A brief update on Leaves on the Current
This afternoon we finally got in to see her neurosurgeon. It started out with a warning that she might have to continue with her brace indefinitely, which was certainly not what we wanted to hear. He did show us her original xrays - it did not take a trained eye to see the damage that had been done to her spine.
He watched her walk.
We talked about options.
For now, the next step will be a contrast MRI of the two key areas of her spine and a set of regular xrays. That is set for Sunday evening - she will spend about an hour in the X-ray department and even though I will not be in the room while it is happening, I will not work that evening to be with her before and afterward.
It is possible that enough improvement will have occurred to allow one of several possibilities
1. being able to take off the brace most of the time
2. undergoing kyphyplasty at several points of her lower spine. This would involve using a needle to inject a cement or plastic to reinforce the spine at that point.
3. also a very outside chance of inserting an internal metal brace. That would require back surgery, and is considered unlikely because of how damaged her spine was before.
Depending upon what these x-rays show, she may need some more where she is bending forward and bending backward to see what if any weakness or instability is shown thereby.
So we do not yet know how this will play out.
There are good days and bad days with the chemo. She is not yet regularly working a full week - for example, she will have worked a bit less than half a day today.
We remain hopeful there will be enough improvement to have more mobility and less reliance upon "Gregor" but we do not yet know.
The neurosurgeon is top notch, although it would be his partner who would do any procedures.
We have also not ruled out a consultation at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY, where her sister used to work for the CEO, and which is perhaps the premier place in the country for any of these kinds of procedures.
We thank people for their continued support and prayers and love.
Until the neurosurgeon has evaluated the xrays, we do not expect any further news to share.
Peace.
He watched her walk.
We talked about options.
For now, the next step will be a contrast MRI of the two key areas of her spine and a set of regular xrays. That is set for Sunday evening - she will spend about an hour in the X-ray department and even though I will not be in the room while it is happening, I will not work that evening to be with her before and afterward.
It is possible that enough improvement will have occurred to allow one of several possibilities
1. being able to take off the brace most of the time
2. undergoing kyphyplasty at several points of her lower spine. This would involve using a needle to inject a cement or plastic to reinforce the spine at that point.
3. also a very outside chance of inserting an internal metal brace. That would require back surgery, and is considered unlikely because of how damaged her spine was before.
Depending upon what these x-rays show, she may need some more where she is bending forward and bending backward to see what if any weakness or instability is shown thereby.
So we do not yet know how this will play out.
There are good days and bad days with the chemo. She is not yet regularly working a full week - for example, she will have worked a bit less than half a day today.
We remain hopeful there will be enough improvement to have more mobility and less reliance upon "Gregor" but we do not yet know.
The neurosurgeon is top notch, although it would be his partner who would do any procedures.
We have also not ruled out a consultation at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY, where her sister used to work for the CEO, and which is perhaps the premier place in the country for any of these kinds of procedures.
We thank people for their continued support and prayers and love.
Until the neurosurgeon has evaluated the xrays, we do not expect any further news to share.
Peace.