I believe I have broke my spine again!

 

I believe I have broke my spine again!

First I will explain why I say, “Again”.

It all began around March 4th, 1999. That is the first time I traumatized my spine.

It was 3:55pm and my shift at B and R Demolition ended in five minutes. I removed my eyeglasses to wipe off the sweat and dust accumulated on them when I heard a crack sound.

Two seconds later I was falling, from about fifty feet, straight down through the scaffolding.

The crack I had heard was the breaking of the three by nine board I was standing on.

I landed on my feet!

Driving my face into my knees.

It hurt, I kid you not!

The thing that saved my life was my arms breaking planks during my descent.

At the hospital it was discovered that besides two blackened eyes I had fractured my right elbow, my left forearm and two ribs.

Hang on Campers, it gets better!

The kinetic force of my landing sent a shock wave up my spine and shattered my 6th, 5th, 3rd and 2nd vertebrae.

In surgery they performed a complete dissection of all 4 vertebrae. Implanted a large amount of surgical hardware to secure my head to my neck.

It took 18 hours of surgery, died twice on the table and two years of physical recovery. (I am still recovering mentally.)

My life changed forever that day. I went from earning $53 per hour to being on Disability.

Then in the summer of 2004 I took a tumble down my patio steps.

More surgery!

I will get to the point as I see no reason to detail the many other times I further damaged my spine.

On October 28th, 2019 I was diagnosed with Oropharyngeal Cancer and Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Stage 4.

Conventional treatment was out of the equation.

Nothing to lose, I volunteered to be a human Guinea Pig. I received 84 rounds of Hardwin’s Protocol Radiation. I did this in twenty concurrent double morning and double afternoon sessions.

Giving me severe Radiation poisoning. But giving me a chance of life.

Those treatments gave me severe, extreme Osteoporosis. I also went from weighing 165 pounds to a mere 65 pounds.

I spent 33 straight weeks in Princess Margaret Cancer Center.

Since the cancer diagnosis it has been almost seven years of one fracture after another.

A year and a half ago I had a very scary and complicated surgery for “Cauda Equina”.

Cauda Equina means “Horse’s Tail” and refers to the bundle of nerves that exit our spine in the lower T section. It is also the name of the surgery used to repair it. Inside our spine it is the “cord” and where it exits our spine on a MRI looks like a horse tail.

That bundle of nerves controls everything from our navel down to our toes.

I have had 14 surgeries on my back now.

After the last surgery, on June 11th last year, I was informed that I am no longer repairable and am now classified as having “Chronic Cauda Equina”.

They advised I obtain an electric wheelchair.

As long as I can stand and sort of walk I will stand and sort of walk.

The main reason I walk my girls as many times per day as I can is the hope of keeping myself out of the chair.

Campers, LightHouse Dann cannot do “wheelchair”.

To me it is the equivalence of my being executed in an “electric chair”.

I know it is destined in my future and everyday I feel my back, from my Coxsis to my C1 Vertebra, painfully remind me of my destiny.

So, having the luck of the Irish, the day before the brain surgery I had a couple of weeks ago, January 16th to be exact, I go to sit on my deskchair.

It rolls out from underneath my arse and flips.

As it flips the headrest crashes into my spine and I land hard on my arse.

I did not want the brain repair to be cancelled, so like “Scholz” on the TV classic, “Hogan’s Hero’s”, “I said nothing!”.

While in the hospital post surgery I had to be strapped down, completely immobile for six hours, on my back. I didn’t have a choice because it was necessary to get the surgery site to coagulate.

Campers, I cried like a new born baby for every second of those six hours.

I still kept the fall to myself.

Guess what Campers, I am still crying numerous times throughout the day from the excruciating pain.

I spoke to the team at Toronto Western Hospital that is in charge of my being in the human trial and who take care of all my post op treatments and they wanted me to call an ambulance and get to them asap.

They explained that even though there are no more surgical options there may still be “options”.

I’ll see how the evening goes and perhaps I’ll jump on the streetcar in the morning.

I promise that if not tomorrow then I will go on Monday for sure.

Weekends, especially Sundays, are the worst day of all to seek treatment at a hospital.

Specially at one of the world’s highest ranking neurological centers.

So Campers, if our paths per chance were to cross and you see the tears falling down my face …

Bear no mind for this is the reason why …

CAMPERS, I HAVE BROKE MY SPINE, AGAIN !