An update on life….
I started having back issues at age 26, started going to Texas Back Institute (TBI) for treatment and over the years had cortisone shots, physical therapy, and pain meds, etc. In my early thirties, I was formally diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and told the lower back pain would continue, so I learned to live with chronic pain for several years….until things got worse. My pain increased and I started to roll my right ankle and fall for no reason. I would be walking along and just fall. No warning. I then started to notice that the front of my lower right leg was a little numb. Weird. After a few weeks, I went back to TBI to see what was going on. They did x rays and couldn’t see anything. They did nerve tests on my leg and documented the numbness and had me go for another round of physical therapy. I was excited to go thinking that would help, but after 6 intense weeks, the pain continued to escalate. They tested the nerves in my leg again and the weakness was increasing so an MRI was ordered. It was 2013 and I was told that basically things are bad, going to get worse, and good luck. They discovered hemangiomas up and down my spine. They are benign tumors that are mostly found in women, but normally only 5% of people have issues. I was in that small percentage group. The largest hemangioma was at T12, and it was causing the weakness/numbness in my lower right leg. There was no way to treat it. I left that appointment determined to push forward. Over the next 17 years, my right leg continued to get weaker, I had more falls and near falls, and my right foot started going numb.
At age 50, in the spring of 2024, my right foot went about 90% numb, I had intense lower back pain, and it felt like there was a knife constantly stabbing me in the back at T12, which is the middle of the back. I could no longer just push through the pain. I ended up in bed for the month of June and then had 2 discectomies (L3 and L4) on July 9th. Just prior to surgery, my left foot started to go numb (about 30%) so I was starting to panic. I didn’t want to lose my ability to walk. After surgery, my mobility decreased further. My right foot was still 90% numb, couldn’t wiggle my toes, and now had “drop foot” and then my left foot numbness increased to about 50%. A month after surgery I developed a blood blister on the big toe of my right foot since my gait had changed so much. The healing process was slow, but the wound care center was a wonderful place and they helped me to heal. I now have another tiny blood blister that has started on the same toe. I’m wearing inserts in my tennis shoes around the house, so I’m hoping that it won’t get as bad as the first one. I use a cane and a walker and I’m so grateful to have those. Another thing that started in June of 2024 was partial numbness of my dominant hand. My pinky and ring finger and the palm right below them were now 50% numb. My PCP said it was probably carpal tunnel and told me to start wearing a brace, but it didn’t help….could it be one of those tumors in my neck? I’m hoping to get another full spine MRI soon to see what’s going on. So many issues.
With the partial numbness in my hand, my line quality has gotten worse in my drawings. The ability to stabilize paint brushes is more difficult, but I’m still pressing on. Typing is much slower than it used to be.
Seeing the changes is a bit scary, but I just have to trust that Jesus has a plan. More about artsy fartsy stuffs coming soon….
Seeing the changes is a bit scary, but I just have to trust that Jesus has a plan. More about artsy fartsy stuffs coming soon….
