Judy Betcher

As many of you know, Judy has suffered from chronic back pain for decades. However, over the last week since Monday June 13th or so she had been having increasing pain in her lower back.
On Sunday June 19th, her pain was so bad she couldn't walk. She also had progressive weakness and numbness in her legs. She was transported by ambulance and admitted to the Red Wing hospital for pain control.

On Monday June 20th around 11am, Judy had a MRI done; the Doctor and Nurse Practitioner in Red Wing told us she had a herniated disc that was pressing against her spinal cord and that was what was causing her pain, numbness, and weakness. After consulting with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the decision was made to transfer her because she urgently needed spinal surgery to take the pressure off her spinal cord. She was transferred by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.

On Tuesday June 21st,  Surgery started at 8am and took about 10 hours. As with any spinal injury, recovery is going to take time. We also won't know the extent of the permanent damage and what her strength and function in her legs will be. Her spinal cord was bruised and there is inflammation; nerves regenerate at about 1 millimeter per month so it could take years to fully recover.   Please pray for complete healing and return to normal function. We appreciate everyone's love and prayers.