| After two twelve-hour surgeries in seven days to | | | | thrashed,threatening to pull tubes and needles out |
| rebuild my degenerating spine,all I remember is | | | | of arms, neck and legs. |
| pain. The maximum pain medications barely | | | | My husband, because he loved me and suffered |
| dented my agony and,in my daze,I thought surely | | | | with me, held my hand,paced,felt powerless and |
| the entire ordeal would kill me. | | | | pled with God to remove my agony and give it to |
| The day came when I had no words,no | | | | him. The nurse, starched and efficient, bent over |
| identity,no reason left,so I screamed. I remember | | | | me and said to take some deep breaths and stop |
| none of it,but I am sure it was one of those | | | | fighting. As she explained crisply, "You will hurt |
| times when I fought everything I could fight, and | | | | yourself and undo the surgery done to help you. |
| screaming rolled out like a war cry. And I | | | | So stop,or we'll have to stop you. |