Monday, July 25, 2016

PT Therapy Consult Tomorrow

The much anticipated Physical Therapy Consult for Chad is tomorrow. The goal for this is to make life a bit more comfortable and manageable so that Chad can make it until December for his surgery.

Fortunately, we were able to use the Tri-West program with the VA, which allows you to use local facilities. I called around and thankfully Chad will be using the Murray Health and Wellness Center! (That's my gym as well!) Super excited about that.

Chad is doing his best. He is a hard worker and even though he may be in excruciating pain at times, he pushes through. He's not always happy about it ( ha ha ) but he has never given up. He amazes me sometimes. I tell him REST! Nope. Not happening. :)

We are still waiting on the pain management thing but since that is likely just different or more medication, we're not concerned. The physical therapy is the important one in my humble opinion.

I want to send a special thanks to those of you who check in and keep us in your thoughts. There are so many of you out there who live with chronic pain and whose lives have been turned inside out with a cancer diagnosis, it just means the world to know that we're not alone.

Cancer may not be present in our day to day lives, but the threat never leaves. The thought is never to far from ones mind. I continue to lean on you all for strength. Thank you for being there. xo

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Well This Kinda Sucks

I am going to keep this relatively short because I am a bit on the depressed side. We had the follow-up consult with the Neurosurgeon today and it looks like Chad will be have surgery in December to put a spacer in his cervical spine. He currently has zero spinal fluid protecting his spinal cord around the 5th and 6th vertebrae and very little around the 7th (I think). So in an effort to prevent further damage, including future paralysis - the surgeon recommended surgery. 

It will not necessarily help with the pain but will hopefully improve it somewhat. More than anything, it's to prevent further trouble in the future. This isn't something that needs to be done immediately, hence delaying it until Chad has time off this holiday season.

It will still be a long recovery. One night in the hospital but three weeks minimum out of work and a 3 month+ recovery. I am not looking forward to it. I can't lie. I hate this for him and I also hate this for me. 

In the mean time, he will be going for Physical Therapy and Pain Management. Both for his neck and his lower back. The surgeon doesn't think surgery for his lower back is a good option at this time. So hopefully therapy will improve that situation.

It's crazy to think this blog started about Cancer and morphed into a General Health blog. It's been a very difficult and challenging 1.5 years and God willing, we manage to get through these next hurdles as well.

One day at a time. 

Thank you all for your love and support.