So, did I ever tell you guys about my neck?

It's been completely jacked up since 1982.. I KNEW back in 1982 that I needed surgery, but I couldn't convince anyone else of it.. As a result, I tried chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, massage therapy, 3 invasive, but non surgical (as in under the knife) interventions, a faith healer, countless shots, countless meds, ice packs, heat packs, laser treatments etc... Nothing helped..

The reason I couldn't convince anyone I needed surgery, was that up until last week, I had 6 MRI's done, and although each MRI showed 3 bulging discs, C3-4, C4-5, C5-6, all the specialists and doctors declared the bulges were big enough (that's what she said) to require surgery..

Well, the problem was, my condition, on a daily basis, rates a 5 on a 10 scale of pain.. when it REALLY kicks in, however, it goes to 10 on a 10 scale and lasts that way for 3-4 days with NOTHING helping the pain in any way, shape, or form - not even straight morphine shots.. I generally was getting nailed once a week, so half my life I lived on a 10 scale of pain.. Add to that the nausea and dizziness and 3 alarm headache that went with it.. Pretty miserable.. EVERY MRI I had done up until last week was on a day where I felt ok - a 5 on a 10 scale of pain..

So, I kept telling everyone, FOR YEARS, to do the MRI when it hurt really bad.. Do it when the pain level is at 10.. Everyone pretty much said I was an idiot and that it wouldn't show anything different.. I persisted.. and failed to get someone to let me come in on a bad day.. Problem being, you have to schedule an MRI days in advance, so who knows when a spasm is going to hit?

So, I decided to do it differently this time.. I scheduled the MRI 2 days ago and knew I could sort of "initiate" a spasm by one particular method: drinking beer
I had to give up drinking years ago because it made my neck go into spasm.. So, my MRI was at 8:30am and I drank two beers by 8am.. By 8:30 my neck was kicking my butt, but only an 8 on a 10 scaled.. it was the best I could do, so I went with it.. The way they made me lay on the table put tremendous pressure on my neck, so I viewed that as a good thing.. the hard part was holding that position for 15 minutes..

So, after 15 minutes my whole body was shaking and it took two hours for my hands to stop shaking from the pain of the position I had to hold for the MRI..

Yesterday morning, the doctor who ordered the MRI called.. He said, "your disc protrusions have gotten much worse and you're now a candidate for surgery".. Now, I KNOW they haven't gotten worse - we just finally caught it on a 8 on a 10 scaled day.. Imagine had it been a 10 on a 10 scale day!

I feel soooooooo vindicated, because I was right all along regarding needing surgery and getting the MRI done at the right time.. I am kind of PISSED that I suffered at least ten years needlessly because no one would cooperate with the MRI..

So, anyways, I FINALLY have neck surgery in my near future - nothing has been schedule yet as I have to go through a surgical evaluation.. This has been a 34 year ordeal with hell, never knowing when I would get nailed, countless vacations screwed up by it, pure misery half my life.. Hell, maybe I'll even be able to drink beer again...

I guess my message is that if you KNOW something is wrong with you and doctors won't listen, YOU are your ONLY voice.. You are the ONLY one who cares enough to find a way to get your point across regarding your own health.. NEVER give up trying - even though everyone else tells you to and NEVER think that your own ideas as to why you hurt, or feel bad, are unimportant.. Had I not initiated this spasm, I KNOW my MRI would have come back not needing surgery.. FIND AWAY to get your point across.. Even if that means drinking beer...

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Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..