In this Update:
- 2-Year(ish) Follow-up X-Rays
- Being "Essential"
- Trying for Some Normalcy
2-Year(ish) Follow-up X-Rays
Due to the shutdown of all non-essential services during the pandemic, I wasn’t able to get my 2-year x-rays done until now. I wasn’t all too worried that something was wrong, but it always gives me peace of mind to get confirmation. I haven’t sent my images to Dr. Desai yet but from what I can see, my ESP is exactly where it was before. Also, the disc space of my L4/L5 is well preserved, which means no signs of accelerated degenerative disc disease! The report stated the same, and since I have gotten all my x-rays there in the past, the radiologist reading my film had the comparison images available as well.
I wanted to add that even though my “old” back pain never returned after surgery, I have been feeling very sore and tight all over - from my neck to my ankles, I am a knotted mess. Stretching has helped some, and I know I should be doing more rehab workouts, but I am so stressed and often so tired that I just don’t do it… working on it though.
So, here they are:
Flexion 
Extension
Oblique Right 
Oblique Left
Being "Essential"
Working in an Emergency Department during a global pandemic has been so many things. Scary and unreal come do mind, actually. I am however grateful that A) I have a job, and B) I am physically able to do my job. But being repeatedly exposed to COVID can be mentally exhausting. It almost is a feeling of “doom” whenever I pick up a suspected COVID patient from the outside holding area to take him/her to an isolation room for bedside triage. Closing the door behind us, my co-workers would stay outside the glass door, ready to fetch something I may need. Being in that closed room for a considerable amount of time doing necessary patient care trigger thoughts of “what if”, but you still give your patient all you’ve got – they often are as scared as you are.
When the number of cases was starting to increase, the issue of having appropriate PPE came to light. When I got my first paper bag with my name on it in which I was supposed to keep my disposable N95 to be reused, I couldn’t believe it. The procedures for PPE use have changed multiple times as the crisis unfolded, and the VA showed great efforts to keep us safe. I was eventually fitted for a half-mask that is meant to be cleaned with soap and water. I learned the hard ways that wearing N95s really hurt your face after a while, but the red marks hopefully mean I got a good seal… Ralf also bought me some face shields for protection. I have been wearing my surgical mask for multiple days (gross!) but finally got washable face masks from Ebay, which I now use instead.
Trying for some Normalcy
A global pandemic like this is scary enough, but with Ralf’s recent hospitalizations and post-surgical issues, it adds an additional layer of anxiety (for both of us). We lost our primary care provider, who left the practice mid-March. Ralf also wasn’t able to establish care with the GI specialist. This was actually very disappointing because Dr. Lepane was assigned to his case during the latest hospital admission at AdventHealth Celebration, and we really wanted to get established with her for Ralf’s GI-related needs that have nothing to do with his cancer. However, she refused to take him as a patient, referring him back to Moffitt. She didn’t even talk to us directly but brushed us off through a middleman. Very disappointing indeed.
Regardless of all the anxiety, uncertainty, and fear, Ralf and I really tried to keep some sort of normalcy in our lives. Even though we got married in October, our unofficial anniversary has always been April 1st. That was the day I moved in temporarily to take care of Poncebear while Ralf was away for the weekend – and then I never moved out, lol. So when April 1st came around, Ralf clipped some branches from the plant that grows over our wall, right in front of our door. That was so sweet!
We also did a few light workouts out of our garage, where we have some equipment stored. Unfortunately, I just can’t get it together enough to be consistent right now…
Whenever I was off from work, we also went for long walks around the neighborhood. We are very fortunate to live in a safe, gated community with lots of lakes and walkways. Before the official lockdown, we also did a couple outings to Split Oak or Hal Scott Preserve but ever since the official lockdown, we haven’t left the neighborhood. Funny enough, we still got our gator encounters and examples of the “circle of life” away from the woods!
Gator in Split Oaks 
Gator in Village Walk
Easter 2020 was pretty much non-existent, even though I was actually off this year. Found this old picture and thought it pretty much sums it up:
We did have plenty of time though to really improve meal prepping and healthy eating. Due to the virus, all groceries are getting disinfected in the garage before entering the house, which is quite an operation! We also realized that we need a bigger freezer because we are running out of space. In addition, we ordered a gas grill online and managed to assemble it on our patio.
Overall, life feels very strange these days and I am sure the world will adjust but never go back to how things used to be, at least not completely. But at least I am going through this without a broken back, and my heart goes out to all those who suffer from crippling pain in the midst of a global shutdown.