My Momma

So...it snowed last week. 2 beautiful days. We were in school BOTH of them. Only in Texas does it snow, stay under 30 degrees and MELT?! Anyway, on Thursday my mom's school let out 30 minutes early. Seriously - that was their early release. Then the teachers were able to leave. My mom left and walked to her car across the slushy parking lot. She said with each step the snow melted. Then she hit a slick patch. She didn't fall (that was my first question as she has fallen and broken her arm 3 times in parking lots). However, in the effort of staying upright she twisted pretty hard and that caused a compression fracture in at L2. She managed to fill out paper work and drive herself home (we'll call that shock) where my nurse sister met her. They immediately went to the Ortho office that we use and they saw her that afternoon. She had x-rays (standing/in her clothes because she couldn't move enough) and got to see the fracture. Then they fitted her with a corset brace which immediately helped with the pain. She was then scheduled for an MRI Friday afternoon.

There's a story:
She walks in for the MRI and the first thing they say is "Ok, lay down". I remind you - she has a broken back...
So she did as she was asked with much gratefulness that she had just had pain pills. The girl then proceeded to have her scoot this way...oops too far...now back...oops too far...again that way...oops...there... (with a broken back). Then she put a pillow under mom's knees so her (broken) back was flat on the metal table. Then handed her a 'stress ball' and told her it was her panic button. This alarmed mom and she wondered aloud why she'd need a panic button - how long could this take anyway? The gal told her only 30-45 minutes (with a broken back). SO they start to send her into the tube where mom immediately (like in 10 seconds flat) found out she's clausterphobic....and the MRI was over. So home she went in her brace to take more pain meds. She has continued sleeping sitting up in a chair and was supposed to have an 'Open MRI' today...hopefully with some happy pills.

Once she's had the MRI they will likely do a surgery where they use an needle (OUCHIE) to inject some kind of human approved cement that will fill in the fractures and fix the whole painful mess. The doctor told her she'll go to sleep hurting and wake up ok. (Mom wanted to know if they could just skip the MRI and do the surgery and I agree that makes the most sense to me...but I'm no doctor.)

All that to say - Please pray for my Momma. She's in some pain. I haven't heard if they ever scheduled an open MRI but if they did -- she'll need your prayers for that. Then we will all covet them for the surgery and further recovery portion.

As a side note - I found out that this kind of fracture is usually a bone density issue and that my mom may have slight scoliosis. (My Grandmother has an S curve in her back and appearantly it is hereditary.) Mom's doctor has suggested we all have bone density and scoliosis screenings in the near future.

And that my friends, is the daily news.