The Broken Soldier

Had a visit with the neurosurgeon.  My usual guy is out two months for ‘personal reasons.’  New guy took me through the objective findings.  Positive MRI.  Positive EMG.  Positive myelogram.  Positive Contrast Dye CT.

He then took me through the assessments.  Positive Chronic L5 radiculopathy.  Positive sensory neuropathy at L5.  L5 nerve entrapment.  L5-S1 right side lateral ‘component.’  Dessication and other signs of degenerative disc disease.

Then to his likely approach, pending the result of a more recent MRI, which is scheduled for next week.  Discectomy and laminectomy as reasonable first steps.

This doc, a funny little fella, some-it like a Levantine hobbit, left me with these parting words.  “It’s not in your head.”  To which I responded, “No shit.  It’s in my back.”  We shook hands, exchanged parting pleasantries, and went our ways.

Now there are four different tests, performed and analyzed by different doctors, all coming to the same conclusion.  How much ya wanna bet my friend at Knox will again be the only decenting vote?