Saturday, February 17, 2007

Update on John

Well, we got him to the hospital for his MRI this a.m. - Instead of just going, having the MRI & having them read it some time this weekend & get the report to our GP on Monday, I told them that depending upon what it showed, we might want to admit him to the hospital. So, we had to wait a bit, but we got the results today. The good news is that there was nothing really "bad" - he now knows that he won't "die or sever a nerve" by getting up and getting around - the bad news was it showed a herniated disc in L1 & L2, & when I talked with his GP, he didn't feel that the problem was severe enough to admit him to the hospital - $1000 a day to have someone bring him a bed pan and give him his meds. Well I can do that, & I am free. His regular chiropractor, (who was nice enough to call today on his lunch hour while he is in Seattle for a conference) got the info too and he is going to probably give us a call tonight or tomorrow. John just loves this guy and I'm thinking that if Dr. K. says, "OK, buddy, it's time to start getting up and around a little bit every day" - he'll start doing that.


John was actually much better this a.m. than he has been since we took him to the ER on Wednesday, so, I'm feeling encouraged. The sun is out today and John's boss and good friend Kurt went and picked up 8 bales of hay for us this morning and he's going to bring them by the house tomorrow, so the bah, ram, ewes won't starve to death (god forbid they should be shorted on their hay - if they ate as much as they scattered around the barn, we'd be a bale or two ahead! LOL) They pretty much stopped looking at me cross-eyed when I go in the barn - but I can still get them to scatter - all I have to say is "booga booga" and they nicely get out of my way. I have been loading my pockets with animal crackers, but the only ones who really like them are the boys.




Keeping him in your thoughts and prayers will be much appreciated. T.

4 comments:

Kathy said...

I am glad to know there's someone else who's trained their farm animals with "Booga, booga"! :)
We are so glad to hear that some progress has been made. I know just how painful all of this stuff can be and my heart goes out to the two of you.
I know I have a bulging disc at my L4/L5 and when irritated can really give me shooting pain (hence the Lyrica)...I am hoping that this will be something manageable for John when it settles down. I have our feed company deliver hay and stack it for me - costs $20 extra but well worth it on our backs.
We just don't bend like we used to, do we?

Leigh said...

Back pain is no fun. I hope your chiropractor can help!

Michelle said...

Boy, I thought I was checking your blog regularly, and here you slipped in two very important posts since my last visit! I am so glad that the MRI results weren't dire.... Ask the MDs if they've heard about the new treatment for herniated discs where they insert a wire and heat it up, basically "cooking" and firming up the disc material so it can't bulge. Sounds promising, and avoids the serious possible complications of more invasive back surgery (ask my step-dad; he's had two back surgeries with no improvement).

By the way, that spotted ewe is very striking. Are you going to enter her fleece (and any others) in the Shepherds Extravaganza?

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