Just wanted to share my day…
What an amazing day…
I awoke this morning to the sun beating down on my face. What a beautiful way to start my day, so I got out of bed and began to get dressed so I could go out and enjoy life. It took me just a bit over ¾ of an hour to get dressed. Nothing fancy: just a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a light jacket just in case the weather changed. Now all dressed and ready to start my adventure I proceed to my destination, my favorite Starbucks which is just a little over a kilometer from my house. Along the way I meet a few people who stop to say good morning, others simply stop and stare at me and try to avoid me. I had to stop and rest 3 times today, which is pretty good, sometimes on this walk I have to stop up 10 times to get reoriented and rest. Today’s trip took 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete, best time in about a week! Upon arriving at SB’s I was pleasantly surprised to see a friend that I had not seen for a while and had a great time catching up on things with him. Throughout our conversation I could feel how uncomfortable some of the people around us were feeling, even he was feeling a bit estranged. Then out of nowhere someone came up from behind me a smacked me on the back to say hello, which in turn caused me to screech out in pain- more unwanted stares! Fortunately other friends who were there that know what I am going through so they kind of explained to other people what happened. The funny thing is the guy who smacked in the back knows me, he’s actually my next door neighbor and forgot how sensitive my back is.
My friends left only to be replaced by another friend and her 2 dogs. As we sat talking the sun appeared over the roof top , what a day! We sat and talked for a while about her dog’s birthday. One of them just turned 6 yesterday, her other dog recently turned 14 and though out our conversation other friends kept dropping by. After a couple of hours of sitting I was now in unbearable discomfort and started experiencing very excruciating muscle contractions and had to go for a short walk to stretch. I just started to cross the street and this truck came screaming around the corner thorough the lights and just missed hitting me. He didn’t even look and what is even more amazing this guy had a handicapped parking sign hanging from his mirror. After that near mss I decided to go down the block to the bank machine. It was kind of busy in the store and a person who was staring at me because I was moving to slow for him pushed me as I was leaving the checkout, which in turn caused me to almost fall over in pain. Fortunately there was a cop in the store who saw what happened and told the guy off. So back to Stars to meet up with my roomie and some other friends. (note total distance walked on this trip 200 meters- time taken to walk it 30+ minutes).
The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the company of friends, despite the stares from onlookers and others we all had a great time. Around 3 I decided it was time to begin my journey home, a peaceful uneventful slow walk that took almost 1 ½ hour to complete
How I got to be able to experience such an amazing day:
I have suffered with back pain and discomfort throughout most my life. At the beginning of last summer the manager of Starbucks Gwyneth introduced me to Jay.
In August of last year I was doing some work at Starbucks (Starbucks is my office) developing materials for a new business venture I was starting up. I went to stand up and my back snapped, I thought it was just something slipping in my back. This has happened to me in the several times in the past and usually the pain will go away in a couple of weeks, this time it did not go away.
I figured it would heal and continued to work on my new business, but by the end of November things had not gotten better and I was in fact getting worse.
In December my business partner, roomy and friend had enough and made me go to the doctors to get checked out. The docs recommendation was to take some pain killers and anti inflammatory medications. I do not take drugs, for reasons that are yet another story too long to go into now. He also suggested that I should go for phsyio or see a chiropractor, to which I quickly said no, not until we can actually figure out what the problem is! He look stupefied and a bit pissed, but he then suggested I go for x-rays. Needless to say that due to the efficiencies of our medical system it took more than a month to get results back.
I went back to the docs office and this time say a different doctor. The very first things she asked me was if I had gone for physio or chiropractic treatments. In a confusing manner I answered no, and to her relief she said that’s good because here’s what’s happening with your back…
Fractured L 1 vertebra
Fractured T1 vertebra
Arthritis
Scoliosis
Advanced bone degenerative disease.
Blah blah blah.
So she decided to go ahead book me a CT scan because she wanted to find out more info ASASP.
Lucked out and got in for ct scan pretty quick but it still took until 16 March to get results back.
Key highlights…
Virually every disc from l1 through T5 damaged or seriously deteriorated and 2 disks are bulging and placing pressure on spinal cord.
The Doctor then suggested for me to see a specialist and put in the referral.
Last Friday I went back to the docs for an update and was informed that I had an appointment booked to see specialist for July 27 2013!
I have developed very serious uncontrolled shaking and spasmodic burst which makes others around feel uncomfortable and somewhat fearful of me. I just look at them and smile and say hi.
I have not been able to do any work since November and to try to survive on IA and they are jerking me around now and in the process of seeking legal help!
Long term prognosis…
I will survive and overcome.
Things to be thank full for…
I have lived an amazing life and a thankful that I am the one who has been blessed with all these challenges because they have made me who I am. I will continue to be grateful for what I have and live each day to the best that I can. I am one of the lucky ones, because there are others in my community who are far worse off than me!
Thank you Jay for what you have done for me and for giving me the opportunity to share my story
PS sorry for the delay in writing this, it is very difficult to sit and work on my computer now a days.
—–
always and aspiringly,
Bill McCracken
For more on Bills journey check out his radio spot. “>href=”http://www.blogtalkradio.com/authenticyouradio/2012/05/02/youre-important-to-saralivingloving-life-with-broken-back”>
