Neck X-Ray and Back MRI Pics

Yes, it is yet another medical update - but this time I have pictures!  (Instead of taking pictures of their computer screen like I usually do they printed out some of the images for me.  Of course, I have never tried to scan anything with our printer before and it wasn't happening easily so I took pictures of my printouts to post here.  If you look close, you can see the crease where I folded the papers.)  Yesterday I had a follow up appointment for my neck surgery of March 30.  It seems to be healing well, which is good and means I don't have to wait longer to have my back surgery.  What is noteworthy of this neck x-ray is that you can see the screw that broke through the bone of the upper vertebrae and is hanging down into the area where they removed the disc.  There is still one screw holding on top and both below, so as long as it continues to fill in with bone and actually fuse I should have no problems.  I have no pain or discomfort in my neck or arm at all anymore.

My back is a different story.  Even my untrained eye can spot the disc herniation in the MRI pics below, it's that obvious.  (The disc below the bulging one is the one I had fixed 11 years ago.)  But, of course, no one had to tell me that - I have been feeling it get steadily worse for almost 3 months now.   So after a brief discussion of my neck, they moved on to my back.  I was very thankful for this, I thought they may make me wait until my scheduled back consultation on July 12.  They pshawed that notion quickly and said that they had all the information they need and didn't see the point in making me wait painfully for a couple more weeks.  I wholeheartedly agreed!  Still, with scheduling, my back surgery - lumbar spine microdiscectomy - will not take place for about 3 more weeks.  I've been taken off work until healed and I'm on oxycontin now, with percoset on top of that for the bad times, so if I post anything goofy in the next couple weeks - I blame it on the drugs!

U.D.O. - Leatherhead

I tried to post this when it was released, but Blogger changed their rules on how to post videos. So, while I experiment in how to post a video correctly and get the results I want, Here is U.D.O.'s first single off their new album, Rev-Raptor.

Garden Gate Project

Yesterday I managed to cross several things off my to-do list.  I feel like if I don't get things done now it may be fall before I get the chance, after my back is fixed and healed (hopefully).  So I popped some extra pills and I did several small things with my wife's help,  but the main project I accomplished was adding a front rail and gate to the gardens.

 It may not look like much, but I took the time to get all the measurements correct and keep everything square and plumbed up.  Slowed by my back, I spent much of the day on this project while my wife went out on the lake with friends.  (I haven't been on the boat yet this year, and probably won't be until I'm fixed.)  While I had all the stuff out I also replaced a rail that was rotted by the side door.  The new wood doesn't match the old over there, but we hardly use that door anymore and it's not very visible from the front of the house so we're not too worried about it.  I think I'm done now, the pain is winning.  Today is a rest day.

More pictures after the break:

Right L5 Disc Compression

Well, I figured out that now Blogger wants us to add Youtube videos directly by url instead of copying the embed html.  The only problem is I can only get this size, not bigger.  Oh well, I'll have to make do for now and look into it further later.

I received news yesterday that the MRI showed I have a right L5 disc compression, exactly what you see in this short video.  Certainly not good news, but it is exactly what I expected.  I have to wait almost 3 weeks for my consultation even though I will be in the same office of the same neurosurgeon on Tuesday for a follow up about my neck surgery.  Sigh.  Well I made it this long, I hope I have a few more weeks left in me.  Also, that other thing I was worried about turned out to be nothing,  I had 2 tests and both came back negative.  Very good news, indeed.

Cottonwood, Strawberries and... Summer!

Happy first day of Summer!  The cottonwood trees are sending their fluffy white nuisance crap everywhere again.  They fly in the air looking like snow, get into the garage and create what look like huge dust bunnies, cover every inch of the lawn and stick in every cobweb.  At least it only lasts a couple weeks.  I hear they are illegal to plant in Madison anymore because of all the mess they make.

Here, Kate is picking more strawberries.  This has become a daily job, as new berries are ripening constantly.  Unfortunately many of them are small, probably due to the weather and rainfall though we do try to water them on days that no rain is expected.  These are June-bearing strawberries, so there may only be a week or so more of picking to do.  Just as well.  If they were ever-bearing then I'm sure we would tire of them by late July or August!

One of my next projects, as long as my back allows, is to add a rail and gate to the front of the gardens.  The ones that are on the sides were an afterthought that I added basically just to help hold up the chicken wire (remember, I was kind of making it up as I went along).  A rail in front will do the same, and a proper gate will make it so much easier to enter the path in between the raised beds.  Last weekend I bought all the lumber and hardware to do this, so maybe this weekend if I have a chance.

Happy Fathers Day 2011

Yes, it's a repost from the last Pic Dump.  I meant to save it for today, so here it is.  Yes, I have father issues.  We are having my wife's family over today and grilling out.  I hope you're doing what you like today.  Have fun!