Sucks getting old.

It's probably not so much getting old as it was all the things we did in our past for thrills. I'm 54 and Rich is 58. Don't know that I would have changed anything if I knew what I know now. The stock car racing was probably the hardest thing on my body, along with the 23 years I worked in a book bindery. The racing, sky diving and twisting wrenches is what got Rich. I only had a couple sky dives when Rich decided to get out of it, After 15 years of jumping he was starting to feel it.
He has healed up real good from his carpal tunnel surgery and, as I thought, it did not take away much of his pain. He is scheduled to go in on Monday and have his neck surgery done to replace the disc. It will be a 12 week recovery for him because of his line of work. I am going into work on Monday morning to do some last minute billing and taking off at 11. His surgery is at 2 so he needs to be there by 1:30. I work in West Chicago and he has to go to Rockford for the surgery. 45 minutes home to pick him up and then about an hour to Rockford.
Driving is very painful for me, it must be the position. Plus my left hand and arm goes numb when I drive, so I end up just using my right hand. I'm just not looking forward to the hour and a half drive going from work to Rockford for visits. Bright side is, I can get on the toll road and Cruise. He should only be in the hospital for 3 days.
It's very painful for me to sit up straight to do anything. I have a small pillow at work that I have at my lower back so that I am in a somewhat reclined position just to get through the day and I am on pain killers nonstop. The neurologist gave me a prescription for something that helps control pain with out being a narcotic. It doesn't take away the pain but it does take the edge off, as long as I take them constant. I am able to get through the day by only taking the narcotic pain relievers when I first get up so I can get moving.
I was scheduled for an mri of my neck today but it had to be postponed because my insurance is still pending approval. The neurologist thinks I have a pinched nerve causing my pain. The pain has been pretty much nonstop since Dec 2. Rich's has been since early summer. I hope I don't end up having the same surgery as Rich. Wouldn't it be nice if it was just sympathy pain and mine goes away with his surgery. If only it was that simple.
I'll take care of him for now and if it comes to it, he will take care of me later. It's what we do.

No cancer!

I had not even thought about cancer, but the biopsy was apparently done to rule out cancer. None to be found...very happy to hear that. The results are consistent with reflux damage which can be controlled with medication.
The back MRI shows several small perineural cysts on 7 exiting nerve roots in my spine with some stenosis. Don't know what any of this means as far as what's next.
I will have to see a neurologist to know more. I have been in constant pain for 16 days now. I am functioning on pain meds, trying to use them as sparingly as possible. I don't want to get dependant on them.
My boss has been great about the whole thing. This is an amazing company to work for. She told me that I am a good employee, this is just temporary, and we will get through it.

Rich's carpal tunnel surgery went well as far as the carpal tunnel is concerned. He is still in allot of pain so it looks like he will be having the surgery to his spine where the nerve is pinched. They were hoping the carpal tunnel surgery would relieve enough pressure from the nerve that he would have less pain.

I'm not liking this getting old thing...it just doesn't agree with me.

Killing time

Just sitting here killing time till it's time to go. I have a date at the surgery center today. Hopefully this will put an end to the constant pain I'm in. I hope they find something that is easy to deal with. I really want to go back to work Monday. It would suck to wait this long for a job only to loose it because of this. My boss is being real nice about it, but I also knowthat next week begins crunch time.
On the 17th we have a corporate meeting about the new software. She told me she needs me there since I will be on the ground flour with this. It's a good opportunity and I can't blow it.
Rich just go up and we will be leaving in about 20 minutes.
Till next time...wish me luck.

I am home for a day!

They ruled out heart trouble. FYI...if you have a choice of chemical stress test or physical stress test; take the physical. I had every side effect there was, including but not limited to throwing up bile and a migrane.
I have to go to a surgery center on Friday morning for an endoscopy and possible dialation. I'm not entirly sure what they are looking for. Till then, I am not going to worry till it's time to worry.
It will be so nice to sleep in my own bed and not have people waking me up every few hours to draw blood or take my vitals.

From the start...I have been having pain that stars in my back, between my shoulder blades and left of my spine. it radiates into my chest and arm pit. This has been going on since Saturday. It's worse when I sit up or walk. This morning on my way to work it was so bad i stopped at my drs office and they sent me to the emergency room. i insisted to the nurse at the office that i thought it was my back but she insisted that i had all the typical symptoms of heart attack. thc cardiologist agrees with me. they have me scheduled for a stress test and an ultra sound to look at the valves. And arteries.

I have been admitted for observation. I will be spending the night here and the will be doing a stress test and drawing blood every 6 hours. They suspect what I think they called pt pulmonary condition. I could be wrong on that. Very uncomfortable. Nurse is here gotta go.