I think it did! I don’t have any pain in that part of my back anymore. However, I’m still having pain in my back, just in different spots. I don’t know if by putting the cement in that muscles are being used differently and I’m just having muscle pain, or if it’s something else. I’ll talk to the doctor about it at my appointment on Friday. So for now, I’m on the same amount of pain medicine as before surgery.

Surgery went well today. We checked in at 11 and went over everything. I had a chance to rest for about 30 minutes before the surgeon came in and talked to us. Then they wheeled me away around 1:15.

I am scheduled to have surgery on Friday at 1 pm, with an 11 am check-in time. Praise God that the insurance approved it and that I got on the surgeon’s calendar so quickly!

In preparation for that, I have the privilege of getting a COIV-19 test tomorrow. That should be fun. I also have a nurse pre-op call on Wednesday to go over medications for the anesthesiologist. (I will be all the way put to sleep for surgery, which I am thankful for.

Please pray that the week will go smoothly and for Tom and the girls as this affects them as well. Please also pray that the surgery will strengthen my back and that some if not all the pain will be alleviated.

I’ve said before that radiation is the gift that keeps on giving…it works for a long time in your body after you are done going in for treatment. The radiation I had done in early February, made me loose some of the hair on the back of my head. It’s easier to show it with pictures.

I spent part of the morning on the phone with the orthopedic surgeon and his office. I didn’t think I would know any results from the MRI to my appointment a week from today. I was so happy to get his phone call this morning.

The MRI shows the one big compression fracture that I know is causing pain, but no other fractures. It also shows cancer in other vertebrae, but we already knew about those.

My MRI went well today. I will find out the results of it next Friday when I meet with the surgeon. Please pray that there is something they can do to help with my back pain so I can get off some of this pain medication.

I’ve taken the new chemo pill for about a week and a half and so far the main side effects are fatigue and very dry peeling lips.

Apparently the MRI department in Covington decided to close at noon today because of possible riots and neglected to notify me….so no MRI for me this afternoon. Not a big deal, except that it’s annoying to drive to an appointment and find the building locked. It’s rescheduled for Thursday. On Friday the 12th I have an appointment with the surgeon to see if we can strengthen my back. I’m on a waiting list to see if I can get an appointment with him sooner. I’d love to be off some of this pain medicine.

On Friday when my prescription arrived, Tom called throughout the house, “Your new poison is here.”

Nice.

I take two pills in the morning and two at night. We’ll see how it goes!

I’m still waiting to schedule my MRI to find out what is going on and why I am in more pain.

My appointment with the Orthopedic Dr. went well today. We are going to do an MRI of both the upper and lower spine to determine the best treatment. He’s thinking it will be a Vertebroplasty which is basically like putting cement in the middle of the bone that is fractured.

He didn’t see any new visible fractures on the X-Ray he did today. He said an MRI will confirm that and show us exactly which vertebrae(s) would benefit from the procedure.

I was able to sleep some last night since the pain was under control. I can stay on these pain meds for a while until we figure out what is going on with my back.

My blood pressure was low so they are giving me some fluids as my infusion appointment this morning.