The Saga Continues

What saga is that? What is slowly beating me into the ground. 

I got home last night after spending 4 days in the hospital trying to find out why my back is so sore I can barely get up off the couch. I mentioned in the past about the Osteoarthritis I have in the  L3/L4 region of my lower Lumbar in my back. I also mentioned that I had Gall Bladder surgery at the end of July. They are now calling my back Osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone or bone marrow, usually due to infection). 

I called the surgeon who did the surgery because of the pain and was told he absolutely refused any further pain medication and I should go to the ER and have them figure it out. That statement basically released me from his care. They have this 90 day rule of some kind that one doctor will not touch another doctors patient. 

So Friday afternoon I end up in the ER of our local hospital in mortal agony. The ER doctor sent me down for a CT Scan to have a closer look. Now, when I said my back hurt, they always ask the pain level on a scale of 1 to 10. When I got up off the CT Scan table (hard as a rock by the way) I estimated the pain level at about 22. It was that bad. 

Then they decided to do an MRI (same type of hard table). What they found was an infection in the L3/L4 region of my lower Lumbar. By the way, before I went to the MRI, they filled me with pain meds and it was still about a 15 on the scale. What they couldn't figure out was why, since I've been taking antibiotics for almost two months (from the first Gall bladder attempt), the infection was still there. The doctors said that between that and the Gall Bladder infection it's no wonder my back hurt so bad.    

A Radiologist reviewed the MRI and the next morning I was taking an ambulance ride to the main hospital in downtown Sacramento. The plan was to do a biopsy of the infection in the Lumbar and find out what the infection was. Now, if you've been in a hospital recently, you know that you see a bunch of doctors. In talking to the "group" the thought came up that the abscess in the Gall Bladder probably sent some ugly shit through the blood stream to the lower Lumbar area but still why was it there with all the antibiotics?

Surgery scheduled and down I went. The young lady who picked me up was named Oleana. I asked her nationality, Ukrainian. Hmmmm. Got to surgery check in and the girl there was named Dasha. Again Ukrainian. Had to be some kind of good omen and you all know my grandparents were born in Ukraine. 

Only thing is that they scheduled a Gall Bladder removal not the biopsy. The "group" decided first and foremost the Gall Bladder needed to go. Once again the Gall Bladder was in such a state that it couldn't be removed. Next try is in about 6 weeks. Putting a crimp on fishing and camping, but I need to be fixed. Guess the good omen didn't work so well. 

So, I'm back home as of last night (that hour ride in itself damn near killed me), but we have all kinds of medical people helping one being an infusion of a high powered antibiotic every day and even though I have to go to the hospital to have it done, it's only a couple blocks down the street. 

Guess I'll have to wait a while for some fishing. 

By the way, I haven't heard anything from Alex in Ukraine since the 8th of this month. I do hope he's OK.    

Well, That's It

We come to the end (almost) of Summer 2022. This has been dismal Summer for us out here in Nor Cal. 

I did a post on June 12th of our trip to Upper Lake. Found a few things with the magnet and caught the first fish of the year. 

That trip and the one up Highway 4 was it for the year. We had reservations for Upper Lake the last week of this month, but had to cancel because of my son being worked to death (pretty normal for his job) and my being between 4 or possibly 5 surgeries. I've already had two and am working through infections until I can finally get the Gall Bladder out. 

When I changed the name of this blog to the "Wandering Gimp" I was walking with a cane because of the arthritis in my lower lumbar region of my back. 

I now use a walker and at times a wheelchair. I don't believe the back is getting worse, I think it's not being able to get around enough to keep the back muscles flexible as they should be.

Unfortunately until the Gall Bladder is gone and body healed, can't do very much because of all those little knots surrounded with gobs of tape and gauze that come with surgery. 

Until this happens, I sit and read posts, watch YouTube, play Solitaire, and do crossword puzzles. And of course the more I sit, the harder it is to stand. I do what I can to help my wife (and wingman) maintain the house, but compared to before, it's a pittance. 

I've gotten a couple emails from Alex in Ukraine, but since I didn't get much response about posting them, I'm just hanging on to them and if something is worth passing on, I will. 

Alright, I'm off to the garage to cut up cardboard boxes for the recycle truck on Thursday. 

Ya'll be safe out there. I'll post if anything exciting happens.