or the weather was bad on the weekends.  It kind of became a very expensive yard ornament.  Also, many people wanted to go out, but at their whim and not mine, did not want to share fuels costs, did not want to help clean boat afterward, etc. It was nice to be able to just go on a whim to anyplace, but that was kind of rare.  It was more cost effective to simply charter once or twice a month plus I did not have any of the labor and liabilities.  Gotta laugh.

[Tiny Tim]

Wild...wish I had seen this post either prior to or during our discussion last night, but at least I see it now.  Good luck to the Mrs. on the surgery, and I'll try to throw a prayer out there for both of you.

[LilSmoker]

That is wonderful news Wildcat!

Kind regards to your lady wife and yourself Speedy recovery Mrs Wildcat!

LilSmoker (Steve)

[Wildcat]

Thanks LS and TT.  I had already posted here prior to the chat room and the chat room limits the amount of words and I did not want to piece mill it together.  Wife's name is Linda.  We are actually looking forward to the surgery.  Generally do not like surgery but we are getting desperate.  Either that or powerful pain killers which only knocks her out.

Wildcat (Rick)

[Gizmo]

Best wishes to Linda  on the surgery Wildcat.  We'll pray for a quick recovery.

My son had his back surgery a few weeks back and is doing well.  The worst news was that in 10 to 15 years he may have to have it fused (black disk).