Boise to VA Hospital in SANFRANCISCO and back.

SNAFU - - TRAIN WRECK!

I called, a few hours ago to get an update. It took a while!

Short story - the surgeon ordered another MRI, when she got to surgery. He determined that the surgery would not benefit her. It would not relieve the pain nor improve her mobility. He cancelled the surgery. She is due in Boise, tonight, on UAL.

Obviously, I am perplexed by the chain of events. Have no answers. From "She needs it," to "She needs  more extensive - three discs repaired," to "She doesn't need it."

Haven't talked to her. Her cell has not been turned back on, yet.

Ray D  ???

BTW, thanks for the support. It has been quite helpful. 

What a roller coaster ride for you both.

Oh, good grief!  I'm sure she must be terribly disappointed.  :'(  On the other hand, many back surgeries are not needed.  :-\  The good news is she'll be home for her birthday.  ;D

ArdraF

Maybe this is for the better.  Sure hope it all turns out well.

What a PITA. Our thoughts and prayers are still with you. Hopefully someone will get it together and do what's best for Dani !!

Wendy
Leo Carillo SP

What a roller coaster ride for you both.

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You got that right! In fact, when she called me to tell me she was coming home, she said she had "been on a roller coaster ride and was sick of it!" I, actually, thought she had decided to spend part of the day at an amusement park. Very puzzling! Why would she do that?  ??? ???

I picked her up at the airport, about 10:40 last night. She?s home.

She?s disappointed, but not devastated. Pretty good mood, all things considered.

The neuro-surgery department head took over her surgery and ordered another MRI, at a much higher resolution than is available here, or just about anywhere else. They have a very high resolution MRI machine, there. The MRI showed damage well beyond what was previously known. The scheduled surgery would not have corrected the problems as we know them. It could not have been studied and researched in a reasonable time, for this trip, so the surgery was canceled. They put her on a plane and here she is.

More study, consultation and tests will follow. Treatment may be a ways down the road. We are warned that not all medical problems have a medical solution.

That?s as much as I know.

So, we come to what we thought was our destination and find it is just another turn in the road, another hiill to climb, and no map to go by. 

I am reminded that this forum really is a "framily," fantastic people, hellpful and seriously caring. Makes the road easier to take, not as rough as it might have been. Thank you, all. 

We are not "there," yet. Don't know where "there" is. The journey continues -  -  -

You have a remarkable attitude in the face of such a disappointing turn of events.  You two are an inspiration to us all.  We hope for more encouraging news after further research and testing.

Margi

Margi, such a nice thing to say!  ;D Thank you!.

We have an "attitude adjustment device," that we use several times a week. I am going to go out of bounds, a bit, to present it. It has nothing to do with RVing.

We go down to the VAMC, here, in Boise, frequently. We are, sometimes, in a pretty unhappy mood.

As we turn to enter the campus, we see a large boulder. On it is inscribed, "THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS VISIBLE, HERE." Both of  us have experienced very violent and lasting injuries, and we nod in agreement. On to  our appointment - - -

As we enter the hospital, we see a lot of ordinary folks. Neither of us have terribly visible injuries and we can walk short distances. Usually, we take our PMVs or wheel chairs. Neither of us can walk the distances required at the large and sprawling hospital. Pretty aggravating. 

But, now we see someone being wheeled, who seems to have little concious awareness of where he is, or what he is doing. Over there is a quadraplegic, using his mouth to drive his PMV. There are amputees in wheel chairs and on prosthetic legs. Some have prosthetic arms. Many are, obviously, in serious pain, with little relief. For many, some of the injuries are to the mind - ordinarily, not visible. That's the worst kind!  :-\

It's not a few. They are eveywhere! There are a lot of them - and some are quite young. It is shocking, to us - the really young ones.  Someone, so young, ought not to be in a place like that, but there they are!  And, we hear few complaints. Most talk about the weather - the news  - sports - ordinary conversation - even those with voice assistance devices.

We are Disabled Vets. We qualify. But, our "attitude" is in a process of "adjustment." Compared to a lot of what we see, we pay only a token price.

We are, actually, well off! We eat without asssistance,  and pretty much whatever we want to eat, clothe and bathe ourselves, walk short distances. We live in our own home. We drive, and we own a nice motorhome to travel some. No, we do not pay the price extracted from so many. We are well off.  ;D

It works, every time.

We are proud to have served. We are grateful that our country remembers, and takes care of us. That is what matters!

There are quite a few of us, here, members of this forum. We, the DAV members of this forum, are the "lucky" ones.

Ray D  ;D

Now, that's really a "glass-half-full" reminder to all of us to look on the sunny side of life.  Good advice in these times.

Tom is not disabled, but he has received such excellent treatment from the VA outpatient clinics both in Roseburg, OR and Des Moines, IA that he recently decided that he wanted to give back a bit.  He has begun to volunteer with the landscaping department at our local Roseburg facility.  They have extensive grass areas and mammoth rose beds to be pruned and fussed over.  He's really enjoying working with the crew and taking care of the "yard" once more.

Thanks to both you and Dani for your service and the sacrifices you have made on our behalf.

Margi

Thanks to both you and Dani for your service and the sacrifices you have made on our behalf.

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And a big thanks from two "immigrants" who were able to make a new life here, safe in the knowledge that our new home is protected by folks who make these sacrifices.

What a neat and wonderful outlook Ray.  Wish more folks could look at things in the same light. 

Ray,

Thank you for that eye-opening perspective.  It reminded me of my mother who was a Gray Lady at whatever VA hospitals were near our various posts.  She told us about the young and old veterans for whom she wrote letters, read, and generally tried to help provide a bright spot in their lives.  It all reminds me that

FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE!

ArdraF

Margi, I'm thinking about printing out your comments and posting them on my wall, for when I need a "pick-me-up."  ;D ;D

Welcome, Tom, and glad you're here. You do a great job. It's what this country is really about.  ;D

And, I grew up in a "Warrior" family, my brother has traced back 32 generations, through several Knights of the Crusades. I was taught that the final passage to manhood, was to fulfill my "military obligations." I did it, because I was supposed to do it. (Rude shock, the first day of training, for a little 19 year old boy.  : Makes an impression you never recover from/forget. You still see it, more or less, when the veteran is elderly. It won't go away. No further injury is required. Works for women, too, as can be attested to by some of our women vets, on this forum.)

Ron, I tried the other way. Miserable way to live. Still go that direction, now and then. Get an attitude adjustment, and life gets better.  ;D

Ray D  ;D

Thanks Ardra, and thanks to your mother. A big thanks to all the volunteers - without whom, the VA would not be what it is. You can't buy the kind of support volunteers provide. It's priceless.

Ray D  ;D

God bless you Ray for that post. Mike and I are also vets and disabled but our little physical difficulties are nothing, nothing, compared to those veterans you see in most VA hospitals and those who aren't in hospitals but wander the streets of the US. If you truly believe that "Freedom isn't free" than you owe thanks to ALL veterans and especially those who were wounded in the line of duty. Maybe some day we'll stop killing and maiming our best.

You and Dani hang in there. Maybe this is the end of the process for you, maybe there is something that the medical field can do to help. If it is the end of the road, you're ok. And no matter what the docs decide, we thank you for your service.

Take care
Wendy and Mike
2 disabled and very well off and grateful veterans

Journey Resumes:

We got a call from the surgeon at the VAMC SF, yesterday afternoon. He called to reset the surgery, assuming Dani was agreeable to reduced expectations. That would be -  reduction in pain of 50%, more or less - no improvement in stability - no other expected improvements. She agreed.

Surgery is scheduled for Monday, 16th, arriving in surgery suite at 6:00 AM, Pacific. Leaving Sunday AM on UAL. Expected to return Thursday or Friday, 19th or 20th, in the evening.

I was not invited, this time. Will stay home with the dogs, again. (See previous dog-sitting post.)

So, mad scramble to get her packed and ready to go, again. Leaving Sunday on UAL. They are E-Mailing the tickets.

On, again.  :

Ray D  :-\

I don't think we will ever forget this saga! Hope it works.

As I was posting this, the ticket arrived in my inbox! YIPPY. One worry down. That's fast service!  ;D ;D

Terrific news!  We'll keep you both in our thoughts and prayers this coming week.

Margi

Good news we will keep both of you in our thoughts and prayers. 

Ray,

Please check your PMs. Click the line near the top of the screen that says "Hey, Ray, you have x messages, y are new".

Got it Tom, and thank you. I responded, so check for that.

I might explain better, on the surgery. It is a lower level of invasion, lower expectations. Also, lower risk. She is expected to recover somewhat more quickly and get home sooner. (3 to 5 days.) On the other hand, we won't be retiring the wheels, for getting around, anytime soon. Improvement in the level of pain will have her on her feet, more, we think. We will see.  :-\

One consideration for us is the hope for a reduction in pain meds. Dr. said "we'll see how you feel about that, after the surgery." Not very definitive. We'll take what we can get, and hope for the best 'til we find out what that is. 

We really appreciate all the support.

Thanks, everyone.

Ray D  ;D