A Pain In The Neck

My dad had cervical spine surgery last Tuesday and he now has a better understanding of what it means to have a pain in the neck. He only thought he knew before. He realizes now that the prior pain was nothing like what followed surgery.

Dad progressed well the first few days and then began to steadily decline. The source of the problems was found and corrected with medicine and physical treatments before his health spiralled too far out of control. It. Was. Scary.

Once the problems were identified, someone had to make him do some things that he didn't want to do. I'm not sure who rigged the election (remember that the day of his surgery was election day here in the States) but I won. Or lost. I'm not sure anymore. Anyway, I was the one designated by my mom and his nurses to put him through painful procedures every hour on the hour. Day after day.

I became a pain in the neck.

I guess I did my job well. The patient is now home, having skipped the rehab center altogether. The next time someone calls me a pain in the neck I'll agree. In my dad's case, I've had many years of practice. We just never knew this was a quality that would one day come in handy! :)