------------------------------------------------------- Author: toad aka puppet Topic: Toad's not having surgery, YET! Date: 2001/03/13 ------------------------------------------------------- This is by far the hardest letter I’ve written. I went for my pre-op visit today & found out my surgery is NOT on the schedule. My surgeon, in whom I still love & respect, will call me in April to set up a time to talk again. He assures me that I’ll be fixed up before the fall hunting season. However, I’ve just got blown out of spring turkey season. It gets worse. After much review, I’m apparently a borderline candidate for a full DBS. If he operated today, he would probably go with the replacement on the thalamic stimulator. Also, I’m borderline for a bilateral surgery. He’s not sure now if he will do the other side, which was to help my walking, balance, rigidity, ETC, at this time. While I don’t have a clue how we got from a pre-op for a bilateral DBS to a, “I’ll call you about a single thalamic stimulator implant,” but I do know this is my DR. & I told him today to follow his instincts. He is smart, but most of all I trust him. I not only trust him when things are going my way, but also when things look bleak. Measure twice & cut once applies here. This is a terrible ordeal. Awhile back, a friend’s DBS got delayed. I told her that maybe God knew the surgeon would be having a better day after the delay. Maybe one of these days I’ll learn to keep my mouth shut. Maybe God is answering a prayer, & I feel He’s giving the wrong answer, at least not the answer I thought was right. I know that after seven surgeries, this is the first time this surgeon has backed up. If you could have seen the pain in face, you’d know it hurt him to give me the news. Oh well, enough of that. After I got back from the Drs. office I came home & told Shannon to call Nanny with the news. I also told her to hold all calls, as I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I came in the bedroom, checked my email & did part of this letter. Then I lay across the bed in a not too happy mood. After a while my bedroom door opened & someone walked in. I lay there with my eyes closed as Nanny came in & lay by my side. I opened my eyes & asked her what she was doing home from work & she replied, “You need me.” I just lay there while many emotions ran rampant through my mind. Nanny looked at me & said, “You know what’s good about this? I’ve got wide shoulders,” & so she does. She was right. I needed her. So we lay there with her arm across me till I went to sleep. This was better than sex, food, or a big paycheck. It was what God created woman for. To be man’s completion. To share her strength when he is weak. Showing loyal support & spiritual guidance when he can’t see past his own despair. The soft gently kiss I received as she caressed my head was a soothing balm to my soul. At that moment I was as an infant seeking security in a mother’s arms where naught of the world could harm me. My oldest daughter has been “clean” from drugs for two months. She applied for a job, & yesterday we found out she passed her drug test. This is truly a miracle. I am so proud of her & thankful to God for His mercy. She starts work tomorrow. I went to the hospital yesterday to visit a friend that had a throat surgery. I went to cheer him up, but by the time we were done praying I feel I received more of a blessing than he did. I received a call last night from someone, who was intent on cheering me up, which she did. This morning a friend pepped me up, while on line. My point is that God gives us the sustaining resources, when we need them the most. Then Nanny came & with strong words of love & support, shown rather than spoken & felt rather than heard, but so very real none the less. The day started beautifully, as the sun shown brightly spreading it’s warmth. Then my spirit endured a tragedy that foretold of greatly desired & expected relief for my body would be postponed & maybe even modified from what was expected. As afternoon fades into evening, I’m sitting here typing in a peaceful glow. I’m alive. I’m loved. I have many friends. All is not lost, as I’ll be patched up by hunting season. There are only two harsh realities to contend with right now. One is dealing with these #@$%@&*)+! tremors. Two is that crazy woman just had the nerve to tell me we are out of coffee! Can you believe it! Sincerely, Toad ------------------------------------------------------- From: janet313313 Date: March 13, 2001 09:42 PM ------------------------------------------------------- "This is by far the hardest letter I've written..." dear toad not only that, it is possibly the finest one you've written (from my minimal experience, that is) i firmly believe nope i know that there are no coincidences everything that happens around us is meant to happen everything is a gift given to us to learn from not as a reward not as punishment not as retribution not as a bribe your declaration of caring for the women in your life brought tears to my eyes so many of us suffer in so many ways from not knowing how to express our deepest feelings you are lighting the way for us janet ------------------------------------------------------- These forums are owned and maintained by the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital Webspinner/Community Manager - John Lester http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/ubb/Forum207/HTML/000292.html ------------------------------------------------------- janet paterson, an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky PD: 54/41/37 CD: 54/44/43 TEL: 613 256 8340 EMAIL: [log in to unmask] "A New Voice" home page: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ . 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