"Pandora's Box"

Dr. Ashish-o and I are on the same wavelength. I think that we have both been wracking our brains trying to figure out how to reach that spot of broken vascularity in my trunk in attempt to bring back the oxygen that portion of my spine needs.

Now I am no surgeon and I am no spinal cord expert... everything I know I know from personal experience, but I still understand the need for my new baby stem cells to find that one broken link to reset everything in my trunk. So yesterday Dr. Ashish did exactly what I would have done, if that matters at all.

I was taken, once again, into the Operation Theatre by OP and his gang of techs, one of the sisters, and greeted by a smiling Dr. Ashish. Dr. Ashish's smile is so big that you can even see it through his surgical mask and feel it from the hallway. Right away they got me into position, lying on my side in a small scrunched up ball with only inches between my forehead and knees. I was given an epidural injection of cells, below my site of injury (probably about belly button level on my back). This injection was very much like one that I had received at the beginning of my stay; however, it came with a very interesting surprise...

For the first time during a procedure, when punctured near my spine I have never so much as bled even a drop. This time, Dr. Ashish was quite pleased to find that my back bled so much that they need to clean up after it was all done. My first instinct was to be grossed out by it, until I looked up to see how elated Dr. Ashish was at this new reaction. The sole fact that my lower half is becoming more vascular is wonderful, but even more wonderful is the fact that it is exactly what my out-of-order trunk needs.

I spent 5 hours lying flat with bricks to invert me, then another half hour on my side, only to get up rather quickly to jump in the taxi waiting downstairs to whisk us back to Green Park. There was barely a moment to get my IV canula removed, let alone enjoy the cup of tea that Sarah and Kanako had waiting for me.

This procedure was pretty exciting for me because it was the first one that I felt like was truly specialized for my case. I have been told several times by several sources that my situation is very different than any other that has rolled through the door before, as if I am shocked about that.

I will have one more procedure before I leave and return back to the real world. This will be yet another dreaded lumbar puncture, since I performed so well at it before. From my understanding it will happen next week with the exact day and time remaining to-be-determined, as if I am shocked about that either.