Update from Reports

I tried to illustrate basically what the MRI report says. In an elementary explaination, your spine is made from many bones and your spinal cord runs down a space in the center. Every nerve in the body stems from the spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch from between every level of vertebrae. Every pair of spinal nerves control certain functions. This means that when there is some sort of "injury" to the spinal cord or spinal nerves, doctors can make a good estimate at what body functions will be effected. The higher up the injury, the more "vital" fuctions will be effected. For example, the spinal nerves that come off the spinal cord at the Cervical area control vital functions such as breathing where as the spinal nerves that come off at the Lumbar area control less vital functions such as your bladder. (one can still have a happy, full life without bladder control - but it will be a larger problem if your lungs won't function on their own)

The vertebrae (spinal bones) outlined in red - the cancer cells have nearly replaced all the bone tissue. (if you remember, there is some cancer in all of the spinal bones)

The red "disc bulges" and lines point to where there is bulging in the discs (they are the cushions between the vertebrae)

I also put a line in pointing to where the radiation treatments will be directed. It appears that the tumor in L2 is starting to grow into the spinal canal (where your spinal cord runs). This runs the risk of compressing the spine if it grows too much.

So, I hope this helps some of you and isn't too much information.

I will post updates as I get them.