I’ve recently gone past three months since formal diagnosis.  Some readers may recall my musings Wondering How Close to Death I’ve Already Been.  The answer, it seems, is much closer than I ever realised.

This article brought to my attention by my sister highlights the difficulties GPs face in identifying the condition.

In my case it’s likely that my condition had spread to the bone before any medic could have diagnosed.  But if my first back pain had been sent down a different treatment path my subsequent lower spine agony and eventual destruction of the L4 vertebrae would have been avoided.

Whether or not a chunky investment in NHS scanning services is justified, I don’t know.  I do know that if my first back pain had been identified in April rather than November I’d have been treated sooner and avoided some pain.  In my case, maybe not a big difference.  For others, well a significant proportion of them are well and truly dead by now.

Space – The Final Front Ear