[shibumi]

"For many, *many* years, starting around 40, dad relied on those shots several times a year to keep working to feed and care for his family."

And I, myself, have been getting those same steroid injections several times a year for the last seven years. (I am currently 61.)

The alternative - surgery - often results in conditions just as debilitating as the original problem, at a far greater cost.

[Salamander]

Kinda like the “2 day stay” surgery for a stainless steel spinal support that had my dad in the hospital for -3 weeks- and nearly paralyzed him?

Yeah.

I’m really looking forward to *that*.

[moral of story: NEVER listen to your uber-liberal, pETA loving, vegan retired teacher sister who recommended her own HMO neuro-quack]

They “redid” the SS rod 2 *more* times before they finally got it half-assed right to where SCREWS weren’t stabbing his spinal cord.

The day after the first surgery, he told me he couldn’t feel his leg yet it was “shocking him” and “numb”.

I told him to tell the doctors they’d pinched *other* nerves but they wouldn’t listen and it took 2 more tries to figure out what a little nobody like me immediately saw clear as day.

He still hurts a lot but not as bad as before.

My aunt got lucky...she’s fine.