Thinking of Thom

My brother, Thom, eight years my junior, is much on my mind today. He's been a chronic pain patient for over twenty years now as a result of an auto accident which injured his back. Multiple surgeries only complicated matters because the first couple were back when back surgery was much more invasive than it is today. As a result, he's had scar tissue buildup, nerve damage and so on.

He's been having pain in one of his leg with numbness in the foot of that leg for many months now. Each time he's complain, his doctors would remind him that it was nothing new - all a result of the original injury and surgeries. He insisted it was different. A few days before Christmas, he saw his orthopaedic and again complained that something was wrong. In fact, the pain and numbness had crept up his leg from his foot. Finally, he was sent for an MRI which showed that the shunt for the implanted pump which controls and distributes his pain medication had become calcified. The calcification needed to be removed and a new pump implanted. It needed to be done right away so was scheduled for Christmas Eve! The surgery would last about two hours, he was told.

Post surgery - Thom was told the surgery was over five hours long because the calcium deposit had attached itself to his spine. That, he was told, was the reason he'd been having leg trouble. There was sufficient damage that he would probably have to learn to walk again as he recovered. If that weren't enough, the hospital staff disagreed with the combination of medications he had been getting through the pump (for both pain and muscle spasms). His pain management doc was on a cruise and had left his PA (physician assistant) to check in with Thom every day and see to his needs. To make a long story short, it was days before he began to get correct meds. This meant more pain because his leg muscles spasmed so badly, he couldn't stand.

I spoke to him by phone last night and, surprisingly, was coherent (although he had to fight for words at times - result of extra meds) and in a reasonably good mood. He'll be in rehab for at least two more weeks.

Between Thom's problems and concerns over her mother's health possible lung cancer and either early Alzheimers' or cancer has gone to the brain), my SIL was holding up pretty well.
Mostly angry about the problem with getting Thom appropriate meds.

Extra prayers needed! My thanks to friends who have Thom on their prayer list. It all helps and is appreciated.