After seeing my doctor last month, having the CT Scan and seeing the extent of the damage to my spine, today I received my appointment letter from the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

On the 4th of July I will see the neurosurgeon and hopefully this will lead to so kind of treatment to my lower spine. I am hoping this will enable me to finally put the last 6 years in the bin and start a new life, with focus and a positive future.

For those who don’t know I have degeneration and herniation of the lower spine basically affecting all my lumbar spine, first diagnosed about 1985. The first sign was while I was playing social tennis. Its amazing how a thing like just picking up a tennis balls can shape things to come. The damage was isolated to 2 vertebras. Little did I know a bulge disc could lead to such bad problems 22 years later.

In 2001 I had an appointment to see a neurosurgeon at the same hospital but by then the problem had become worse, now affecting 4 vertebras. The only suggestion made was a injection in that part of my spine to possibly stop the pain so I can lead a pain free life. Having been a sports trainer and doing years of study and seeing other people also go through the same treatment. I decided it was not really the solution and that it would only cause more problems in the future, particularly doing the type of work I was doing. That involved heavy lifting in work history as a storeman which is mentally and physically attacking to the body I realised even if it did work the damage done would never be repairable.

Anyway now I will go through the motions again and hope for a much better result but by my scans the damage is severe and the prospect of being wheel chair bound as time goes on become more of a possible reality. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for much better outcome.