My name is Bonnie Bleacher. My friends also know me as Superbonnbonn. In 2014 I was experiencing abdominal pain. Something that I've dealt with for years. But this time it wasn't going away. My doctors ordered some imaging and through a CAT scan we found a mass pressing against my spinal cord. There was also a few bone spurs and some other issues.
An MRI was ordered to confirm these findings and soon after, I met with a Neurosurgeon that said my cord was so compressed that without surgery to remove the mass (which looked to be calcified, not cancerous) my chances of collapsing and never walking again were high. He said and I quote "you could have 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years." The surgeon had a great reputation and given that my family doctor was also a close friend, I elected to have surgery to remove the mass and while he was operating, I would also get a spinal fusion. That was in October 2014.
I was working two jobs at the time all this happened. I was and had been a Medical Coder (certified...thank you) for the same company for 5 years even though I had left them to persue a job with Apple. I must have done a fine job while I was there because they asked me to come back to help with the billing. So I was working part time at the Apple Store and part time doing medical billing and coding.
Work life was good. I was making decent money now. I was married at the time but we had not seen eye to eye in a while and had already discussed divorce. After my surgery, once fully recovered I was going to move to North Carolina. I could transfer to an Apple store in the state and I was sure I could find another medical billing gig. My best friend Sean, who was also my concert going buddy said I could live rent free at his house and just chip in on utilities. What a sweet offer.
So I had my mind made up. On November 9th, two days before my surgery, I had lunch at my parents house and told them my future plans. I told them about the pending divorce after my recovery from surgery and I was hoping to move to North Carolina.
November 11th had arrived. Surgery day. I was feeling very apprehensive and even had dreams about what could possibly happen during surgery. I decided I would drive my Mustang to the hospital that morning with my then husband and we walked into the hospital to check in for the surgery. My anxiety level at this point was through the roof.
After checking in, I was placed in a small room, where a nurse came in to help me change into the ugly gown and get me ready to go into pre-op. In pre-op, I met with the surgical team, anesthesiologists, various people that would monitor my motion and sensory signs and finally, my surgeon. I asked for some medication to calm me down since I was really getting scared at this point.
Finally, it was time to wheel me into the OR for my procedure. I wouldn't wake up for 4 days.....more to come.