Well, it's official: I am scheduled to go into the hospital next Wednesday afternoon and have surgery Thursday morning at 7:00. Dr. Stryker is the one who will be operating on me; he is going to do a partial laminectomy/disk removal on my back.

I should be in the hospital for a few days to a week, according to Dr. Stryker.

This is Bill. I really messed up my back: I have a prolapsed disk in the lumbar (lower) region of the spine, and it is pressing on the sciatic nerve; this is what has been causing the pain I've had. (No kidding.) He said if I don't have it done soon, I'll probably end up paralyzed or in a wheelchair for good.

I still don't know what I did to injure my back; I woke up with it. I was fine when I went to bed last night; when I woke up this morning, my back was absolutely killing me. It felt like someone had stabbed me in the back with a butcher knife; the pain was (and still is) intense. I am on heavy painkillers to try to dull the pain; it works somewhat, but all it really does is make me stupid.

I have been in bed all day and I am to remain in bed except to use the bathroom; that is the only time I am allowed out of bed. Good, I can use a break from the kids; Louie can corral them for the time being; let her chase them around for a change!

Dr. Stryker said maybe I will be off the crutches (depending on how well I do in my surgery), but for now I am to use them until ater I recover somewhat from the surgery. It may take as little as six weeks or as long as six months; people heal at different rates, and I am sure I am no exception.

I have had back surgery three times before, but none of it didn't do any good. Maybe it's because I didn't have the right doctor, I don't know; Dr. Stryker is said to be among the best neurologists in the Tennessee Valley area, and he sure knows his stuff when it comes to disorders of the spine or nervous system.

We'll see what happens once I have the surgery; but to tell you the honest to God truth, I am scared to death. I haven't been in the hospital in quite a long while; and if there is one thing I am absolutely terrified of, it's needles!

Gad. Just the thought of getting a shot or an I.V. is enough to give me the creeping crawlies!

~Bill.