Walking

Most human beings walk (alive or dead if you’re friends with the show The Walking Dead  pictured above) – from about the time we’re a year old until about the time we cash it in. You take it for granted, walking. Being able to get from point A to point B only thinking about having proper directions. I took walking for granted.

Over the last month or so, I have been experiencing increasing amount of pain while walking. Hip pain, leg pain, knee pain, back pain – sometimes one or two areas at a time. Sometimes all at once.

The doctor prescribed drugs which left me loopy and vomiting, so I trashed them. I spent a week on crutches and driving to work, hoping to give things a rest and ultimately hoping that once again I would be able to take walking for granted. And things did get better and I was hopeful.

But as soon as I went from crutches to cane, and from driving to public transit, back the pain came.

Yesterday, I spoke with Dr. J. about the whole thing. She believes that this is / will be a chronic condition for me. What she didn’t say, but what I know, is that I will most likely experience increasing amounts of decrepitude. It’s how bone metastases work.

So, I had an MRI and I’m set up to see Dr. P., my orthopedic oncologist on Monday, and maybe a different Dr. P., a spinal surgeon, too. I’m not sure why. I think Dr. J. wants to see if they have any ideas on how to keep me up and moving, or if maybe back/spinal surgery is in order at this point. I have my doubts. A recent MRI (July) showed nothing much new in that area and certainly nothing warranting surgery.

In order to sell me on back surgery at this point they’re going to have to make a very, very convincing argument. Show me pictures of my spine crumbling or tumors pressing on nerves – something solid. No hemming or hawing about it because I’m okay walking in the fashion of The Walking Dead for while until I experience that increasing amount of decrepitude and really NEED to have surgery.