Husband's illness

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bvdr

bvdr

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2003
Messages
4,069
Location
Pinehurst, NC
My husband hasn't been doing well for several months. Just when it started we don't know for sure but he has rapidly declined and I'm not sure we have the whole picture yet. We have been through so many specialists and so many tests and Dec. 23rd he is having cervical spine surgery. He has severe stenosis of the cord which is "flattened like a pancake" and very bruised. He is able to walk only with a walker and that is with real difficulty. His right leg in particular just gives way and won't support him. With his symptoms, especially hyperreflexia (4+ with clonus) we knew that all of the causes were very serious.

The main goal at this point is to try to prevent further damage. The doctors have not been optimistic about regaining any of what has been lost but I am hopeful he will anyway. He wanted to have Christmas at home here with our family so we are doing that tomorrow. I don't like it very well but doing this means an awful lot to him. His neurosurgeon said if anything changes at all go immediately to the ER and they would admit him and bump the surgery up. He is now on Decadron for the inflammation of the cord and he has improved with that and his motions are not as robotic and stiff. Today we went for his pre-op so I'm glad that is finished. If all goes like I'm hoping then he may only be in the hospital a couple of days. The surgeon said he may need inpatient rehab but wouldn't know until after the surgery.

I would appreciate your prayers. Tom and I have been married 43 years and got married on his 19th birthday and have been best friends since we were small children. It just reminds me how hard it is for our families when we have our repairs/replacements, and other heart related illnesses. We know God's Grace will be more than sufficient regardless which way this goes and that really helps.

Tomorrow our family will arrive so I may be off the board for a few days but please do remember to pray. Hugs to you all, Betty
 
Cindy and I send our prayers and love to you both. May the surgery be a big success and your husband's recovery greater than expected. Hugs (( ))
 
Betty, You Have My Prayers As Well...

Betty, You Have My Prayers As Well...

Please know that you and your husband are in my prayers as you deal with this. I have spinal stenosis as well, so I know some of what he is going through and I know it's not fun. Ole' Harrybaby is wishing you both nothing but the very best treatment and recovery and holidays and everything else that goes along with life. Hugs!!! Harrybaby:D:D:D
 
Betty, you and Tom have my prayers for a good surgical result and relief from his terrible pain. I hope your early Christmas is a wonderful heartwarming one and that God will give you both the gift of good health for Christmas and beyond.

May God bless all.
 
Betty, I'll certainly keep Tom and you in my prayers. I hope his surgery goes well and they can stop the damage. Better results would certainly be an added bonus. Enjoy your early Christmas with the family. We'll be anxiously waiting to hear how he's doing. Peace.
 
Oh Betty, I'm so sorry to read the trials & tribulations that you & your husband are going thru right now. :(

I pray that all goes well with his surgery & that you may still have a wonderful Christmas together with your family!

Godspeed!
 
Betty:

I'll be praying for your husband.

A dear friend of mine had the same thing -- had surgery for spinal stenosis in Feb 2008. She had been told she'd be in a wheelchair PDQ w/out the surgery, and she had to get a pacemaker in order to make it through the surgery. (BTW, she has MVP.)
It **is** very traumatic surgery. However, Kitty did well. John & I visited her 3 months post-op & took her to lunch (she lives a suburb just north of Houston), and she had some problems sitting for very long.

She's done very very well. She does have some other medical conditions. But she's free of the pain she had pre-op.

So, I think there's a very good possibility for your husband to get back some quality of life and be pain-free.
 
Thanks everyone. One of the docs who will be working on Tom also worked on my neck when I had the fusion done for cervical spinal stenosis a little over two years ago. The diagnoses look the same but there is no comparison in severity at all. Mine involved a nerve root and a bony ridge. His is the whole spinal canal has narrowed. He showed us the MRI and the increased uptake where there is bruising. The one doctor kept saying that he couldn't stress it enough about what a serious situation it is. They were booked up through Feb. but said he couldn't wait. He had no pain with this at all until 6 days ago and now that is almost gone with the Decadron. The surgeon told him that the pain was no gauge as to how he is doing but my husband can't quite wrap himself around that concept. I don't blame him. Nobody likes to be hurting.
 
Betty, I will be praying for your hubby and for you. Hope and pray that the procedure will be a complete success; indeed, with even more restoration of mobility than they anticipate. I have been contending with "moderate" spinal stenosis of the lumbar region for several years, so I have some inkling of what he's going through, though I gather mine currently does not compare with what he's going through. I pray that this will make everything a lot better for him.
 
Betty, you will be

Betty, you will be

in my thoughts and prayers, your husband, you and your whole family this holiday season. Sometimes life can just be rough. :(

Christina L
 
I hardly know what to say, Betty, but my best wishes are with you and your husband.
 
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