Health Update

Good News! I am sitting up and moving about without the brace.  The X-rays show that everything is healing as expected, the neurosurgeon described it as a "text-book-case."  He was very pleased that I had followed his directions to be careful and keep the brace on.  It showed in that the healing was as expected.

Now I have to admit sitting up without the brace feels weird.  There are new sensations in my back and ribs.  The muscles in my back have not held me upright without assistance in 7 weeks, it will take a few days for them to strengthen, and 22-cm of them were cut apart to the spine, and put back together.  That will take a little time to develop a new normal.  But I am free of the brace.  I can take a shower without the brace. I have not tried, but soon I will be flexible enough to touch parts of my body I have not been able to touch in weeks (get-yer-mind-out-of-the-gutter - I have been able to touch that) farther back behind me has required assistive devices for basic hygiene - I will regain the functionality of a three year old in the bathroom.      

I am cleared to travel, and drive.  I can return to work next Monday.

The only remaining concern, is monitoring the section of the tumor left behind.  I have an MRI scheduled for September 14th, and will meet with the tumor doc again that afternoon.  The tumor will require monitoring for a couple of years.  It won't spread, but it could start growing, if it does, there are non-invasive therapies available to treat it.

No illusions, I am not 100%, I may never be.  But I have come a long way in 7 weeks.  In many ways I am better then I have been anytime this year.