Spinal Fluid Leak

There's been a slight complication from LeRoy's surgery. According to the materials they have given us, this is what is going on:

"Cerebrospinal fluid leak syndrome (CSFLS) is a medical condition in which the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) held in and around a human brain and spinal cord leaks out of the surrounding protective sac, the dura, for no apparent reason. The dura, a tough, inflexible tissue, is the outermost of the three layers of the meninges, the system of meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. CSF leaks occur due to the presence of one or more holes in the dura."

Our options tonight were to have surgery again to find the leak and stop it or to try a less invasive procedure first, which we chose to do instead of surgery.

Tonight the doctor put another set of stitches in to hopefully stop the leaking and now LeRoy cannot leave the bed or even sit up in bed for the next 32 hours; not to eat, not to take a drink, not to pee, not to change positions. The hope is that without any pressure on the dura that it will heal on its own and he can avoid surgery. They also started him on a strong antibiotic tonight. The doctor was sure to inform him that with this particular antibiotic there is a high risk of "tendon tears" for the next couple of months. Luckily, he can't do any lifting or jumping for the next few months anyway so we hope to avoid that complication as well.

They already have him scheduled for surgery on Monday just in case which means he cannot eat or drink anything after midnight Sunday night. The restriction just keep adding up but so far LeRoy has been very obedient.

Now we wait. We pray. We watch tv. We wait some more.

Surgical Comedy

Here we are again. This is now the third back surgery in 18 months. I could look at this situation and panic but instead I'm choosing to laugh. Not that it's really funny but if I don't find the humor in it, I'd probably bust out in what-now hysteria . . . and I'm not even the one dealing with constant pain and medical procedures. So, here's to the funny parts of LeRoy and surgery.

Originally, we were supposed to be at the hospital at 8:30am and we were. At 9:00 they sent us home (after admitting) because the doctor had been called in to an emergency in Idaho Falls. We were told everything was on hold until noon, come back at 11:30. Then we got a call to come in at 10:00, it wasn't quite the emergency they thought, surgery would be at 10:30. We rushed back up there, sliding half the way because the roads were so slick, and they quickly got LeRoy changed, the IV going and the drugs were in at exactly 10:45. Another nurse comes walking in and I recognized the look on the woman's face. She was trying so hard not to roll her eyes as she told us that the doctor had not left Idaho Falls yet but he should be here any time . . . after a 35 minute drive . . . probably 45 with the road conditions. The doctor finally showed up at 11:50 and surgery started at 12:15. So, LeRoy spent an extra hour and a half doped up on all those happy drugs at the Madison Surgical Circus while I sat there listening to the on-goings of Madison Day Surgery in boredom. I ate a small box of Milk Duds before surgery even began.

Now let's back up a little to the really fun part. As the nurse started putting the happy drugs in the IV she asked him questions. She told us that he should drift off pretty quick but we know from past experience that LeRoy talks and talks and talks through the drugs clear up to the minute the anesthesiologist conks him out with the big stuff. And it's funny!

The nurse asked him, "what does the G before LeRoy stand for".

He responded "Graford" only the way that LeRoy says it with his southern twang is "Gray (staccato pause) Ferd" and he was slurring like a drunk.

"Grapefruit?" the nurse asked in disbelief for clarification.

"Yeah, Grape Fruit!" he emphasized, not only once but three times.

After the first time he said it I smiled and shook my head "no" to the nurse and after she grinned back she just kept asking him. Gradually, he bumbled off to a dreamless, painless state of drug-hood with outbursts of nonsense and mumblings about electrical stuff.

Now, in his defense, he did say his name right the first time and it was only after she put "grapefruit" in his medicated mind that he kept demanding that his name was grapefruit each time she questioned him but still, this would have made a great YouTube video.

He doesn't remember any of it. Erika now calls him Grapefruit instead of Dad.

LeRoy on drugs.
He doesn't remember this either.

Recovery is slow. Because of his medical history and current degenerating discs he has been told to find another profession and at the very least not work for six months. There's got to be humor in there somewhere.

If all else fails, we can always depend on Derek for smiles and laughs. These are a few of the pictures he took of himself.


Derek not on drugs

Snow Sculpting

The snow that we have shoveled off of the driveway has created quite a tall wall and the boys have a hard time climbing over it to get to the yard to play. So Derek, my builder, made steps to get over the snow.



Being a crafty person myself I understand the satisfaction he gets from creating something so I wasn't overly surprised when he headed out to "build a pyramid". The steps were just an experiment, the pyramid was to be art.



Then he wanted to try something besides just squared off shapes so decided to do a car. As he carved the details in (all that time watching Ace of Cakes was his training) I scavenged through the cupboard looking for an empty spray bottle, or at least one that I didn't want back, to put food coloring and water in to add a little color to his car. Mostly, I wanted to be able to see it in pictures. I dumped out half a bottle of Windex, mixed a little blue (his color choice) and after a hand cramp from all that spraying he had a blue "Italian Job car". He like the coloring so much that he sprayed the pyramid as well.

Reading Time

I've made myself have a some reading time in the evenings to wind down a little. (That makes me sound like I'm uptight or stressed or something . . . hmmm). One night I hid from my family a little earlier than usual and ended up with company.


Harrison sauntered in first. He tried to nuzzle up under my neck but I felt like I was suffocating in a furry scarf and I had to hold my book clear up above my face so I moved him down a little. He weighs quite a bit and is long enough to cover my entire torso but I didn't want to push him off because his purr is very calming and he is so warm (I have not been able to get warm this winter!)


Derek came in to ask a question, laughed, grabbed the camera off my dresser and took a couple of pictures.

The little boys were not far behind their Pied Piper Derek and reading time was officially over. They fought over who got to lay by mom so to keep the peace Derek offered to take pictures of all of us on my bed.



Hyrum and I made the faces we were told to but Nathan seemed a little to interested in looking at himself on the flipped out LCD screen.