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Friday, April 27, 2012

X is for Xyster and Other Strange Words

     I have to admit that up until now I haven't  had too much trouble coming up with daily memories for the A - Z Challenge.    Notice I said, up until now.  Today is X and X nearly put an end to me successfully fulfilling the challenge.    There are not a lot of words that begin with X and most of them that do are not exactly words that you can work into a normal conversation, or story.  But not to be outdone by a simple X, I have picked out 3 words beginning with X and the memories associated with them.

1.  Xanadu

     I love this word.  It just sounds fun.  The dictionary defines Xanadu as an idyllic, beautiful place.  What could be better?  Most of you will probably remember the movie, Xanadu, starring Olivia Newton-John.  But where is your Xanadu?  I would have to say mine is the beach around sunset or at daybreak when it is quiet and you can walk along the surf looking for shells.  To me that is the most peaceful and beautiful place on earth.  That being said, my best memory of my Xanadu  would have to be when some friends and I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast on Tybee Island, GA. and walked along the beach at dawn looking for seashells.  

2.  X-ray

     Most everyone has had some type of x-ray during their lifetime, so to most of you probably not a big deal.  For me, it's a pretty big deal.  I have had so many x-rays in my lifetime that it is a wonder I don't glow in the dark.  Who knows, I may have some hidden super radiation powers that I haven't discovered!  Without going into a lot of detail, lets just say that 10 surgeries along with so many CTs, MRIs, ultrasounds and regular x-rays that I've lost count puts me in the category of way too many x-rays for one person.  Needless to say, most of my memories associated with x-rays are not good ones.

3.  Xyster

     This was an interesting word I found in the dictionary that I could connect with.  It is defined as a surgical instrument for scraping bones.  Even though I can't say I ever personally saw this instrument I feel very safe in saying it has been used on me several times.       I have degenerative disc disease, cervical spondylosis and stenosis in my spine which has resulted in five back surgeries.  In the first two surgeries doctors trimmed part of a disc in my lower spine and scraped the vertebrae  surrounding it to make room for nerves which were being pinched.  The third surgery was total removal of what was left of the deteriorated disc and fusion with a metal cage (screws and rods).   Fourth surgery was a metal fusion of 2 deteriorated disc in my cervical spine and to scrape out around the spine to slow progression of stenosis.  17 months later the fifth surgery was necessary because of a spot that didn't fuse properly after the first cervical spine surgery.   More metal fused to my spine.   I can say with a fair amount of certainty that a xyster was used in each of these surgeries.  By now the doctor may have one with my name on it!

     So that is my words for  X.  Hopefully Y and Z will be a little easier and more fun.

Until next time...that's my view.
Kat



15 comments:

  1. "...surgical instrument for scraping bones."

    Just thinking about that makes me cringe. *shivers*

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    1. Luckily I was under and didn't know what was going on.

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  2. My Xanadu is either the English Lake District, or the west coast of Ireland. X-rays remind me too much of mammograms - and I don't even want to think about Xyster!

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    1. Everyone needs to have their Xanadu, Paula, and to have 2 is a double blessing!

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  3. well x-ray was the only x word I could think of but you got good ones here! I'm stuck on y now....

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    1. X is a really tough one. Just not a lot to pick from and I'm really not into X rated movies. :D

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  4. I too had trouble but found a cool one when looking through the x-words. The Xyster - that one REALLY got to me!

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    1. Sorry Amy, I really didn't mean to gross anyone out. I guess I've had so many surgeries I just don't think about those things anymore.

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  5. I'm with Beth on this one... the only thing I can think of that is worse than fingernails on a chalkboard, would be a Xyster scraping bones. YIKES.

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    1. So sorry k~. I sincerely apologize to you, Beth, Amy, Jo and everyone else who was freaked out by the Xyster. As I told Amy above, after so many surgeries nothing shocks me anymore.

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  6. See Rain and Word above........YIKES> ♥

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    1. Sorry Jo...see reply to Rain and Amy above. XOXO

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  7. Five back surgeries!?!? FIVE? My friend, you are a warrior. Wow. As far as 'Xanadu,' I remember wanting to see the movie of the same name as a kid, never getting to see it. But I loved the music from it. Have you seen it? :)

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    1. Dawn, I'm not sure about warrior. I just pray there aren't any more. Yes, I did see the movie once but it was so long ago to be honest I don't remember a lot about it. I think it was okay. Not Olivia's best.

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  8. I actually did my X blog on Xanadu - what my idyllic place would be!

    Hopping by (finally) from A to Z Blog Challenge! Hope you can stop by mine!

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