Dr. H

We sat in the exam not knowing what to expect. The nurse came in to get some basic information and Joey's vital signs. She told us the Doctor would be in shortly. Again, alone in the exam room we sat quietly. Both of us nervous and trying to be strong for the other.  As we waited for the Doctor I looked around the small room. There were many diagrams and posters. One of the diagrams caught my attention. It looked very similar to Joey's back. In the lumbar region of Joey's back there was a noticeable inward curve. I pointed it out to Joey and told him that is what his lower back looks like. Then Dr. H walks in and sits down right next to me in the small exam room. He kind of slouches in his seat and introduced himself as he picked at his teeth. If he were not wearing an exam coat we ever would have thought he was a doctor let alone a neurosurgeon. He is a young  man, I would say in his early 40ies. Tall, normal build and wares glasses. He begins to explain that he deals with people in Joey's situation all the time.  I pointed to the diagram that resembles Joey's back and told him that is what it looks like to me. He said "oh, I can tell just by looking at him whats wrong with him. He has what is called a Charcot spine." (A Charcot spine is a late complication of traumatic spinal cord injury that can produce further disability). We asked what needed to be done to fix it and the answer was very intrusive surgery.  Although surgery is never what a person really wants to do, I have to admit it was nice to know that there was something that could be done. Just a few months ago we were left with no hope, now we had some. Dr. H did inform us that sometimes the surgery is not successful. I asked what the time frame would be as far as know if it was successful. He said "Weeks, months, years. Hows that for an answer. This could work or we will become very good friends." Unfortunately, we would become very good friends.