Happy Anniversary!

5 years ago today, at about 10 in the morning, I fell from a horse that stopped in front of a jump and started this journey.

I had no idea I would be at this point five years later!

But, I am happy because I survived. Because I am still surviving and fighting the good fight. Because I have been drawn much closer to my Lord. Because I have met such wonderful people through all of this. Because God has been able to use me in ways I'd have never imagined.

I have not posted in over a week. Week. Weak is what I've been. Too weak to write. I do get some good half-days sometimes, but when those moments hit, I'm trying to do things that need done around the house or even the yard.

After I do those things (for example, an hour of very light, slow yard stuff - maybe pruning a rose bush), I am wiped out physically and mentally and I fall into bed and sleep for an hour or so.

And, most importantly has been getting the testing and paperwork ready for the surgery. It not that much to do, but it has taken me a week just trying to get 3 documents ready to fax to TCI, and be ready to pack and take with me to pre-op testing before the surgery.

And there is no obstacle to getting this docs except my own brain and stamina. One was in my own file...one I had to go to the hospital a mile away to pick up...and now I'm just waiting on the letter written by my PCP. All of the pre-op testing I needed here locally is done.

Since I wrote, I got a "wild hair" one night and cut my hair down to one inch or less all over my head...a real "boy" cut. I figured this would familiarize me with the lovely shape of my head and having my hair shaved before I leave for NY won't be that much of a shock. I actually like this really short hair!

I bought a few hats to wear on the way to NY, and a cute ballcap to wear now when I want to.

I've had several episodes of what I believe is Autonomic Dysreflexia. They especially come when I set my mind to do something that has multiple steps, for some reason. My scalp prickles from the back of the neck and up all over my scalp...I get very hot and sweaty in my scalp....I get weak and flushed. My arms get tingly and my palms too.

I've stopped checking my blood pressure at these times, I know already the signs that it is spiking. And with AD, the contacts between the heart and the brainstem is disrupted, so the BP spikes and stays there, unless I stop the activity. Get a fan going on my face. I get these even just writing about it. It's part of the sympathetic nerve system.

Dr. B said I can get this confirmed when I see the neurologist and him the day before surgery.

One thing I've learned is that the Invasive Cervical Traction (ICT) will be done right before surgery. I had it done the night before when I had the TC surgery. But that was because that time, it was a separate test being done to see if I needed the fusion.

This time, it is a part of the fusion process.