And then there was....

back surgery. Which story requires that I back up a few years.

December 2007: drove to in-law's house for Christmas. I was uncomfortable in that travel but chalked it up to the length of drive and being out of shape. Regular holiday stress had its hand in physical discomfort as well so no big deal. Could still be ignored and was.

January 2008: drove with my sister to my mother's in late January to surprise her for her birthday. Mild discomfort became great discomfort. Sister plied me with leftover pain meds from her previous childbirth. I did a great bit of whimpering. End result being that sister had to drive me home from Mom's to her house. Husband caught a ride with a friend to my sister's to drive me home since nearly full incapacitation was in effect. On the way home, doctor friend was called and meds were prescribed. Over the phone diagnosis was a muscular spasm that meds and bed rest would bring right results.

February 2008: meds and bed rest brought minimal results. Back pain still a great problem. MRI showed an almost complete rupture of L5 S1. Surgery was discouraged and other methods were pursued. This course followed until April 2008 when violent sneeze brought pain issues to whole nother level. Surgery scheduled within 4 days of sneeze.

April 2008: Surgery by top notch neurosurgeon revealed that a 2nd rupture had occurred. Possibly earlier surgery could have prevented such loss but all things must rest in God's will. Surgery revealed that 2/3rds of disc now completely gone. Up in the air estimate on how long the remaining 1/3rd would last.

August 2010: Remaining 1/3rd of disc announces its leaving the building. Too bad for Elvis. Meds and other therapies are tried in the hopes of issue being an inflamed sciatic nerve. MRI in November gives conclusions that minds would rather ignore. Disc is rotten and bulging or ruptured. Vertebrae have steadily closed in on one another. Bone spurs have formed. Scar tissue adhesions are present. Diagnosis: big hot mess and surgery is inevitable.

November 2010: Surgery is performed. Bigger mess found once opened up than MRI revealed. Complete rupture of remaining 1/3rd on right side. Almost complete compression of vertebrae that even a surgical scalpel can not slide between. Three hours top notch neurosurgeon worked on me. Cleaned, scraped, wedged open and repaired. Received artificial disc replacement, fusion and titanium rods and screws for stability. No spineless issues here. Tough as steel. Literally.

Recovery is my goal now. Seeing how the Lord has ordained, provided and blessed with an abundance is restorative in its own right. No one seeks physical discomfort and affliction for entertainment purposes. But when the Lord uses such things in His perfect purposes, hands must be open to receive and fists unclenched. I have greater peace than ever before regarding the course these things have taken. He has not forsaken but has instead shown an even greater embracing of my cause. Only to Him is glory given. He will have my all. I am secure in my surrender.