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


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On 8/10/2019 at 3:39 PM, Palimpsest said:

I feel a bit bad about that because it was before John claimed his back problems were really serious.  But as he wasn't showing signs of back pain in that particular performance two weeks ago,  I stand by the description.

I understand back pain pretty well. Between broken ribs from physical abuse as a kid from my mother and her boyfriends, and then making a very stubborn choice to play rugby for years and refusing to acknowledge or back away from pain sending me a very real signal when I was young my body and especially my back and neck are terrible. I also have disc degeneration and need to do a lot of PT exercises daily and look after it now. For an example of how I abused my body through being stubborn, one of many, I played through 3 broken ribs despite being in an obnoxious amount to pain in a grand final game and being carried off with a collapsed lung 5 mins before the end. Not a point of pride...it was so incredibly stupid and I made too many health decisions similar because my focus was to be tough (in and out of rugby), never admit 'weakness', and I have an abnormally large pain tolerance or ability to completely dissociate from my pain and that is likely due to trauma that was out of my control.

 In my Dad's defense, he was an ex-professional/1st grade rugby player who represented my country and he vowed none of his kids would ever play rugby (even though we watched it constantly and he raised me and my half-bros with respect and love for the game) and my brothers listened. They are soccer players. But me, the tiny little me, was all about rugby. I was super fast like my Dad...but like my Dad, when I took bad tackles on the rare occasion, they were usually by people much bigger/heavier/stronger than myself and I ruined my body. Poor Dad tried so hard to stop me ?‍♀️ But I sure had fun haha

Anyway- you don't generally go from being a hippo on crack to a cane without some good drugs or surgery or at least some kind of intervention like PT, massage, or even chiropractics (whether you believe it is placebo or a real effect with chiro).

As such, I feel completely fine laughing at him. His back problems only seem debilitating when it suits him for them to be. 

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On 8/12/2019 at 9:34 PM, Palimpsest said:

13. Pitcairn Islands - Population: 51

And I can tell you for sure that Pitcairn is: 1) very difficult to get to for the average traveller; 2) sends most of its residents to New Zealand for all healthcare; 3) the "Queen's/Britain's representative" to the island, usually a governor in most other Commonwealth countries, is the 'High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to New Zealand' and that means their most senior political official is essentially an ambassador to NZ; and 4) basically all Pitcairn children (rarely are there ever any born these days) are educated in NZ once they reach 7th grade as 7-12 is high school and the next step from primary (US: elementary) school for children in NZ, Australia, and most Commonwealth countries.

So Pitcairn can be taken off.

They aren't hospitable to outsiders living there either. I imagine John Shrader would especially rile them up considering their insular society and their desire to keep it that way.

If you want an interesting history lesson, Pitcairn is absolutely fascinating and depraved all at once. It was 'colonized' by the mutineers from The Bounty, there are now only about 4 families remaining on the island, and they have had a culture of child sexual abuse and incest from the time the mutineers arrived with their Tahitian captives. A lot of the island's male population were brought to trial in the 2000s for related charges and the island had to actually build a prison for them. Nearly all Pitcairners are Seventh Day Adventists. Kathy Marks wrote a book that was devastating and fascinating about the island worth a read called 'Lost Paradise: From Mutiny on the Bounty to a Modern Day Legacy of Sexual Mayhem, the Dark Secrets of Pitcairn Revealed'.

If anyone wants a starter for the history of Pitcairn- and for such a tiny place that is so inhospitable to being populated, it is one of the more interesting and sordid histories out there, here is a small list:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/01/pitcairn200801

https://www.bjp-online.com/2018/04/adam-pitcairn/

https://web.archive.org/web/20150814090411/http://www.janesoceania.com/oceania_pitcairn_descendants/index.htm

https://www.wsj.com/articles/sound-pacific-island-of-mutiny-on-the-bounty-fame-running-out-of-people-1404863996

 

There are more out there and it isn't a 'happy' list but the mention of Pitcairn made me go "no way" as much as about every other place on that list for John's surgery with maybe two exceptions of "maybe...by why?" and considering many people here have similar interests and a natural curiosity of things bizarre and off-kilter, I thought I'd share the story of Pitcairn Island for those who aren't aware.

 

 

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On 8/13/2019 at 12:34 PM, Palimpsest said:

Saint Helena, Saint Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

Oh I hope it's Tristan da Cunha!! Let's see.. there is no airstrip and the only access is by small boat after 5-10 days sailing from Capetown. There is very, very, very limited medical care available. Most of the island is hilly, but Edinburgh of the seas is flattish so that'd be OK. But my favourite part:

"Visitors are the lowest priority for passage on vessels and may be forced to forfeit their passage to persons with a higher priority (medical evacuation, officials on official business, even locals leaving on holiday have higher priority). When planning a visit, consider a departure when several other vessels will be departing soon thereafter to avoid being stuck on the island if forced to forfeit your departing passage."

John could be stuck there. And even better:

"There is no mobile phone network on the island (nor will you have had signal for the last week after you lost sight of Cape Town!)

The Internet Cafe houses a number of PCs and spaces to use your own laptop, and costs £10 for visitors for the duration of their stay. Internet access for the island is via a satellite link, so the 3 Mbps connection is shared between everyone—don't expect it to be fast at 9AM on a Monday morning!

A payphone is available in the Internet Cafe—you'll need to ask for it to be unlocked if you wish to use it.

Post can be sent from the Post Office, or the post box just outside, but will likely travel back with you on the same ship as you are on. Expect it to take a couple of weeks to arrive at its destination. Last posting dates for each ship are advertised at the Post Office when known."

It'd be just like John's preferred time period! Remote, inaccessible, communications take ages and minimal health care! And untouched by Real True KJV only missionaries - only Anglicans and RCs! He could leave Esther and the kids being supported in Katy and head off into the wilds, never to be heard from again...

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On 8/12/2019 at 8:17 PM, Snarkasarus Rex said:

These people are ridonculous.  Why would he be leaving a *major* US city for complex surgery in a 'British Oceanic Territory'?  There is medical insurance available for missionaries...did he choose to not purchase a policy?  You'd think proof of insurance would be required for legit missionaries.  And as previously mentioned, 10 days from surgery to getting back on a plane makes zero sense.  My co-worker is getting major back surgery in Sep, but has two in-person pre-op consultations beforehand...she would be refused the surgery if she was just flying 'in and out'.  So many questions, john...

It’s obvious...God is calling John to minister to the ‘British Oceanic Territories.’ John will be stuck there after surgery and see it as a sign for his new mission. 

As far as not calling it Bermuda, John really seems to think he’s in the 1800s. “Dr. Livingston’s, I presume....”

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5 hours ago, ViolaSebastian said:

Everyone better brace themselves for a lot of shitty, self-indulgent poetry that compares his pain to the suffering of Christ, because we all know that's how this man rolls. 

I liked with a heart because of the sharing of your personal back issues, but was tempted to like with a laugh because of this zinger. It cracks me up.

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6 hours ago, ViolaSebastian said:

 Has he ever mentioned his back before this? Because I don't recall him doing so. His back seemed healthy enough for him to spend a year deputizing--driving for days on end and living in basements and pop-up campers. It was also apparently healthy enough for him to travel extensively in Zambia, do manual labor building structures, dig wells, and have a chicken farming operation. 

In fairness to Shrader, yes.

He has complained about back pain on and off.   I first remember it when Esther was in labor with Sophia (for hours if not days) and they were still on Deputation.  I thought he was just whining for attention.  And he's complained and taken to his bed due to back pain since being in Zambia.  Or because he has messed up yet again.

He certainly has done a lot of driving in the US and in  Zambia.  He's so determined to plant new churches he gallops off in all directions from Kafue instead of consolidating his church there.  But when it comes to manual labor, he is far more likely to direct the Zambian converts to do the hard work than do it himself.  The well was professionally drilled, the converts do most of the building, and Roderick was put in charge of the chicken operation.

So he says he has had back problems for 30 years, but he also says that two years ago it started getting very bad.  However, there are hospitals in  Zambia so he could have been diagnosed if not treated there.  But I suspect he has no health insurance and absolutely no trust in African doctors.

@ViolaSebastian also said:

Quote

I just get this feeling that he has absolutely zero idea what he's in for with back surgery and how painful and limiting this is going to make his life for a long time. Everyone better brace themselves for a lot of shitty, self-indulgent poetry that compares his pain to the suffering of Christ, because we all know that's how this man rolls. 

I think he has absolutely no idea of what to expect. Or is in denial.  Or he is exaggerating. 

I also think he has had no medical care for years.  He's deeply scared of conventional medicine and doesn't trust it At. All.  John and Esther think colloidal silver is going to cure everything that ails them.  He is in for a big surprise and a serious reality check with this surgery.  No way will he be scampering around and taking long plane trips in a couple of weeks.  Or he is conning his supporters and donors.

 As far as the weirdness of his going to a "British Oceanic Territory" for this surgery, I can't see that post.  I can only see his public posts.  The outrageous claim comes from a private post. @Meeka and a couple of others can see his private posts and have paraphrased them accurately before. 

I posted that list of British Territories to show how ridiculous his claim was.  The best, if not only, possibility is Bermuda.  But Bermuda's health care system and main hospital (King Edward VII) is supported by tax payers, and I would hope they would charge through the nose to treat an American like John Shrader.  Unless John is under the delusion he will get free treatment there.  News for John:  Bermuda is not covered by the British NHS.

Why would he want to go overseas for this surgery anyway?  It makes utterly no sense as he is in the USA.  And he might just have well been diagnosed, if not treated, in Zambia.  There is a perfectly good University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.  They can even do MRIs.

My best guess is, John has no health insurance.  But he does have some big money bags donor in his back pocket who is going to cover costs.  It is not the first time I have suspected this about Shrader.  He has never had any problem getting massive donations of cash out of the blue.  It is possibly Jim Leininger, who has extremely poor judgement over people he funds, or some other rich twit.  

@Aine, both Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands and their populations have always rather intrigued me.  I remember reading about the sexual abuse on Pitcairn Island when it went to trial in 2004.  A third of the men on the island were involved.  And have you seen this:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/11/pitcairn-child-abuse-images-mayor :(

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I wonder if they found a medical missionary with an MD and a clinic who will do the surgery for cheap?

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Shrader has updated with more Testimony.  He has made these posts public. For those he has blocked:

Quote

August 11.

"Back to Africa" Testimony #1 (History and Attempts to Address my almost life-long back problem and pain)

I have suffered from back problems since I was literally 12 years old. I remember laying on the living room floor and my dad trying to "pop" it. This could partially be hereditary, as my father had to have surgery when he was in Bible College. It could also be related to the fact that I was born 2 months premature.

Through the years, my active lifestyle has resulted in further injuries, such as falls, being rear-ended, hard falls in sporting activities, and even hit twice in Zambia.

Over the decades, such as in my training years and while engaged to my wife 18 years ago, my back would go out to the extent that I could only crawl. Early in our marriage I got an MRI that showed great damage to at least 3 disks at that time, and those 3 were "bulging" then.

I have used many approaches to deal and cope with my issue, such as essential oils, chiropractics (many different ones including the ONE guy in Lusaka, Zambia), physical therapists, an inversion table (I've own one for more than 16 years), many different back devices, a TENS unit, extended bed rest, and a treatment program by some of the most eminent Spine Doctors in America (the APP is called "Back Doctor"), and none of this has stopped my steady downward progression.

Over the past couple years in Africa my physical condition has greatly decreased, affecting my ability to work, and even pick up my children. I have suffered much pain, and my effectiveness been drastically affected. Last November, 2018, my back "went out" while in the bush, and I had to drive 13 hours back to Kafue, Zambia (our home). In the past, I have usually only been down for 3-5 days, a week at the most, but this went on for more than 2 months, which was quite distressing. I tried total rest, and it that didn't help. I then found an APP called "Back Doctor" which is the physical therapy recovery program used by a father/son Surgeon team that has operated on many famous athletes, and went to eating basically a bowl of beans, onions and mushrooms a day, and I lost almost 30 pounds at that time. This APP and weight loss helped more than the rest, but I've continued to go downhill in spite of that.

Knowing I was coming back for dad and our Sending Church's 40th Anniversary, I contacted my childhood friend who owns several MRI clinics, the same one who gave me an MRI more than 13-14 years earlier. He graciously offered to do so again, and because I could not properly read the MRI Report, I was initially unaware of the precarious position I had been, and was, in, and the magnitude of my problem.

(Testimony #2 will address how God providentially orchestrated my steps to let me find out where I was at, and the best approach to deal with it. It's truly an amazing story.)

Bro. John Shrader
Historic Biblical Baptist Missionary, Africa

Quote

August 12.

"Back to Africa" Testimony #2 (God's Amazing Grace and Glorious Guidance)

My first testimony briefly covered the overview of the history of my back problems. In this one, I will share with you, as the great hymn of the faith puts it, how "All The Way My Savior Leads Me."

My wife and I knew something wasn't right, as I was simply not recovering as in the past and hoped the MRI might give us answers.

I was unable to read the MRI, but the Lord orchestrated my crossing paths with a registered nurse, Sister Linda Cloud, as I stopped over to visit her son Jonathan on my way to several meetings. Jonathan is a sweet servant of the Savior who is also suffering greatly from major physical health situations, and has become a true friend to me recently, as the Lord has been breaking and teaching both of us through our mutually deep physical sufferings.

Sister Linda, home from the mission field for a visit herself to see her children and grandchildren, immediately saw my condition was very serious and put me in touch with a godly Radiologist named Dr. Shem in Canada. Standing outside a Prophet's Chamber at a church on a Saturday evening, my heart sank as Dr. Shem informed me through a Skype call, after reading my report (and confirmed even more so after he saw my MRI scans), that I could have been permanently disabled, was at great risk, and that I needed to seek counsel from a surgeon as soon as possible. I was a bit overwhelmed, mentally and emotionally, and didn't even want to share it right then with my wife, as she was back home in Zambia very sick with the flu, and I didn't want to burden her further.

I was able to call a few close friends, and they graciously prayed with me, and though the situation weighed so heavily on my heart, the Lord gave me peace. I finished my meetings, and made my way home. I honestly did not know where to start. I had sent out an email, and I started getting inundated with suggestions, some quite insistently, that I contact/use their doctor/take their approach. It was overwhelming.

Then a friend, Bro. Nate Holmes, who the Lord had brought with his sweet family to the church that I pastored for almost five years in Oregon (and was such a blessing to me both then, and ever since), contacted me with a recommendation for a certain back disk replacement procedure. 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. I even tried to schedule consults with a recommended Christian Surgeon in Kansas, but he was booked until October, another one in Houston, but he wanted $600.00 just to look at my MRI, and another recommended Surgeon in Louisville, but couldn't even get a call back until much later.

Without giving TMI (too much information) that I'm notorious for, my parents and wife and I felt strongly that the Team and the Procedure Bro. Nate helped me find was the best option. I directly prayed and asked the Lord for specific final confirmation, greatly desiring in my heart to speak with a Godly fellow believer who was informed and could confirm the direction we were praying about with Holy Spirit directed counsel.

God answered in a marvelous way.

While at a supporting Baptist church not very far from our Sending Church, a dear couple who are members there approached me, and the husband, a Doctor who has his own Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Clinic with his wife (and has almost 40 years experience), asked to see my MRI scans. We met a few days later, and discussed my condition. He confirmed I was at serious risk and definitely needed surgery (CONFIRMATION provided regarding Surgery was necessary). We then discussed my options, and his concern with a disk replacement was that, in his many years, he has seen the devices actually dislodge.

I mentioned the name of one of the Surgeons that I was consulting with, and he said, "Oh, the one in Tennessee?" I was elated that Dr. Paul knew of him, and when I showed him the medical information on the disk and procedure, and how it's the only one in the world currently that addresses all possible issues, including that one of potentially getting dislodged, Dr. Paul, this quiet, reserved dear Oriental brother in Christ, got VISIBLY excited! He knew of the Surgeon, but not that specific device! This was my final CONFIRMATION, and DIRECT ANSWER TO PRAYER!!!

The most amazing chain of events then fell into place, including me being accepted by this Surgeon and his group into the VERY NEXT SCHEDULED block of surgeries, the timing in itself a minor miracle!

There are many other amazing things I will share more about after the surgery, or at the right time.

I am so humbled to see God's Great Hand orchestrating my steps, through the Biblical principles of the multitude of counsel, especially from God fearing believers, especially both my pastors of our Sending Church, the clear leadership of God's Holy Spirit, the Peace of God, and God specifically, directly, and continuously answering direct prayers.

I can't wait to share with you the final testimony, although it may be some time, maybe several weeks or months. Watch for it!

Thank you for your faithful and fervent prayers dearly beloved,

Bro. John Shrader
Historic Biblical Baptist Missionary,
Africa

Many words and no details.  But God is with Johnny every step of the way.  

Edited by Palimpsest
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“Oriental brother in Christ”...good one John. ?

So this god-appointed surgeon is in TN?  How is John going to justify his vacay, er, recovery in a ‘British Oceanic Territory’?

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And he has updated his cover photo on Facebook.  If Caleb isn't photo-shopped in I'll eat John's safari hat.

 

24 minutes ago, Snarkasarus Rex said:

Oriental brother in Christ”...good one John. ?

So this god-appointed surgeon is in TN?  How is John going to justify his vacay, er, recovery in a ‘British Oceanic Territory’?

I noticed that too.  Really, Shrader. :(

It isn't clear whether the God-appointed surgeon is in TN.  In fact the whole Testimony is deliberately vague.

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1 hour ago, Palimpsest said:

Without giving TMI (too much information) that I'm notorious for

Translation: I'm doing something shady and I've been informed I need to keep my mouth shut about it. 

John's dad "popping" his back might have caused some of these problems, right?

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Regardless of how long his list of 'Godly' medical advisors is, how skilled they are - John will not be hopping back on a plane to Zambia soon. Just not possible if his Back problems are as bad as he says. 

Poor Esther always draws the short straw. All the littles to look after despite bad flu. 

John is writing screeds when a few 'to the point' sentences would do to to throw us off scent and make us think he will return when he has no plans to. He is writing his escape but 'keep Face' plan. 

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I love how being 2 months premature caused his bad back. ? He really uses any excuse to bring that up. Personally, I’ve never heard that as a complication of prematurity. 

My friend’s twins were born at 27 weeks. They have some problems, but a bad back is not something their doctors mentioned as a complication. 

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I was late, nothing to do with my back problems! He thinks him being premature is just  soooooooo Speshul. Have Rick and Jodi made him into the spoiled entitled brat he is because of his prematurity? Yes I rather suspect they have. 

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56 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Translation: I'm doing something shady and I've been informed I need to keep my mouth shut about it. 

John's dad "popping" his back might have caused some of these problems, right?

No idea.  Dad popping his back probably didn't help at all, but my eyes are still rolling out of my head at, "It could also be related to the fact that I was born 2 months premature."  He had to slap that one in there too.  And Johnny is still Rick's mini-me.  Daddy had back problems too, so it is "possibly genetic."  It could be.

But let us get this straight.  Johnny says he had an MRI  about 15 years ago that showed he had 3 bulging discs in his lower back.  He has suffered from chronic and incapacitating back pain for years and self treating it with essential oils, an inversion table, "many different back devices," a TENS unit, bed rest, and "a treatment program by some of the most eminent Spine Doctors in America (the APP is called "Back Doctor")."  

And many "chiropractics" have also treated him.  Including the "ONE guy in Lusaka, Zambia" and many physical therapists.  All of whom apparently treated him without referrals from an actual MD and none of them suggested an MRI.  Yeah, that could have made things worse.

Color me skeptical about the whole story.

And with this chronic and SEVERELY disabling (possibly genetic) back condition he thought it was a great idea to trot off to Africa using other people's money.  And father 11 (plus #12 still in utero) children for other people to support.

I'm wondering what all the "top" surgeons he has supposedly cold called really think. 

John Shrader, missionary to Africa is calling specialists saying, "my old pal gave me an MRI.  I can't read it but Dr. X in Canada, Dr. Y in Texas (he's oriental, you know), and a nurse have all looked at it and told me I need really urgent surgery."

"Well, Mr. Shrader, have you actually seen a doctor in person?"

"No.  They cost money.  But God has lead me to you.  And you can do this super-special surgery on me.  Preferably free.  Because I am a Missionary to Africa!"

But Bro. Nate Holmes has found a Godly team and an even more Godly surgeon who are willing to do complex back surgery on an emergency basis.  Apparently somewhere in British Oceanic Territory.  For John Shrader.  It all sounds fishy.

And color me even more skeptical.

 

 

 

 

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It's severely sad that Johnny hasn't a clue that he is a Numpty.  British Oceanic Territory indeed. A verbose Nitwit.

Ruck and Jodi made this man-child. They (and Pa Keller) are responsible for poor Esther's life. 

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1 hour ago, KnittingOwl said:

I love how being 2 months premature caused his bad back. ? He really uses any excuse to bring that up. Personally, I’ve never heard that as a complication of prematurity. 

My friend’s twins were born at 27 weeks. They have some problems, but a bad back is not something their doctors mentioned as a complication. 

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.

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It’s AMAZING how God gives you confirmation and advice on your medical problem...when you actively reach out and call experts asking for confirmation and advice on your medical problem. 

 

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6 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

@Aine, both Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands and their populations have always rather intrigued me.  I remember reading about the sexual abuse on Pitcairn Island when it went to trial in 2004.  A third of the men on the island were involved.  And have you seen this:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/11/pitcairn-child-abuse-images-mayor :(

They are weird little places. I visited Norfolk when in high school on a federally organized trip around Australia when I was selected for a 'future leaders' type program. It's a stunning place. Norfolk wasn't caught up in the big trials as badly as Pitcairn and the island as a whole doesn't seem as morally abhorrent but it has a dark underbelly for sure. The Australian government and Norfolk leaders have undertaken significant legal and social reform on the island since 2004 to good effect.

That article by The Guardian is by Kathy Marks, the author of the book I mentioned above. I have a Google alert on her name and Pitcairn to catch new articles that come out haha. I think my fascination with Pitcairners (including those residing on Norfolk) is similar to my fascination with fundamentalist Mormons and it's hard to explain why they draw me in so much.

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I can't believe I'm going to say this but...

...there are some potential complications of prematurity that could lead to back problems later on. The back problems would be a follow on effect of those conditions rather than of the prematurity itself but still, he might not be completely bonkers for suggesting it. I am also going to couch this post with the point that when he was born, we were worlds away from the current state of medical care for premature infants, including acute NICU procedures as well as more long-term developmental monitoring and prevention interventions that we now have. Also, he had Rick and Jodi for parents and I bet Rick especially thinks God was just telling him divinely how to care for special special special Johnny rather than educating himself on what info was available at the time.

Some examples:

- Hip dysplasia: while this occurs in full-term infants a bunch too, prematurity is a significant risk factor for hip dysplasia. I don't know much about the status of the hip dysplasia screening and prevention in the 70s but  the swaddling of infants with their legs tucked up and knowing the prolonged extension of any babies' legs, regardless of gestation, is potentially harmful has only began to reach more widespread public knowledge in the past 15 yrs or so. The older baby carries where their legs just hang is an example of the time it has taken (and sometimes still is taking) for the public to understand the fragility of those joints. Untreated hip dysplasia in infancy can have significant long term physical consequences including chronic back pain. One leg being even a little shorter than the other, even if it is unnoticeable to most people, can cause all kinds of spinal instability as time goes on.

- Osteopenia in preterm infants: this is a common condition for preemies to develop and these days medical professionals are alert to hypocalcemia and other signs of this condition. Again, even when it is promptly treated, it can cause brittle bones and bone degeneration much earlier than the expected degeneration most people experience at an elderly age.

- Delayed fine and gross motor skills and possible joint instability: it's not uncommon for preemies, especially those born before 30ish weeks, to have some motor delays and be seen as more 'clumsy' or 'uncoordinated' than same age peers. Additionally, impaired dorsiflexion of the ankle is fairly common. I have had "weak" ankles all my life (made worse by sport injuries and my stubbornness) and I have had specialists attribute part of that to my prematurity and low birth weight even though I wasn't too early at at all. The LBW and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome was more worrisome than the length of my gestation. My cousin born in 1994 at 27 weeks 0 days also has extremely weak ankles and has always been delayed with her fine/gross motor although she probably wouldn't be had she been born to a more physically active parent (very little opportunity to practice/strengthen those skills). All of these things though, they increase the chances of falls or repeated injury, changing the person's gait and putting pressures on the spine. 

Maybe there are others too but those are the ones I know off of the top of my head.

I still think genetics, all those injuries, and lack of ongoing evidence-based treatment would play a larger part in his current presentation but conditions like disc degeneration in a man John's age usually occur due to multiple risk factors combining. 

The main thing that stuck out in his latest vague 'testimony' for me is John saying he knew about the 3 bulging discs about 15 years ago. It is absolute INSANITY to not have gone all out with prevention right then! We're only now getting a little better with replacing discs in the past 24 months or so, the medical research and practice has struggled with finding a suitable 'replacement disc' for decades as they need to have both flexibility and durability and stay in place. As such, doctors/nurses/physical therapists I've encountered over the years for my own care and with family members have always been zealous when it came to getting pressure of the discs and strengthening the muscles of the back to minimize spinal instability as surgical options have been by-and-large very problematic until very recently (and that still carries huge risks).

John Shrader and his vague-splaining and mansplaining and idiocy makes me so bloody wild with anger sometimes (...a lot). ? 

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He is definitely a Numpty if he left his bulging discs untreated for years. Mine were left for three years. My GP didn't believe me. Told me "all nurses have bad backs, tough".  I was admitted as an emergency by a lovely older GP who really knew his job and kept -up- date with new info. I ended up in hospital for an Op, kept in 17 days due to the damage done by having to struggle through for 3 years.  After care included Physio in a warm pool and on dry land for 6 months is so. No way could I have sat in a Plane for hours. 

9 years later I had a 're-build' and pins inserted to keep everything together. Now arthritis has kept in. Surgery probably isn't possible due scar tissue. Apparently I 'do' scar tissue well!!

If John's babbling is even half true then he is truly a King of Numpty-ish-ness. 

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@Aine, what you said.  I don't doubt that Shrader needs surgery now.  Or that there might be genetic or premie reasons for his condition.  If his pal with the MRI facility even gave him the right report and scan for his show and tell to other doctors.  

It is the bullshit factor,  the vague-splaining,  and the drama of it all that I react to with John.  Every. Single. Time.

But one other thing is glaringly obvious in John's "Testimony." 

Nowhere in all of this does he say that he went to a GP and got a basic check-up plus blood work.  I mean, he has been in "Darkest Africa" for 5 years and could have picked up any number of bugs,  And his diet has always been high in fat.  

Right now he is getting his information from Dr. Google and "Godly" doctors he trusts.  Doctors as far away as Canada.  Per John, he has not met the surgeon who will perform the operation. 

All of this might explain why he seems to think he only needs a couple of weeks of Rehab and will be back on a plane to Kafue immediately.

And it really burns my butt that Shrader has strings he can pull to get emergency surgery when other people (with and without insurance) are still on waiting lists.  And wondering how they and their families can survive while they are unable to work or afford all the co-pays and other expenses their insurance does not cover.

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19 minutes ago, Gobsmacked said:

He is definitely a Numpty if he left his bulging discs untreated for years. Mine were left for three years. My GP didn't believe me. Told me "all nurses have bad backs, tough".  I was admitted as an emergency by a lovely older GP who really knew his job and kept -up- date with new info. I ended up in hospital for an Op, kept in 17 days due to the damage done by having to struggle through for 3 years.  After care included Physio in a warm pool and on dry land for 6 months is so. No way could I have sat in a Plane for hours. 

9 years later I had a 're-build' and pins inserted to keep everything together. Now arthritis has kept in. Surgery probably isn't possible due scar tissue. Apparently I 'do' scar tissue well!!

If John's babbling is even half true then he is truly a King of Numpty-ish-ness. 

I'm sorry you had a doctor mansplain pain and injury and dismiss a serious issue as an "oh well". If a certain job does run a risk of a certain kind of injury, providers should be more proactive than usual because permanent injury could also cause them to lose their livelihood and the strain of that job is (if they truly believe that to be the case) is only going to continue to aggravate the issue and make it worse if it isn't treated promptly.

Unfortunately it's so common for interactions like your's to happen, especially between male health care providers and female patients :( I've definitely had it happen with some of my chronic health conditions, especially Crohn's, and it's f**king awful when the person who should know how/if there is a way to help you and should want to help you and is the gatekeeper to your wellbeing in that moment doesn't do their job or is dismissive. I already have the issue of downplaying my symptoms as a reflex or blaming myself and I'm working on that but it has been exacerbated in the past by doctors being dismissive and then feeling as though it mustn't be as big of a deal as I thought it was and shutting up as I continued to suffer.

However, with my back/ankle/neck/rib/wrist injuries though, I have thankfully always had good care and the problem lies more with my unwillingness to accept it when I was young, dumb, and I stubbornly thought I was invincible and "powering through the pain" was in some way noble. Also my love of sport/physical activity and fearing the "torture" months of allowing my body to adequately recover would bring when taking a few days off due to a sprain would send me insane. I have no one to blame but myself for my slightly broken body ?‍♀️

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1 hour ago, Aine said:

The main thing that stuck out in his latest vague 'testimony' for me is John saying he knew about the 3 bulging discs about 15 years ago. It is absolute INSANITY to not have gone all out with prevention right then!

Let alone to then go to Zambia with that level of known existing problem. I really wonder if some donors might have had second thoughts about sending someone who would potentially need to be returned hone for medical treatment. Then again if they didn't have second thoughts about sending a couple with a huge family (who would also presumably need to return) maybe they just didn't think.

And isn't it convenient that God always tells John to follow the exact path John wanted to go down anyway.

7 hours ago, Snarkasarus Rex said:

"Oriental brother in Christ”...good one John. ?

I sincerely hope Paul (that was his name right?) reads this and starts referring to John as his "Occidental brother in Christ".

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