I was in bed last night not sure how long, trying to fall asleep. I started having a lot of GI distress, getting sudden diarrhea. Let’s just say I lost control. Before going to bed I was having low back pain including in my sacrum, which felt numb.
All this after reading the lumbar MRI I got the other day, as discussed in a post below, which seemed to possibly show some serious issues. Putting those facts together lying there I realized my symptoms corresponded to a very dangerous, emergency condition called Cauda Equina syndrome, which can result in permanent loss of bowel and bladder control, not to mention sexual dysfunction, and paralysis of legs.
So I woke up my wife and went to the ER. The doctor looked at my lumbar MRI and ruled out Cauda Equina. He himself had been concerned that could be what it was, so it was prudent to go. Then I remembered eating a stale BBQ burrito the day before the cashier gave me at the gas station, so that is the likely culprit.
And it was a relief to be given a relatively good appraisal of my lumbar spine. There is no compression of nerves. The retrolithesis or vertebral movement backward is small and stable, typical for my age, which the doctor often sees. It indents into a sac containing the Cauda Equina nerves (means Horse Tail) but not much, there being a lot of distance between the contact with the sac and the nerves. The doctor assured me this poses no problems or symptoms. So I went home assured but still needing a neurologist to tell me with their expertise what is going on.
I’m not going to lie, that was an extraordinarily testing experience, knowing treatment is emergency back surgery. I asked the nurse if they see many Cauda Equina cases, and she said they had on a couple weeks ago, a woman who lost bowel control with the low back pain and numbness under her pelvis. They actually sent her to the main hospital across town to be further evaluated if she needs emergency surgery.
We got home about 6 am and I went straight to sleep relieved, and had the best dream in a long time. There was this wise old nurse visiting me telling me I would recover from this health crisis, just to give it time. The dream was very profound and had a major effect on me when I woke up. In hindsight, it came across like a supernatural message as if the woman was an Angel giving me that message in a dream. God willing.
I lay back in the recliner today listening to SSPX podcasts on the state of the church, nursing my stomach upset with mainly fluids. When you are in pain all over, not knowing if/when it will resolve one day, unable to work, it is emotionally taxing. I might go a few hours relatively ok, then something triggers the depression that comes with this. It really does feel like a battle with principalities, to keep your mind clear and hopeful.
Anyway, thanks for listening. Please pray for my recovery and that nothing serious develops in my lumbar spine, and that there is a good prognosis. On a positive note, when I took a short walk today there was little pain and it felt like my symptoms are fading, as they have been slowly.