He said NOTHING!

MRI done by 1.5 Tesla in July 2021 shows trouble coming.

It describes the following:

L1-2: bulging of disc with facet arthrosis. Translation: it hurts and it is degenerative. It’s gonna get worse.

L2-3: slight bulging of disc w/contact: traversing L3 nerve root. Some arthrosis. Translation: L3 disc bulges, hits a nerve and causes moderate to severe pain.

L3-4: bulging of the disc. Moderate facet degenerative change. Bilateral foranimal stenosis. Translation: collapsing disc compressing nerve root. Contact with spinal cord possible but degenerative nature of condition insures contact will become more likely over time.

L4-5: bulging of disc. Moderate facet degenerative change. Translation: it will get worse.

Diagnostician’s Impression:

Multilevel degenerative disc disease with significant stenosis. Secondary to prominent facet arthrosis. Prominent subgcondral edema along L5-S1 facet articulation particular. Translation: I hurt and from here it gets worse. In two vertebrae fusion is recommended. That’s hardcore surgery and it will hurt until I die but keep outward parts of the spine apart in order to minimize damaging contact. With cartilage being lost, the surgery will become more indicated over time.

There are findings suspicious for a partially visualized aneurysm of descending thoracic aorta with additional formation and ectasia of the infrarenal abdominal aorta. Large aneurysm of the patient’s right common iliac artery partially visualized. If these findings are not previously known, further assessment with a dedicated CTA study of the chest, abdomen and pelvis is recommended. End of report.

Translation: Patient requires more imaging and angiography w/contrast. Multiple aneurysms including the large one mentioned are an indication of possible additional aneurysms including subarachnoid (surgery can repair/replace damaged arteries and the aorta. We’re talking major surgery that in my case is dangerous in itself. My chances of surviving it are not favorable).

It is likely, being on blood thinners, that in the event of an aneurysm burst, I will die. The most frightening one is in the iliac artery. Aortic aneurysms rupture and kill thousands annually in the US and my risk is higher than most. Iliac artery ruptures are more often seen. In summary, my doctor only looked at the portions of the results related to my complaints of pain. Had he bothered to view the video and read the summary, he would have sent me for the CTA. But he never mentioned it and I never got the print out until today. He also refused, as I knew he would, to prescribe anything to alleviate pain despite having read, at least, the damage done to the spine.

And then he told me a great, big, whopper of a lie: “Opiods will only work for a month. After that they’re not effective.”

In short, he is dishonest, fleetingly and superficially observant, and I’m not sure how long I have to live. I’ve had a feeling lately that I should get the things I want to do done. It’s grown to an intolerable volume. And yet, I will leave too many things unfinished, too many words unwritten and said. But I’m not afraid. I will see my children again. There will be few to mourn. The last thing I want to do when I go is to leave behind more hurt than I already know I will. And hey, when Death comes for me, I’ll greet him as gratefully as I can. He will finally be coming for me, and not someone I love. That’s kind of neat.

If I stop posting for a very long time, you’ll be able to guess what happened. In that event, I choose now to thank every visitor, every subscriber and every like. I love you all. But fear not; I’d say that my chances of dying immediately are slim. So,