SURGERY SCHEDULED! Hallelujah!

I got a call from the surgical coordinator for The Chiari Institute this morning and I have surgery dates! Praise God!

I'll fly into Great Neck, NY on Nov. 18
have presurgical testing on Nov. 19
have ICT (invasive cervical traction) on Nov. 20 (this is a pre-fusion testing I'll write more about later)
Then go into the hospital and have the detethering of my spinal cord on Nov. 21.

I was told to expect to be in hospital for about 4 days and then to stay in the Great Neck area for 2 days, then I can fly home, if all goes well. That would be about Nov. 28.

I'm so excited. The SFT (Section Filum Terminale, the medical term for the detethering of my cord) is a painful, invasive surgery/recovery, but I have heard SO many successful reports. People tell me the first symptoms to "go" are the bathroom/bladder issues, and the leg/foot pain also is alleviated for the most part. I've read women say they are able to go for walks again, as far as they want to. THAT is exactly what I need.

Of course, now I have to wait to see if CA work comp will authorize all of these procedures, but I feel confident they will. My surgeon says they are necessary before having the fusion, and WC has already authorized the fusion.

Here is a neat story! As you readers know, I've been fretting about the timing on this surgery. It was like "I" had MY timeline of the tethered cord surgery so I could have the craniocervical fusion at the correct time (in my mind) and thus be done with the 3 months of halo early summer next year. Howver, I posted here that I'd read in my Bedside Blessings (thank you, Kim) book awhile back that I needed to seek God's counsel about this, and to await his timing. Anything that is done not in His timing would go awry.

In the meantime, an online friend, Grma Lee (yes, that's how she spells it!) was telling me that her ICT and fusion are coming up and wouldn't it be great if we could be in NY for our surgeries at the same time? She was also posting on our support group board to see if anyone else would be there at the same time as she will be.

This morning, when the surgical coordinator called, she said first, we needed to set the dates. She asked when would be good for me. Well, ANYTIME is good for ME! So, I said, "Anytime in November."

She looked at her schedules and then said, "How about Nov. 20 for the ICT and Nov. 21 for the detethering?" I said, "Fine" without even looking. But when I did look at my calendar, I already had the letters "ICT" on box for Nov. 20, and the word "surgery" on Nov. 21. I thought, "Huh? Is this weird? Did I write this down in my sleep or what?"

Then, above the word "surgery", I saw, lightly written, the words, "Grma Lee" and I understood. Those are the same days as her ICT and surgery!! Incredible! And I never write down the surgery dates of those I know online.

I don't have to look far to see more blessings! Grma Lee has already had the detethering, so she can guide me along abit. And she is having the craniocervical fusion, the same one I'll have in early 2008, so I can learn a lot from being with her during this. We can support each other, learn from each other. I don't know what I can do for her, but I'll think of something. Maybe just keep her laughing.

We can hang out together for our pre-surgical testing, and our tractions....this is unbelievably perfect! God is so good!

Incredible story, huh? We're going to see if there is any way we can be in the same room at the hospital.

And to think way back, when I broke my neck, and none of the doctors were getting it that my C1 fracture was "non-union." And I was led to TCI...and asked to help moderate at the Chiari Connection International support group board...and met Lee, who also has a copy of my book. It all matches up and shows God's divine plan. As the kids say (or do they still?), "I'm psyched!"