Hi All - here are my sentences:
"Today
I installed my dock in the lake I live on. It takes a ton-and-half
hoist tool and, being geared for leverage, dozens of arm and shoulder
extensions and contractions to winch it down into place. Bent over
cranking, some bucket sitting. After that, the installation of twenty
wooden sections made of treated lumber for the decking; average weight
of each section 40 lbs. I use the ManStrong method; walk to the stack,
pick up a section, carry it down the hill, bend over and put it in
place. Stand up and repeat 19 more times. Every few sections, drop to my
knees to rescrew loose boards. After, since the rain hadn't started
yet, I had time to mow. My lake lot is 100 feet x 400 feet. About a 20
degree upslope. Lots of trees to weave around...dozens and dozens of
swaths up and down the hill. That old mower is not self propelled,
either. I'd gotten behind on my home chores because I have been back at
my job working so much.The place is summer ready now.
Why
does this matter? A little over a year ago, postoperatively, I couldn't
take even one step on my own without the aid of an aluminum walker.
Could not stand on my own feet unaided. Couldn't put one foot in front
of the other without an assistive device. Couldn't wad a piece of paper
with my left hand and my right wasn't far behind. Forget stairways,
hills, street curbs. Could barely sleep even one hour. Then up for two.
Repeat til dawn. What happened to me? I had 6 levels of arthroscopy
performed on my osteocytic spondolytic degeneratively disced spine by
Dr. Thomas Bierstedt. C4/5, 5/6 and 6/7; L2/3, 4/5 and L5/S1. Cervical
one week; lumbar one week later. Five artificial motion preservation
devices and one fusion. He's my Mad Scientist and I am FOREVER grateful
that I met him, the entire ONZ staff, the wonderful professionals at
Elizabeth Krankenhaus Hospital in Hattingen and the amazing staff at
Medicos Rehabilitation Center. This is no exaggeration; they all
honestly gave me my life back.
I considered
and then embarked on an unknown course because I had to. Six levels of
fusion in the United States would have doomed me; professionally and
personally. The ONZ team, which I have seen encompasses all those I
mentioned above, in a start-to-finish regimen, had my answer. I
wholeheartedly and confidently recommend and applaud them for their
forward thinking and innovative solutions. I honestly could not have
been in better hands. And in case you wonder, I have received no
compensation, fee reduction, or any other consideration whatsoever for
saying so. This comes from my heart."
Edward Sparks
