The Accidental Shepherd

This is my DH - he is really hurting right now - a combination of deteriorating discs in his back and (IMHO), bad chiropractic - I have nothing against chiro, believe me, it has kept him walking and working for years, but that was with a good careful & caring chiropractor, who was, unfortunately on vacation last week, so because he has been in pain for the last month - he finally went to the referral chiropractor - and it turned out to be not a good thing. He's "deteriorated" rapidly from the Monday appointment he had with this guy to the point that we actually called 911 on Wed. at 2:30 a.m. & had them transport him to the hospital, because he could not walk, he couldn't stand, or sit without EXTREME agony. Hospital ER doc looked at him - pumped him full of drugs & sent us on our way. Amazingly, he did walk out of the hospital, but that's the last time he's been up on two legs. Why we didn't have them do an MRI while we were there, I'll never know - I guess, because we had one scheduled for Saturday - and who knew that once we got him home, he would deteriorate so quickly. He's on Heavy duty pain pills - dilaudid - good stuff - I took it when they replaced my knee and after my surgery last spring - it is barely managing his pain. - Valium - 2 every 8 hours - (I'm giving him an extra one tomorrow before his MRI just in case he has a little case of the claustorphobes...) Prednisone twice a day -

So, he's got this MRI appointment tomorrow - How'm I gonna get him there if the cannot stand or walk or sit? There is a private ambulance company here in town but golly - they'd charge almost $1000 to transport him on a stretcher and our insurance wouldn't cover it! They said they were sorry and could see my problem, but they only paid for ambulance charges if the patient was being transported to the hospitan and so they couldn't help me! Shit! I called some friends and we were hoping that they might be able to help us - they have a Volvo station wagon - but there is still the problem of getting him from the bed to the car! - Then to top it all off, our doctor's office called at 4:45 this afternoon and the imaging clinic called them & CANCELED OUR MRI APPOINTMENT because I had told them that he was being brought in by gurney! They said that he needed to be able to walk from the door to the imaging table - now what kind of crap is that? AND why did that woman wait till the very end of the day to call our doctor's office?

I must say, tho that the nurse from our dr's office surprisingly stepped up to bat for us. She got us an appointment for tomorrow a.m. at he Hospital MRI - and then she got Dr. W. to OK that he will have them admit him after the MRI. (Unless a miracle happens overnight - anybody got one in your pocket?) I guess we're still going to have to go with the private ambulance place - but maybe because they are transporting him to the hospital, insurance might cover it. He just says it hurts too much to stand - and I already just about have him drugged into oblivion -

What about the accidental shepherd? Well, that would be me. The girls scatter like leaves in the wind when they see me coming and the little boys, well, they adore me as long as I have cookies in my pockets - can you tell I've spoiled them? I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it because of my knee, but it seems to be handling it ok, for the most part - But this getting up early part is for the birds! Oh, that reminds me I forgot to shut the chickens in tonight - they were still out bookin around when I fed the sheep - well hopefully the boogie possum won't get them over night.

The first picture of John was taken in 2004 in Hawaii. The 2nd one was last summer when the boys were out for a "little jaunt" by themselves, and the third is with our friend Kathy H. down on the Oregon Coast.

Thanks for reading my tale of woe - think positive thoughts, pray for a miracle, or however you communicate with higher powers. We need all the help we can get.

Thanks, T.