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December 1-31, 2008.  Monday the 1st I had the MRI done. Donna was on the road headed for New Jersey to pick up a load. I couldn’t get in to see the orthopedist until Friday the 12th. Donna was doing well, as she always does, pulling a bunch of reefer loads.  

On the 12th I went in for the results of the MRI. Good news I didn’t get. I was told I have stenosis in my spine that was putting pressure on the nerve endings and causing muscle spasms in my back. I also have bulges in my spine that were doing the same thing. My back injury had aggravated the nerve endings. The suggested treatments were pain killers, muscle relaxers, spinal injections, and spinal surgery if all else failed.  The doctor suggested I see a chiropractor to help with the spasms and to help with flexibility.

I don’t do pain killers or muscle relaxers, they do not cure the problem and I don’t like taking them. The spinal injection might or might not help, there is no way to tell until after I have it done, great. Spinal surgery which would be a last ditch effort, might not help either. I was told not to work by the orthopedist, who’s specialty was pain management.

I called the chiropractor and was informed that I had used all the available services allowed by my health insurance for the year. With Donna running solo money was tight and I couldn’t afford to pay for the chiropractic services out of pocket, so I decided to wait until January, when my benefits renew.

Donna was able to get home on the 23rd so we had a nice Christmas. She went back in service on the 26th but and got a load that picked up on the 29th down by Harrisburg, PA. Donna is not planning to be home on New Year’s Eve.

Donna did get a load from NJ delivering on the 31st at 2200. She made her delivery near Boston then went to the nearest service plaza on the MA Pike for a few hours sleep. I spent the last evening of the year with a heating pad for company.  Blog Author  Top of Page  Bottom of Page