A fresh start (and scar) in life

I finally got the back surgery that I was putting off as long as I could and I owe it all to a single sneeze.  Knowing what I know now, I should have done it two years ago.  Apparently the sneeze was the straw that broke the Brent's back, or at least caused enough pain and loss of leg function to force me to go to the doctor.  The health unit at the embassy sent me to see a neurologist here in Rabat who determined the nerve root was more than 30% compressed and that I had significant paralysis in my right leg and foot. 

The following Wednesday I was on my way to London for an MRI and an appointment with a neurosurgeon the following day.   The neurosurgeon took one look at my MRI and immediately had me admitted to the hospital and on the emergency waiting list for surgery which was done Saturday morning.  

I woke up from the anesthesia with no pain in my right leg for the first time in two years.  I can really get used to being pain free.  Since I waited so long to get it taken care of, some of the nerve was damaged due to a lack of blood supply, resulting in some lingering paralysis in my right foot and weakness in my right leg which is likely permanent.  

I've been told by several doctors now that I have an unhealthy pain tolerance and both neurosurgeons said very few people would have been able to stand on their own, much less walk into their appointment.   Both were very surprised to learn that I wasn't using any pain medication.  

For some reason I am able to use the pain as a weapon against itself so the pain  becomes its own pain relief.  If I can figure out how I do it maybe I can teach others to do it and really tick off the pharmaceutical industry.