John Shrader 17: Boring Poems and I know it was you, Fredo

[Ozlsn]

4 minutes ago, Gobsmacked said:

 Numptydental brother in Christ. 

( I do know what you mean Ozlan! John just brings out the worst in me).

Oh I figured that as he gets to know John better the O will become an A and he'll be wondering what on earth God's plan was bringing him in contact with him...

[Aine]

@Palimpsest, I agree with everything you have said.

God clearly didn't guide him in good decision making in the past when it came to medical providers and his back. And all other decisions John ever makes actually ? But it entitlement gets under my skin too. He will gladly vote down healthcare reforms and I'm positive he has/would go on and on about "self-sufficiency" and how Godly it is to be "self-reliant" and when you struggle, everyone should just trust God even though the most religious states in the Union are also the poorest and have the worst health outcomes. Everyone can't be a "missionary" to Zambia, and everyone definitely cannot be an unsuccessful one like you, John. But in John Shrader's self-centered world, it is just an expectation that someone else will take care of him and his decisions.

Number 1 decision of John's that other people should absolutely provide for is the 11 (soon to be 12) innocent children he has brought into this world with no career or job to provide financially for them and when he knew he had a serious physical ailment at risk of permanently disabling him and preventing him from working/providing and not just didn't get proper timely treatment but he put himself at increased risk by driving across the country for years on deputation, sleeping in an RV or camper in cramped conditions, sleeping in tents in the "Zambian bush", going to a developing country with such a condition when this country and their medical professionals are spread thin looking after their citizens' health needs (including fatal conditions we don't see in the US), and just whined and whined for years about his back without telling anyone how serious it was or could become.

Honestly, if I was someone providing any kind of financial support to John, I'd be so angry and want to yell "fraud" because he made no effort to disclose this condition before hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent of hard working peoples' incomes on a missionary who clearly had a condition making him unsuitable for the mission field.

John- even though you believe your own extremely specific interpretation of the Bible and Gospel is the only correct one, you are NOT the only person on the planet who could or should be a missionary (if anyone has to do it and for true believers who hand over money trustingly and with faith in evangelism). Besides the fact you have very little to no education in Aramaic, Koine Greek or Hebrew and thinking the KJV is somehow correct and infallible as you ignore the history of how the KJV came into existence, please tell me how you became the supreme power on what the Biblical texts exactly mean with absolutely no room for any deviation from your personal interpretation?

I'd really like to know. 

My understanding of most Christian denominations is that grace triumphs over works and at a fundamental level, true belief in Jesus/God/Holy Spirit is what saves you no matter what you have done. If that is so, surely the Christians in Zambia that truly believe in Christ- that he was the Son of God and Messiah, He died for our sins and so we are saved as long as we believe in Him, He came back to life after 3 days after his sacrifice for us all, and He will come back to bring all believers to be with God in heaven at the end of times- they are saved? I personally don't want to go to any afterlife populated by people who just believe but didn't live their life as good decent humans. Works speaks to me and that's how I will live. BUT if you believe in grace then why go to a Christian country, with a known back injury, with your umpteen unvaccinated children, spend months in bed over there with said back condition, and TAKE PEOPLE'S MONEY when due to your physical condition (and other things, let's be real) YOU WERE NOT IN ANY WAY SUITED TO LIVING ABROAD IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY?!

I'm so frustrated writing this. He and his supporters would do more for evangelism (if John had got a job) and donated to physically able missionaries without a convoy of a dozen children tagging along. John gives no shits about spreading the message of Christianity and saving people because any sane person would have never ever made the decision to be a (failed) missionary to Zambia with this supposed back condition he's had for 30 years.

I've made decisions and chosen to do things despite injuries before and it was stupid but I never upended anyone else's life or took anyone else's money to do it. Currently at 30, there are certain career paths within my broader career I'd have liked to pursue but due to some health issues, it wouldn't be a good idea or suitable for me. I accept that. But I guess I'm not a delusional narcissist who thinks the world should cater to them like John Shrader.

- disclaimer: I have big issues with evangelism as it is so when I speak of what would be best for evangelism, I'm trying to get in the head of people who do believe in it. Also, sorry for the rant.

[EmainMacha]

I'm almost certain that John highlighted that Dr Paul is 'Oriental' because he's one of those racists who thinks East and South East Asian people are 'inscrutable'. Thus providing even greater proof of God working in John's favour when even the emotionless Asian guy got visibly excited at the description of the treatment he is going to have.

Fuck off John.

Edited August 14, 2019 by EmainMacha

[Aine]

3 minutes ago, EmainMacha said:

I'm almost certain that John highlighted that Dr Paul is 'Oriental' because he's one of those racists who thinks East and South East Asian people are 'inscrutable'. Thus providing even greater proof of God working in John's favour when even the emotionless Asian guy got visibly excited at the description of the treatment he is going to have.

Fuck off John.

I didn't think of that. I just thought John was using another outdated term to describe ethnicity/race when no description was needed unless you wanted to prove you associate with so many diverse people and (erroneously) think that makes you 'not a racist'.

But I think you're right. Ugh. He's so freaking obnoxious in so many ways!

[KnittingOwl]

12 hours ago, Sobeknofret said:

My son (29 weeker) has a bad neck and shoulder, due to a torticollis. I remember his doctor at the children's hospital telling us that it could possibly be from prematurity, but probably not. I think John is full of hot air on that one.

My daughter was born on her due date and also had mild torticollis. We had to work on stretching and making her look at the harder side a lot. Maybe it’s more common in premature babies, but definitely also full term babies. 

[Palimpsest]

You know, the more I think about this, the more I think John is flimflamming again.  His story just doesn't make sense.  And everything about Johnny has to be dramatic, rare, snowflakey, more painful than anyone's else's pain ever.  He's in absolute agony, folks.

So I did a bit of googling.  I reread his "Testimony" and took out the extra hyperbole.  I see I did him an injustice.  John has indeed had a consult with a surgeon.  

Quote

 I started doing my homework, scheduled and had a consult with a highly respected surgeon in the Houston area, called and counseled with other medical professionals.

Here's my hypothesis.  John does indeed have a herniated disc or two.  So does Mr. P.   Mr. P has occasional bouts of sciatica but they are treated with pain relievers and PT.  And the sciatica really does hurt like hell.  When Mr. P's back goes out and he has pain shooting down his leg I think I have a wounded moose in the house.  He bellows with pain.  Using a cane helps and so do good pain meds.  But because Mr. P's sciatica always gets better surgery has not been recommended to him.  Yet.  And surgery does have risks.

However, surgery has been recommended to John Shrader.  John will probably be having a microdiscectomy to remove the damaged disc(s).   This is the special "new" surgery technique he is so excited about.  It is not so new really.  No disc replacement is recommended or thought necessary (although John says he has rejected plastic discs because they can move.)  Neither is spinal fusion. The recovery from microdiscectomy is quite short these days.   It can even be done on an outpatient basis and people walk out of the clinic the same day. Also patients can usually go back to "desk jobs" in 2 - 4 weeks.  No heavy lifting though, and whether long plane journeys are recommended is another question.

But because John needs to be dramatic he hit Dr. Google and looked up all the really bad back problems he could think of - including Cauda Equina.  He "might" have that.  He didn't actually say he had it though.  Because John always tells the truth!  And all the stuff about becoming incontinent, needing a wheelchair, being permanently disabled, and how incredibly "rare" John's condition is - is simply John creating drama. 

All John is having is quite common and straightforward surgery.  No spinal fusion is deemed necessary.  No long recovery is anticipated.  And we have all been falling for John's hyperbole again.  Of course, I could be wrong.  In that case his recovery will be much longer and his return to Africa in doubt.

That said, all spinal surgery has some risk and I hope Shrader's op goes well.  I anticipate John will have a miraculously fast recovery from his microdiscectomy and will return to Kafue by October at the latest.

Well played, Shrader.  You had us going for a bit there.

[formergothardite]

13 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

Well played, Shrader.  You had us going for a bit there.

He has real skill at misdirection and drama. 

I do wonder where he is getting it done. 

[ViolaSebastian]

32 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

You know, the more I think about this, the more I think John is flimflamming again.  His story just doesn't make sense.  And everything about Johnny has to be dramatic, rare, snowflakey, more painful than anyone's else's pain ever.  He's in absolute agony, folks.

So I did a bit of googling.  I reread his "Testimony" and took out the extra hyperbole.  I see I did him an injustice.  John has indeed had a consult with a surgeon.  

Here's my hypothesis.  John does indeed have a herniated disc or two.  So does Mr. P.   Mr. P has occasional bouts of sciatica but they are treated with pain relievers and PT.  And the sciatica really does hurt like hell.  When Mr. P's back goes out and he has pain shooting down his leg I think I have a wounded moose in the house.  He bellows with pain.  Using a cane helps and so do good pain meds.  But because Mr. P's sciatica always gets better surgery has not been recommended to him.  Yet.  And surgery does have risks.

However, surgery has been recommended to John Shrader.  John will probably be having a microdiscectomy to remove the damaged disc(s).   This is the special "new" surgery technique he is so excited about.  It is not so new really.  No disc replacement is recommended or thought necessary (although John says he has rejected plastic discs because they can move.)  Neither is spinal fusion. The recovery from microdiscectomy is quite short these days.   It can even be done on an outpatient basis and people walk out of the clinic the same day. Also patients can usually go back to "desk jobs" in 2 - 4 weeks.  No heavy lifting though, and whether long plane journeys are recommended is another question.

But because John needs to be dramatic he hit Dr. Google and looked up all the really bad back problems he could think of - including Cauda Equina.  He "might" have that.  He didn't actually say he had it though.  Because John always tells the truth!  And all the stuff about becoming incontinent, needing a wheelchair, being permanently disabled, and how incredibly "rare" John's condition is - is simply John creating drama. 

All John is having is quite common and straightforward surgery.  No spinal fusion is deemed necessary.  No long recovery is anticipated.  And we have all been falling for John's hyperbole again.  Of course, I could be wrong.  In that case his recovery will be much longer and his return to Africa in doubt.

That said, all spinal surgery has some risk and I hope Shrader's op goes well.  I anticipate John will have a miraculously fast recovery from his microdiscectomy and will return to Kafue by October at the latest.

Well played, Shrader.  You had us going for a bit there.

This makes a ton of sense. Especially telling for me is the detail that he let slip about how he'd be released to travel after two weeks...which is very suspiciously the relatively short recovery time of a microdiscectomy, versus something more invasive that would require the typical 6-8 weeks. 

[Howl]

11 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

which is very suspiciously the relatively short recovery time of a microdiscectomy,

and 

44 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

Well played, Shrader.  You had us going for a bit there.

John is such a scheming scumbag of skullduggery.  But ya know, this is a big deal to Bro John because Bro John is the center of his own world, so....

But again, I hope whatever he does works, because if not, (as noted upthread) his long suffering wife will be left to deal with a partially disabled husband and a bazillionty kidz.  However, no matter what, John will be diligently impregnating his wife. 

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Howl

[ViolaSebastian]

3 minutes ago, Howl said:

John is such a scheming scumbag of skullduggery.  

But again, I hope whatever he does works, because if not, (as noted upthread) his long suffering wife will be left to deal with a partially disabled husband and a bazillionty kidz.  

 

Yeah, God forbid he tell people that he just needs a common, run-of-the-mill back surgery with a brief recovery time and let his record of his actual conversions speak for itself. 

[Palimpsest]

I should credit Mr. P for smelling the rat first.  I mentioned Johnny's back issue to him yesterday so he weighed in with his experience.  And he called John Shrader a <redacted> numpty!

When Mr. P had his MRI they laid out all the options for him.  They described microdiscectomy and the short recovery time to him but recommended PT and specific exercises instead.  So far the exercises are working.  I just did a bit of googling today to confirm the out-patient possibilities and short recovery time.

To be fair, I can understand someone like John (uneducated, scared of conventional medicine, and dramatic by nature) panicking at the very idea of surgery and thinking worst case.  I'm none of the above, but panicked unbecomingly at the very thought of cataract surgery.  Just an FYI, unlike when my grandmother had it done, cataract surgery is a doddle these days.

The thing is that Shrader misleads his followers and his donors all. the. time. with his fibs, exaggerations, and hyperbole.  He must know he is doing it.  And he must also know he has told quite a few whopping lies too.

And John's bad back is now going to be the excuse for all his abysmal failures.

[MayMay1123]

i had microdiscectomy done 6 years ago for sciatica, wish i hadn't waited so long-it was a miracle for me. i still have 3 compressed discs, but they don't bother me too much. johnny-boy is a whiner

[JeanieCat]

Personally, I think Esther is grateful for a rest from John.  And John is enjoying being a missionary without the work. He lives for the attention his back pain is getting him. Foolish people!

 

[Gobsmacked]

4 minutes ago, JeanieCat said:

Personally, I think Esther is grateful for a rest from John.  And John is enjoying being a missionary without the work. He lives for the attention his back pain is getting him. Foolish people!

 

Reading your post, now picturing Johnny boy laid out on a chaise longue graciously receiving visits and small edible gifts from the 'old dears' who attend Tri-county church.

The curtains are fluttery gently whilst he lies there clutching his childhood Teddybear .......

......meanwhile Esther and the kids are left to  get on with life as best as they can. 

Ooh I just get mad at him. 

[snickerz]

I'm shocked that essential oils did nothing to help Johnny's back! Perhaps he should try Plexus...   

Do we have any medical people who could take a look at what I assume is Johnny's grifted MRI? 

 

[KnittingOwl]

Dr. KnittingOwl’s* professional opinion is that John’s back is full of bad humors. They should try leeches first. 

*note: Dr KnittingOwl is a PhD not an MD. And full of snark when it comes to John

[thoughtful]

1 hour ago, KnittingOwl said:

They should try leeches first. 

According to Mr. Allnut and the crazy, psalm-singing skinny old maid, he should go right back to Africa to find those:

Spoiler

 

[Palimpsest]

Well, Johnny has made another post public.

It is Major Back Surgery, folks.  Even if the recovery time seems a bit brief.

Quote

Requesting your prayers for Baptist Missionary John Shrader's major back surgery this Wed, Aug. 21st in the morning.

Thank you so much for caring, sharing, and most of all praying. We need the fervent prayers of God's People!

And according to the video, he is having artificial discs.  

He might go back in a wheelchair but he wants your prayers. And he really should get his stories straight.

Hey, Shrader, I hope your surgery goes well.  Now quit the "missionary" pretense.  You are a disgrace, however I look at it.

[apandaaries]

Imagine how much time he spent trying to reword “prayer-ing” — I’d bet $5 that our esteemed poet who seems to know only of rhyming and alliteration wanted to somehow make that work. ? 

[Tatar-tot]

Where is Esther and the kids?  Africa? Is he going to leave them there and run off after surgery with his nurse?

[Carol]

On 8/17/2019 at 4:59 PM, snickerz said:

  Do we have any medical people who could take a look at what I assume is Johnny's grifted MRI? 

Er...uh...yes, Doctor Carol here.

That looks like a staircase in a Haunted House.

[thoughtful]

 

While you're under anesthesia, John, can they do a smug-ectomy? I would love it if he woke up with no back pain, full mobility and strength, and a sudden urge to get a real job and send his children to school.

I guess there's a limit to medical science, though.

[Curious]

On 8/17/2019 at 7:59 PM, snickerz said:

I'm shocked that essential oils did nothing to help Johnny's back! Perhaps he should try Plexus...   

Do we have any medical people who could take a look at what I assume is Johnny's grifted MRI? 

 

I'm not a medical professional, but I'm pretty well educated in the spine since mine sucks.

This image shows obvious bulges in the lower lumbar area.  The top one is pretty significant so probably is causing issues.

For some comparison here is an image from one of my pre-surgery MRIs

My spine was just a hot mess.  I'd already had a laminectomy at L7-9  like 17 years prior.  I have a "natural" fusion and bone growing everywhere.  I also have no natural curve in my spine.  Your spine is supposed to be sort of an S shape.  You can see the curve in the image that is allegedly John's spine and the one below how they curve where mine is straight.

This is what a normal spine looks like

I had my second fusion in March 2015 and I *still* have pain when driving on bumpy roads.   I can handle 90-120 minutes in a car if I'm having a good day and the road is smooth.   I'd never last in an airplane for 14 hours or whatever it is to fly to Zambia.

My spine issues are congenital (I was 6 weeks late and don't think that has anything to do with it) and they don't even know exactly what my issue is other than I grow way too much bone (only in my spine) and have no natural curves in my spine.

I started having back pain at age 12.  I spent many years being told it was in my head, malingering, my weight, etc.  When I was 18 I was able to change the dr. I saw and he acknowledged something was wrong, but he wasn't sure what.  I had 2 hospitalizations between 18 and 21 due to debilitating back pain.  At 21, I was sent to a specialist for an MRI and had bulging discs at L7-9 diagnosed.  They wanted to do surgery, but I found out I was pregnant the next week so obviously no surgery.

I went from 21 to 29 with nothing for pain other than OTC stuff and no other care.   I was in relatively constant pain and had a few periods where I had to just do a few days of bed rest because it was debilitating.   I learned what I could and couldn't do and managed relatively well until at least 1 disc ruptured.   I went 2 weeks with the herniation which is apparently pretty unheard of.   I finally went to the ER because I was afraid I was going to OD on OTC meds and I was losing feeling in my left leg.    I had the L7-9 laminectomy at that point and never walked unaided again.  I've used a wheelchair since that surgery for anything other than walking around the house.

So I can believe that John had problems for many years and went untreated.  It might explain some of his laziness, though I think that is more of a personality flaw than a medical issue.   I had 2 pregnancies, worked full time and went to college full time during the years between 21 and 29.

[Curious]

Looking through some old files I found an image of my full spine from an MRI taken 3 days before my first fusion (T4-11) in 2014.   You can see how straight my spine was (during my second fusion I had to have a cage placed at T12 due to a compression fracture that was too bad to save the vertebra and they were able to artificially add a curve in at that point.)

You can see I have ONE lone disc that is normal.   I remember reading the MRI report which was several pages long describing everything that was wrong and each entry was a paragraph long.  Then there was that one lone disc that said something like "has no significant change."  Just one sentence, short and sweet and then back to paragraphs.

My spine is significantly worse than John's so I'm not really a best case to compare with, but that fusion in 2014 started what ended up being virtually 2 full years in and out of hospitals and skilled nursing facilities with about 6 weeks actually spent at home.

I just had a thought.  Here we get those commercials for Laser Spine Institute where they do a 1-inch incision and you are up walking in a few short hours and are back to your normal life in a couple of weeks or whatever.   You don't suppose that might be what John is doing?

It would explain why he's never met the surgeon who is going to do the surgery.  He could have just sent his MRI in for them to view. 

I would personally not have surgery done by a surgeon I have never met and none of the surgeons I have had would have even thought of doing surgery on someone they had never met.  There is way more involved than just what images show.   

I had so much testing before my last 3 surgeries (the first one was done as an emergency due to the way I let it go for so long) and they still found things when they got inside that they didn't expect based on films.

I talked to my surgeon about that place because we had so many ads for it and I used to joke about sending my MRI for a free consultation just to see if they would say they could fix me up no problem with their process.  He said it was totally a scam.  

We found out later that my husband had a friend that had surgery there and she said it was "only" $30k (considerably cheaper than even my 1997 laminectomy), but it just made her spinal issues worse

 

[Meeka]

I think that John is getting the surgery in the Cayman Islands. He's getting his surgery today and he identified the surgeon, with a picture, as Dr. Hodges. Dr. Hodges is associated with the Novoclinic in the Cayman Islands although he also seems to be based in Tennessee so I don't know why John wouldn't get his surgery there. Maybe it's cheaper in the Cayman Islands?