Walking - One Year Later: MRIs, Miracles and World Class Surgeons

One year today!  A year ago, I could not walk.  Yesterday my iPhone dashboard said I walked 5.2 miles and I've already walked 3.8 miles today.  I am so grateful to be walking!

So - for those of you who had been following my story earlier this year - my apologies!  I never finished my story! I'll take up to the time of my surgery and update more in the weeks ahead.  Just a warning - this is a long post!  So - here goes!

Back to the tube I go!  MRIs are hard to psych yourself up for but I had little time to get anxious.  My doctor was able to get me an emergency MRI on Tuesday November 19th of 2013.  I arrived early and it seemed like the longest wait of my life.  Then, I was back in the tube for nearly an hour hearing humming and thumping.  I got a big anxious when they told me I could not have music this time, just ear plugs.  But, I knew that this set of MRIs could give insight to why I could barely walk.  It was soon over and my wife picked me up.  We had some dinner and headed home.  I soon had a voicemail from Dr. Castillo letting me know that I should call him to go over my MRI results.

When I returned the call, my heart was racing.  Dr Castillo quickly and succinctly told me that I had rather large tumor growing in my spine at the area of T-9.  He said that it was unclear if it was intra-medullary or if it was growing outside of the spinal sheath.  This certainly was causing my numbness, tingling and decreasing coordination.  He let me know that he had notified my primary physician and that I should see a neurosurgeon right away.

That night we let our family and close friends know what we were facing.  I was scared, yet relieved to know that we finally knew what was causing all of these symptoms.  I was relieved to know that it was not the onset of MS, ALS or some other neurological disease.  

I could no longer climb the stairs so I once again slept downstairs.  While my wife often does not sleep,the next morning I learned that she had spent the night researching about my tumor and the options for great neurological hospitals.  It seemed apparent that to go to either Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale or Barrow Neurological in Phoenix were our best choices.  But, could we get in and how would that work?

In the Albuquerque area we kept getting the run around.  The neurosurgeon I was referred to was out of town.  The doctor covering for him would not look at my MRI since it was thoracic and he no longer worked on this part of the spine.  I called for an appointment at UNM Medical Center and they said they needed a referral and it would be approximately 2 weeks until I could be seen.  When I told them I was not sure I had 2 weeks, they said that if it was severe, they may be able to see me sooner.

I was frustrated with our progress in the Albuquerque area so I called a friend who owns a large oncology practice in the Phoenix area.  We'd met through a support group that I attended because of my failing marriage a few years ago.  This was a connection I would never have had without the pain of those years.  He said to get him a copy of my MRI results and overnight them.  He would read them and tell me what kind of tumor I had.  I asked him, "if you had to have a tumor removed from your spine, who would you recommend in the Phoenix area?"  He said - unequivocally, "I would got to Dr. Dickman at Barrow Neurological at St. Joseph's".   

When I hung up the phone, I went online and researched the doctor and send a request for a consult via their online portal.  A few hours later I called their referral service.  As I began to explain my situation and that I'd like to get in with Dr. Dickman, the phone representative pulled up my inquiry and said that she had all that she needed.  She then asked if I would like to be connected to Dr. Dickman's office.  When I spoke to his office, they said to send via overnight a copy of my MRI. Dr. Dickman would be reviewing files on Thursday and Friday.  She said that based on the severity of the case, he would call me for a consult.  I reached my wife and she got copies sent to my friend and to Dr Dickman's office via overnight service.

On Thursday we continued to seek assistance in New Mexico but were getting no where.  So - Caryl decided that we should just book tickets to Phoenix and go to Barrow.  She called to Dr. Dickman's office and asked if my case could be reviewed.  They said they had received the files and that Dr. Dickman would get to us as quickly as he could.  She then asked if we came to Phoenix, would they admit me if I came to the emergency room.  She said, "of course - you may not get Dr. Dickman, but you will get a world class neurosurgeon to review your case".  Caryl booked our tickets to leave the next morning.

At approximately 5:40 PM that Thursday evening Dr. Dickman called me!  When I picked up he said that he was calling to discuss my case but first he had a question, "Could I walk?" I told him that I barely could walk at this point and that things were getting worse by the day.   Because I still have a Phoenix area code for my cell he thought I was local.  When I told him I was in Albuquerque he asked if I could get there on Friday.  I let him know that my wife had already booked tickets to arrive on Friday morning.  He then proceeded to tell me that my case was very serious and the tumor needed to come out right away.  He said his assistant was gone for the day, but that he had called the hospital himself and booked the ER.  He would see me at his office on Friday morning and that most likely I would have surgery by Friday afternoon.  I thanked him for taking a look at my file and that I would see him on Friday. He gave me his cell number to reach him and then I hung up.

I let Caryl know right away and our trip was in motion.  That evening was a whirlwind as I finished up work, we packed for our trip, got sitters for the dogs, finalized our move ( yes, we would be moving while I was in the hospital) and prepared for a very unknown journey.  Our son, Johnathan, spent the evening with a good friend down the street.  Church friends came and help coordinate our move( yes we were to move the next day to a one story in Alburquerque).   Neighbors from across the street prepared to watch our dogs.  It was a whirlwind evening and there were just a few hours of sleep before we would head out to Phoenix in the morning.

Less than 4 days from my Monday appointment and I had MRIs, a miracle connection and I was on my way to see a world class neurosurgeon in Phoenix!  There are some weeks you could never put in the category of good luck.  This one could only be one for divine intervention!  I say it was a miracle!

Early Friday morning we headed to the airport and began a short but anxious trip to Phoenix.  Upon landing in Phoenix, I turned on my phone.  I had a voicemail and text message from Dr. Dickman saying to come directly to the emergency room at St. Joseph's Medical Center and they would admit me right away.  As we arrived, our good friend Coleen was there to meet us.  We were overcome with emotion but had contentment that we were in good hands.  The lady at the front desk knew I was coming and had me processed in less than 5 minutes.  I was escorted to the emergency room immediately.  Dr. Dickman was there within 20 minutes.  He was amazing and once again reviewed my MRI (on his iPhone) and went over what the surgery would entail.  Caryl began to cry and he walked around the bed and gave her a huge bear hug!  He said, "you can trust me, I know what I'm doing".  Soon I was having chest x-rays and was taken for a last minute MRI to get more detail for the surgery.  Time would quickly pass and at just past 2 PM I went in for surgery.

What a miracle week!