A Short Break from Band Practice

It’s just a week since I had back surgery in the Pain Clinic in Vancouver.  For six months, I had needed it although I hadn’t realized my condition was that serious.  I suffered sincere pain in my right ankle, my shin, and thigh and across my lower back that made walking so difficult that at times I was actually crawling.  Numerous friends had recommended what had helped for them.  I tried a physiotherapist who was an expert in acupuncture, then afterwards I went several times to a chiropractor.  It became obvious that their treatments did not address the source of my problem, so we decided wisely, to visit our family doctor who could orchestrate the tests leading to a diagnosis.  That was wise indeed, for I had spinal stenosis, or pinching of the sciatic nerve.  The apertures through which this nerve passed through the vertebrae had narrowed over the years, and the nerve was being severely pinched. The associated pain was making it impossible to walk in a straight line.  This was a problem at pipe band practice and piping engagements.

When one is familiar with our health care system and its long waiting periods, it’s easy to understand that it would be an eternity before I could be helped to any degree at all.  An appointment to have an MRI done, would require about six months, and for surgery, another eighteen months.  An appointment was made for the MRI, and I would certainly have to suffer during the wait and then afterwards, for surgery. 

Ruby, my wife, decided it was appropriate to pray and ask God to intervene.  She did so, and was inspired to phone the hospital receptionist to suggest if there just so happened to be a postponement, would she give us a call, because we would be free to come in anytime.  We continued in prayer, and in a few minutes the phone rang.  We were asked if we could come in an hour for the MRI.  That was our answer to prayer. 

Within days of the test, our doctor requested an appointment in which he could discuss the results from this valuable test.  He outlined the problem and the solution…to take the necessary medication and wait approximately a year and a half for the medical system to find a time for back surgery, or to elect for surgery at a private pain clinic for which a large fee would be required and surgery could be performed in a week.

Our solution to the problem was of necessity, to decide upon surgery at the private clinic.  An appointment was made with the pain specialist, for the next week, with a subsequent appointment to see the neurosurgeon the following week, to evaluate the need for surgery.   Surgery was then set for a week.

The surgery was performed at 12:30 in the afternoon.  At 3:00 I was in a wheelchair and whisked out to our son-in-law’s car, and driven home to White Rock, to recuperate, which I am doing presently.  Tomorrow, I will have the metal staples removed by our own family doctor.  One can hardly believe the improvement.  Of course, I have to wait patiently for entire healing, but I can appreciate the freedom from pain in this short time, and the improvement in getting up or lying down.  Two small H-shaped wedges, each known as a DIAM, were inserted between adjoining vertebrae, to separate them sufficiently to free the sciatic nerve and eliminate the pinching that was causing referred pain along the course of the sciatic nerve. 

The decision to have surgery done immediately was wise in that I can continue living a normal active life, rather than wasting years waiting for the health system to accommodate my need.  And, I would not be requiring continued medication during which time I would be developing a dependence for it.  I’m looking forward to my return to band practice and accepting invitations to pipe for an occasional wedding or memorial service.