Saturday, March 22, 2008

Acci-versary

Yesterday marked six months since my car accident out on Rockville Pike. I celebrated by undergoing a series of six MRIs on my neck and lower back. Good news: the neck is healing (although there are still a couple of things wrong). Bad news: my lower back is really still messed up. My doc went over the films with me this morning at physical therapy. There's nothing like finding out at 7:30 on a Saturday morning that back surgery is just about a 100% certainty. Yuck.

What has happened is that the accident caused enough movement in the lower back that bones are pressing on the nerve bundles so severely that I risk losing sensation - and function - in my legs. In a healthy back, you can see this wide canal protecting the nerve bundle. In my back, in long segments of the lower back, the canal is almost completely cut off. Gaaaaah.

I'm supposed to limit my walking and only use a recumbent bike or do water aerobics for now. Seriously, I asked if I could continue taking lunchtime walks, and the doc said, "No way. You really don't want to piss off that back any more than you already have."

Oy vey!

I can't afford the water aerobics classes right now, but I'm going to have to figure out how to swing it...

Since I left the doc's office this morning, I've been entertaining the singularly un-Easter-ish fantasy of hobbling down the street and using my cane to "redecorate" the SUV of the boneheaded woman who hit me. Of course, I'll never do it. It just sounds good right now - as does screaming at the top of my lungs. Neither will happen, though. Instead, I'll take a nap, watch an old movie, and *not* go for a walk.

Here's hoping for a back cure in my Easter basket this year...

Hippity, hoppity, limpity, lumpity.

8 comments:

hoyameb said...

damn! can't you sue SUV-Bitch or something? That's ridiculous.

Chuck said...

I'm not a fan of frivolous lawsuits...but I would definitely consider a suit in this case. It would be about as far from frivolous as you can get. I think her insurance should pay for all the medical costs assoicated with your accident, including the surgery if you need it, and I think you should get some pain and suffering money also.

Anonymous said...

Seriously - this is why we have lawsuits. There should be consequences for stupidity and we should willingly accept those consequences.

You should at least talk to a lawyer.

Scholiast said...

there's so much stuff piling up for you there must surely be something tremendously worthwhile waiting around the corner! (though hopefully not in a suv...) I mean, how much pain & un-fortune can a girl take? :(

crossing fingers you'll have a miraculously quick recovery and the woman will suffer a mysterious spinedissolving disease ...

Anonymous said...

What everyone said, the bitch should have to pay in some way - cover your bills at the very, very least.

My fantasy would include getting a stencil of your x-ray and spray painting it on all four sides of her SUV with something like: WARNING: Dangerous Driver on Board. You too can need spinal surgery after she hits you.

Sudiegirl said...

Yep - the lawsuit thing is a good one.

You deserve to see that heifer fry in court.

But water aerobics can be helpful...my mom liked it a lot.

E :) said...

That woman (and her insurance) should cover your costs at the very least. Gah.

Sudiegirl said...

e is right...