Scoliosis and change

He really was a support during that very scary time.  The operation would keep my back from worsening.  After seeing my x rays my GP doctor was worried that I would fall and become completely paralyzed.  I was never the less scared.  I did a lot of praying and put myself into God's hands. 

The time finally came for me to go to Minneapolis for my operation.  Mother it was decided would come up to our house to take care of Lewis while he was in school so he did not have to leave his class.  Lewis was now ten years old.  Mother's first cousin Warren came up with her to help out.  We were not fully out of the shop at Wythe Green.  We had a big blow out sale, but things were still in the shop.  Tink went with me for moral support to stay with his nephew's family in Minneapolis. 


The first surgery went as planned and After a week I was to go back in for the second surgery.  When I came out of surgery my husband was not there.  This was strange, he had always been there when I came to.  A nurse came in and explained that he had a kidney stone while I was under.  He was doing fine but needed to recuperate.

Because of this no one had called our parents to let them know that I was fine.  There was some explaining to do, my parents were worried as were the boys.  Later that day a weak Tink came in and called my folks and the boys.  Poor guy he was probably hurting when he held my hand before the surgery.

That week they started trying to get me to sit up.  After doing this a couple of times I fell back unto the bed.  I experienced a pain like a pinched nerve running down one side.  They had to give me a muscle relaxer as well as pain medicine.  One of the rods had slipped and they needed to operate again.  This time they would wire the rods instead of using clips like they had the first time.  I had been looking forward to going home and now my stay had lengthened. 

After the third surgery I felt like I had been run over by a truck


Finally after being away from home for five weeks, we were able to go home.  We took a flight back to Virginia.  We were met by my parents and our son, Lewis at the air port in Norfolk VA.  My parents took us back to their home in Virginia Beach.


For the first time in weeks I actually enjoyed a meal.  I had been on a low fat diet before the surgery to lose weight.  My stomach was not accustom to rich foods. The after effect of all the various medicines made everything taste bad.  I had lost an additional twenty pounds in the hospital.  It was decided that my mother, angel that she was, would accompany me home.  The doctors had projected that I should be back to normal with the exception of having to wear a heavy back brace for several months.  The problem was that I was a polio survivor and I had different issues in my recovery.

My husband was ready for me to be up and back to working in the business.  My body was not up to that as yet.  As my recovery time lagged on, it became obvious that it was going to take months for me to get back to my normal.  I also had mountains of paper work to do working with the insurance company and paying the part that they did not cover.

I ended up going to the beach to stay with my parents taking Lewis with me and enrolling him in school in Virginia Beach.  Over a period of time my husband and I became estranged.

He was the love of my life.  There were things that added up to our estrangement.  Emotionally he was immature.  I believe this was due in part to the loss of his mother, who committed suicide when he was thirteen. He found her body.   I can not imagine a more horrifying experience for a child.  Through out our marriage I had always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Although I loved him there were differences that divided us.  Some were related to basic values.  We ended up separating and eventually getting a divorce.  I knew this was the best for me and my boys; however, I wish it could have been different.

Thus began another phase of my life.  A single mother raising three sons.