Back surgery for Gale

Since I have gotten several e-mails then I thought I'd just give everyone an update on Gale.

We are leaving about 3:00am tomorrow to take her to the OU medical center for a 7 hour surgery on her back. She had Harrington rods inserted in her back when she was 17. That was many moons ago. They are now pressing on nerves and causing her constant pain and it's a real bad pain. No more than one hours sleep at a time most nights before she has to get up and pace the house to help relieve the pressure. 

No therapy, nor drugs or anything else has helped. This is a hail mary pass to try and give her back some quality of life. They are putting in a cage in her very lower back and several other things. A real big team of folks involved but it's risky. It always is when you are under for that long and for that invasive a surgery. She has been giving blood for several months to stock up for the surgery.

I appreciate all the concern and welcome thoughts, prayers or just best wishes. She has had enough of the pain and it's like Jerry Clower once said. "John, just shoot into the trees, one of us has to have some relief".

She has faith in her doctors but I have faith in her will to survive and to prosper. 

Tomorrow is going to be a long day and tomorrow night will be long as well.

Come Wednesday morning then we will have a better idea of the outcome. 

Thanks for all the emails and thoughts. 

Gale is tough as TDD. Trust me on that. No water and still matches move for move with her grandkids even in pain.

Deral

Deral,
Back problems are no fun and hers sounds much worse than anything I can think of. Jean and I will put her in our prayers today and tomorrow.

As you say, tomorrow will be tough for you and all who wait.

Joe

Deral,

Joyce had back surgery in April. It was supposed to relive the constant pain in her left leg but hasn't helped much so far. The doctor and the physical therapist continue to be optomistic, saying, "These things take time." When I point out that it's been three months, she's on more medication than before the operation, has more pain and can't walk as far, they like to change the subject.

It sounds like Gale's situation is different, so I hope the surgery gives her some relief. As Red Green would say, "I'm pullin' for ya. We're all in this together."

It  is a pretty heavy trip when someone hands you their insurance policies and explains them to you or gives you a letter with all their codes for things such as storage buildings and bank accounts.

That is not fatalistic to me but just pragmatic. But it still is a hard pill to swallow.

I wish that she had put this all on her kids but at this point then I'm her only anchor it seems. 

May they sky surgeon guide the hands tomorrow.  It is still a mind trip for me though. I have several blogs all written up about the ESRI show but my heart is just not in it today.


But thanks Joe and Jean. It means a lot.

Deral

Best wishes to y'all....

hang tough there Big guy!

You are a good man Deral for being a help and support line for Gale.

Make sure you get good rest tonight, eat well and hydrate.  A long stressful day is best approached being in good shape for it.

We will be pulling for her that the "hail Mary" works.

Hang in there....modern surgery and medicine can be a wonderful thing.
Think positive. Our thoughts are with you.

Angelo

My thoughts & prayers are with Gail, the doctors & nurses & also you.
PB

Deral, hang in there for Gale, thoughts and prayers will be with you both.....nothing but positive thoughts....

Best wishes Gale.

We'll be thinking of you,

Rick

Deral,
Just read your status. Glad to hear Gale is in recovery. The waiting really does not stop after surgery. Hopefully you can get some sleep tonight.


Joe

It's been a really long day starting at 3:00 am this morning. The surgery lasted about six hours and went very well. They could not do their full plan as there was too much scar tissue around the lower parts of the Harrington rods that she had installed at the young age of 17. They were worried that they might do serious damage and possibly leave her paralyzed. They did fix what was causing her the extreme pain though, or so we hope and the stabilized her back with more hardware and lots of screws. She will get a custom back brace tomorrow and will begin to walk. I spoon fed her tonight and her grandkids enjoyed the show. I did the train and the airplane skit with the spoon that you do to little kids. Gale let the kids help her with drinks of water and she was in good spirits before she finally fell asleep. I have a not so comfortable broken recliner but after today then I expect to crash shortly. Thanks for all the best wishes. I just hope in a few weeks that she can swim and play with her grandkids like she loves to do so much. Deral

Medical science is totally amazing to me.  Let's all hope that this will be the start of a much improved lifestyle.

Keep the faith brother. The road ahead is going to get flatter.
MLB

Sounds positve Deral.  Give our best to Gale.   The recovery and rehab process is critical to getting back on track.

As I said, you are a good man for helping out.  Your Karma meter is well into the green.

Deral - Ditto what everybody else said.  Modern medicine is amazing and it's good that Gale had/has access to it.  It's a relief that the surgery is over and sounds successful but the hard work of rehab lies ahead.  That's going to take a lot of support from you and the fam, too. 

My wife had a fairly major but routine surgery a few years ago and they brought a little vinyl couch about 5 feet long into the room so I could be in there with her and that seemed to be comforting and I could go get a nurse or a glass of water or whatever when needed.

You're doing a good thing.

It is good you are able to take the time to support her.  We all get excited about surveying, but it is not the most important thing in life.

Sam Some of the stories are just gut wrenching. About 20 young high school kids sharing a blow up mattress for the last seven days in a waiting room. Two of their classmates in ICU from a bad car accident. I shared some coffee outside early this morning with Melody. A beautiful lady that was only a shadow now and has more cancer procedures today. She had bounced back up to 120 pounds and then it struck again. Now only 78 pounds but still with fighting spirit. Gale is lucky compared to many that I talked with since coming to the hospital. Life is often a lot more fragile than we think. Deral

Prayers and Best wishes for Gale and you-

-Mark

Her surgeon just examined her and it was all good news. Gale has not had any pain medicine since yesterday and has no lower leg pain that had been debilitating for the last year. She woke up starving and I ordered her a grand breakfast. I am sucking on a cup of Joe from the Starbucks located in the hospital. Deral

Sounds like good news so far- that's great! you 2 have a great day- gotta finish chores and head for town-

Hang in there...best wishes to you both.

Angelo

Thankful that the surgery went well.
Prayers included....