What’s up Doc?

It’s the bottom of the fifth inning of the Championship game and we are tied and the time is running out so this will be the last inning. Its only men’s softball league but you would think it was the World Series. We are playing our good friends so win or lose it was really only for bragging rights, plus we were undefeated. I am leading off the inning and I am not normally a power hitter, we leave the home runs to my brother John Mager. I lead the inning off with a triple. The next batter drives me in and we win.

As we celebrate tears are running down my face and my teammates comment that I am crying tears of joy. What they do not know is that my head feels like it is about to split wide open. My legs are throbbing and I am in a cloud of confusion of why I feel like this. Do I get help? Nope instead I go get pizza and a coke. After all pizza cures everything.

As I sit in Dr. Borgquest's office I am in that same cloud of confusion. I have what I ask? Chiari Malformation ((kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun). My look says it all. Dr. Borgquist says I am not sure what caused it or how it is fixed but before you leave here we will find answers.

Dr. Borgquist is one of the greatest men I have ever known. Here is a man with a million years of medical experience and when he says I don’t know much about something my respect level for him goes up even more. Why? Because he is honest, he is real and he is on my side. After all he delivered my son, fixed me when I had concussions and has always made me feel like I was the most important person in his office.

He buzzed his nurse and had her bring this huge book. I thought cool he is going to look up a medicine in his big book of pills and I will be all better. I was ready for all better. He said “Let’s call this doctor in St. Louis.” I said why. “Because we need to see how to fix you.” When they answered he told them the issue and waited. He again told the story and listened. “I see. I understand. Ok. What is the prognosis from the removal? Ok. Thank you for the information.” I thought that was fast.

He said “so that doctor said that he will lay you on a table upside down. He cuts your head open from the back and drills a hole under your skull by your brain stem. Then they cut out the part of the brain that is sticking out, caps the hole and you are done.”

Me: Silence……Really? Well what will happen when they cut out my brain? I mean will I be a vegetable.

Dr. B: I asked that. They have to see when you wake up.

Me: Really? Silence.

Dr. B: Let’s make a few more calls.

Me: Good Idea. I don’t really like St. Louis anyway. To muggy.

Next call was to UCLA. The conversation on the phone was the same. When he got off the phone he said “Similar surgery except instead of cutting the brain they burn it so it tucks back up and then when it retreats they seal you”

REALLY? Are these people for real? What will I wake up like? “Probably not so bad.” I said this sounds barbaric. He said “lets try UC Davis the Doctor there does the surgery in kids but we can at least get answers.”  Same call. This time a different answer. “They said we need to send your films. If it’s bad they will see you before the end of the year.” It was March so that met at least 6 or 7 months. I could live with that.

In three days I got a call for an appointment for the following week. I let Dr. B know. I could not help but wonder how bad can this be if I was not supposed to go for 6 or 7 months? I wondered did all those years of blowing it off mean I messed it up more? There were many concerns.

I could tell that Kris was very concerned and I was concerned for her. Here she was with two little kids and a house payment and the possibility that I would be messed up for a while. We talked a lot. We prayed a lot. We prayed with our minister and shared our hearts openly.

Pastor Mark Levering was such a comfort to us and still is to this day. He always listened, encouraged and hugged. We shared that no matter what God would receive glory.

1 Corinthians 10:31

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Even in our time of fear we knew that God would use our experience for his glory and I was ready to serve him in any capacity.

The next week we arrived at our appointment and waited for what seemed like an eternity. We were then walked into a room and waited again. Then in walked the doctor. I am James Boggin I will be doing your surgery.

I sat there looking at this tall skinny man. He was wearing a Winnie the Pooh and Tigger tie and he was going to do my surgery. I never thought that this is where I would be in “My Journey.”