3 Christmases

@quintjl Yes. The lesion on my spine in October 2021 rapidly paralyzed me from the ribs down (I walked into the ER on a Monday morning using a cane for balance, and woke up from a nap Friday afternoon unable to move my legs at all, except for a slight movement of my right baby toe).

They rushed me into the OR for 10+ hours of emergency debulking surgery, but it was weeks before I could do more than move my toes slighly, months before I could sit up unassisted for long or bear weight on my legs, nearly a year before I could move around outside much using a walker (rollator), and nearly two years before I stopped using a cane.

I can now walk, climb stairs, and even ride a bicycle, but I don't have full sensation (I can't always feel if my legs are hot, cold, or fatigued until I start staggering), and I had to recruit other muscles and neural pathways to get back to mobility. It was a grueling 2 hours/day of physio exercises at first, originally lying in the bed, and I still need to do 30 min/day for maintenance or my mobility starts decreasing.

I don't want to sugar-coat this. Many people who get paralysed by a cancerous lesion on their spine never regain mobility, but also, many do. I was lucky (most of all), but also, I had a world-class orthopedic surgeon and rehab facility, I was young (56 at the time) and otherwise fit, and I was insanely/obsessively motivated to walk again, sometimes to my detriment (by overdoing it and backsliding for a couple of weeks).

But the main point is that one can come back from it. It might mean life in a wheelchair (I was mentally prepared for that), or using a walker or cane, but all of those still mean independence.

@northoftheborder Thank you for sharing your experience with me! It truly has helped my spirits! My husband is 46 and rather fit otherwise before this all happened; therefore, I still have hope. Either way, no matter, what independence is there to be had!

Your story AND our 1st visit with a local Physical Medicine and Rehab Dr. have reassured me about so much. Since he arrived home end of July after 2 months of being in the hospital/rehab it's been difficult to say the least. BUT if there is a willingness to work at it and keep fighting, great things may be accomplished no matter how small.

Reading your story has helped me to see that we are doing okay. It just takes time, something like this doesn't heel overnight.

I plan on sharing this with my husband.

For me you sparked a bit of my joy back. As I reread your response, I was reminded that my husband is cancer free! His surgeon was able to get ALL of the tumor. During recovery in the hospital, he was given 3 spinal taps to see if the cancer had spread into the cord itself. Every tap came back clear. No chemo or radiation needed. Just MRIs every couple of months to keep an eye on things.

Thank you! This means a lot! Blessings to you and yours!

Cheers from Minnesota!

@quintjl Best of luck to both of you. Physical recovery is three steps forward / two steps back sometimes, but if he looks at his progress month to month instead of day to day, he'll feel more encouraged.

Also, you mentioned you're in Minnesota. It was January 2022 when I finally came home from hospital in Ontario, in a wheelchair, on the snowiest day of the year. Are you trying to push your husband outside in a wheelchair through all the snow as well? I can't believe my spouse managed that (I'm not a small guy).

@northoftheborder I sure am getting him through the snow! haha he isn't small either, but we manage pretty well. The worst was when we lived in Florida just prior to this and I had to wheel him to the doctor (at least a mile 1 way) in the jankiest wheelchair! It didn't have footrests, so I pushed him while also tipping him back in a wheely position! Man, my arms hurt doing that! haha I we survived living there we can survive this too!

Thank you again! 🙂

@quintjl She dumped me only once, when the chair's front wheels dug into the snow. I had a soft landing and thought it was funny, but she felt terrible at the time.

I guess it would look pretty bad to a bystander, as if she were dumping someone from a wheelchair onto the sidewalk: "OK, I'm DONE with you!" 🙂