After waiting since summer, I finally got my call to go into the MRI machine at the Royal Alex Hospital in Edmonton. The machine "ate" me for 25 minutes while they formed pictures of the inner workings of my lower back.
For quite some time now, my legs have been going to sleep when I'm sitting, standing or walking, to the point where I would be stumbling around like I was under the influence of something (Not so). Then came the knock downs as a nerve in my right leg got pinched, or unpinched. The ability to lift 50 pounds (dog food or salt blocks, or salt for the water softener) became difficult causing a few set downs before they got to where they were supposed to be.
The local Doc said it's from age deterioration (note: not OLD age). I am 30 years old with 39 years experience at being 30 years old.
Anyway, I managed to talk a Doc into putting a cast on my hand in such a manner that I could still hold the reins and ride. The challenge here if they elect to do an L4/L5 bone fusion is to get them to take out the old disc and replace it with one 3 1/2 inches thick to make up for the loss of height over the last few years. I prefer being 6"1" rather than 5"10 1/2". I can be persuasive when I have to be.
Riding feels pretty good on the back, relaxing, and the Doc did not mention stopping riding. To be fair, I did not ask him either.
It will likely be 6 months, going by past experience, before I get to see the neurosurgeon. A lot can happen in 6 months!
Of all this some good could come of it yet! 6" 1" again! Currently, I am beginning to feel vertically challenged!
I am sure to get some comments from nurses out there, but be warned, I am a difficult patient! Ask Elaine about the Man Colds I get. :-}}
ps. The Doc doesn't feel that the condition is horse related.
