Cauda Equina Syndrome and the Journey of Relearning Life at 19

At 19, one is typically just starting to learn how to navigate life, but unexpectedly having to reacquire basic life skills can present significant challenges.

As a teen my back hurt terribly. I did all the physical therapy, chiropractic care, etc. and was still in terrible pain but I persisted. At 19 I had finally gotten a job, a year after high school graduation almost. I was doing heavy lifting stocking a store. I finally had to quit the job all together due to the pain. About 2 weeks after quitting the pain became increasingly worse and numbness came from the waist down in certain areas. Also, my bowel and bladder shut down. I went to a local emergency room. A catheter was placed and I was told to wait 24 hours. I was informed it must be a reaction to pain medication I had been placed on. We did that and still to no avail. 24 hours after medication I still had no function. We went to another ER in a town farther away. This time Dr. Brian McMurray would recognize my symptoms as something more severe and unrecognized, Cauda Equina Syndrome. Within a matter of hours, I was transported. I arrived at a much larger hospital. I was receiving the care I needed from Dr. Joseph Cheng and his extremely capable team at VUMC

I spent 6 days after surgery in the hospital, unable to get my bowels functioning correctly. Once they finally did, I was released to go home with my mom who is an LPN. Between her, my grandmother, and others, I would be cared for without having to stay in a rehab facility. I was majorly depressed. At this point, I was now on an even longer list of medications at the ripe age of 19. Recovery looked grim but I was determined and NEVER wavered in my FAITH in God!! Let me be clear in saying he gets ALL the GLORY & PRAISE in my entire life!

Once settled in at home and tracking down necessities such as a walker, wheelchair, shower chair, potty chair, etc. My mom had to return to work as a home health nurse. My grandmother would drive over and care for me. She and my stepdad helped me. My mom would come in every few hours and temporarily catheterize me. She did this until I regained enough bladder function to stop. That took 9 months. I used the wheelchair & walker for 6 months. Nerve regeneration was PAINFUL. I’m so very thankful for what I did regain. Nerve regeneration can take up to 24 months.

I never considered until recently that the well water had any specific healing properties. It has a touch of sulfur, giving the water a slight yellow tinge and a very specific taste. I grew accustomed to this taste from drinking it my whole life. I was recently interviewed for a newspaper article. The writer brought it up during the interview and cited the research here. This was how the water was growing up on my grandparent’s farm. I was used to it. At the time, the only way I would drink water was if she brought me gallon jugs each day. She came to sit with me. I gained enough bladder function back shortly after this began. Urology cut me lose. Nephrology, who was watching my kidneys closely, also cut me lose.

These are my favorite natural products. I have found that they help with some of the lifelong effects this condition has left me with. You can find more out and purchase them from me ~~here~~. After this, I would go on to have two more spinal surgeries. The first two were laminectomies and performed by Dr. Cheng. The last was in January 2019 and was a fusion from L5-S1 preformed by Dr. Jacob Schwarz.

Let me be absolute in saying that I give God all the Glory first & foremost here. He gave everyone their knowledge and ability. The number of people praying for me then and now has been mind-blowing. I will forever be grateful!