Sometimes It’s Just Difficult to Write

Hard As I Tried, I Just Didn’t Have It In Me

This is a follow-up to a story I wrote six weeks ago that you can read here.

Some of you may have sensed I’ve been AWOL for a bit more than usual. I’ve recently been reminded that I’m officially old, and my body is reminding me of that constantly.

I’d been experiencing leg pain and weakness which led to my 4th back surgery in early January. After a couple weeks post-surgery I was feeling great, but then things abruptly turned south. I had SEVERE burning in both hips extending down to my knees. Additionally, I’ve been dealing with neuropathy for several years affecting both legs but primarily the right. If that’s not enough I have unrelenting lower back pain that I’ve learned to just suck up and deal with.

I went back to the spinal surgeon, who confirmed the operation was a success, but they referred me to an orthopedic surgeon for my hips. He took x-rays, and the diagnosis was that I had the hips joints of a 40-year-old. Well thanks for that, but I’m in a lot of pain! He ordered an MRI of both hips, and OH SHIT! Both are identical symptoms, but the left is worse than the right with necrosis of the bones due to lack of sufficient blood supply, arthritis, edema in the bone marrow, cartilage, muscle and ligament damage.