Back - not a good subject, but one I intend to discuss anyway.
(This is old news to those who have the misfortune to se me socially - I've been bending the ears of friends good and bad, relatives close and distant, and strangers in the street since these events transpired)
I finally got the NHS to give me an MRI scan, and it's gruesome.
Having said that, a lot of things fell into place when I saw the scan - for instance, I now know why I've had increasing discomfort when driving for the last few years. I now know why I've had bouts of sciatica every time I play my beloved game of squash. I now know why I was laid flat last year when wifey and I lifted some doors up three flights for an installation she did. Etc etc.
The official diagnosis is Scoliosis, probably genetic. It's nothing to do with the amount of exercise I've done - which is a relief.
The good news is, it's treatable, and even better, it's keyhole surgery. Two days in hozzy, six weeks rest and I'll be fine, I hope.
The treatment is called XLIF and there's a rather rose-tinted description of it here:
Rosy cosy xlif video
When I went recently to sign the consent forms, the surgeon was keen to manage my expectations - ie he made it plain that jumping around straight after the op is not an option, and probably won't be an option for quite a while - maybe never (sob). There's also a possibility that if the result isn't good enough there may be follow-up proceures to put rods and screws in. That's worst case. Best case is I get to be an inch taller and spend my late middle age on a squash court.
I got them to send me the actual MRI scan and the viewing software, and then I made this little animation which shows sections in sequence, from the side. It gives an impression of just how twisted I am:
I expect the surgery to be in March, and I'm very excited about it. More when I know it.
Laters.
