Day 1, testing day... waiting

Wednesday was test day; MRI, X-Ray & blood work. The day started out nice enough and early. Really, it felt more like two days. Probably due to the fact that we are getting closer to surgery day than anything. I feel good about it, this is just pre-surgery jitters.

We have had more free food than I could have ever imagined. Free breakfast at the hotel or the facility. Free lunch at the facility & plenty of other snacks and things along the way.
It was a pretty short time that we are actually at the facility. The turnaround is only 24 hours. We will review the results with a surgeon Thursday. Why are so many other facilities seemingly content with making patients waiting upwards of two weeks for results. Glad to see somewhere is moving ahead with the patient in mind.




We still had most of the day, so we went to the mall that was nearby and walked around. Thought about catching a movie, but didn't. Went back the hotel and just relaxed. Did a lot of walking and it really was getting to me by the early evening.

This is a five day process and it is really interesting to see all the different people around the facility. This place is four stories of "back fixin madness"!!! Given the steps in the routine, patients from all steps are around each other. There was a guy eating lunch that was just operated on at the cervical and lumbar sections, walking around talking and that was awesome. There was a woman at the hotel we are staying that came in a wheelchair and after surgery she got up and walked. She walked a real distance without true pain. Now THAT'S a testimony. There was a man here that had been through several surgeries (at other places) that had fused his spine in several places. He is going through a reversal of that process. By the time it is over, he will have undergone four or five procedures. He said that he is feeling better already, and he is going through double the work and is not even finished yet. Plates and screws being removed, and the endoscopic work they do, they told him he should be able to work again about like did before he was ever hurt.
We went to the local pharmacy and met a pharmacist that had lumbar surgery not that long ago. We spoke for a while and she said that I should expect to feel better right away, for a few days she said it will be like I never had back pain. Then that will transcend into more pain again. But, she said, this will be due to the "healing process". The pain will only last a while, then will recede into the better side, and permanent pain free (thereabout 100%).