Challenging Times Ahead

Yesterday was tough. As some of you know, Michael hurt his back a few weeks ago. His pain has gotten worse & has now traveled into his legs, accompanied by tingling, numbness, & weakness. The poor fella can hardly move around the house (the office chair is coming in handy), & even has a hard time finding a comfortable position when laying or sitting. We thought we had found the answer in a spinal nerve block injection, which Michael was scheduled to receive tomorrow. Until he met with a neurosurgeon yesterday. A neurosurgeon who walked into the room with the words, "I can't help you" on his lips. Apparently, Michael doesn't just have a herniated disk. He also has congenital spinal stenosis, which in layman's terms means a narrowing of his spinal column that he was born with. The neurosurgeon said Michael has to go to Birmingham to have surgery & emphatically commanded Michael not to get the nerve block injection, saying it could make things worse. I, however, desiring a less invasive solution than surgery, held out hope that a quick call to the doctor who was supposed to give the injection would deliver a different answer. No such luck. They agreed that now that we know we're dealing with more than just a herniated disk, he should forego the shot & have the surgery. I hung up the phone & cried. This whole thing scares me. It scares me for his health, for his job, for our finances, & for what the future holds. People have asked what we need, but right now I'm still processing & couldn't tell you (though I do appreciate the query). Once I get a mental grip on this, maybe once we meet with the UAB neurosurgeon who will handle the operation, I'll be able to answer that question. For now, we covet your prayers, both for Michael's health & for the difficulties that we're facing in this situation. Thanks so much. We love you all.