Hey folk's,
My surgeon say's I need surgery to remove my old hardware , and do the stimulator Implant. The problem I'm facing is. My daughter is getting married this June in Maryland so I have to travel from central PA. to Maryland . My wife think's I should wait until the wedding is over ,but I don't want to go any longer with this pain than I have to ,Plus I don't want to have to wear the back brace again in the heat of summer..TO HOT !
I thought the sooner I had it done the better I'd be before the wedding..I'm having a hard time finding a doctor to do it ASAP. I found Dr's who will do it in a month or two but I can't wait that long. I need time to heal after the surgery..Anyone ever had a simular situation and what did you do ? I don't want to tick my wife off , you men know how that goes .
Thanks for your replies
I'm sorry I forgot to mention that I'm talking about a doctor who will do the trial stimulator in my spine , my surgeon will do the implant of the permenant one ,and the hardware removal.
You are a very smart man, not ticking the old lady off!! So you have someone who can do it, in April?? If so, I hate to agree with you wife, June is to close for such a big surgery in my opinion especially with it being your daughter getting married. You don't want to have to use a ATV to ride down the aisle. On the other hand, that would be a Shawley moment.
What does your doc say about the recovery time??
I just want to say and let you know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
I can certainly understand wanting to be out of pain as soon as possible but it sounds like too close of a time frame to work within. How long does it take to recover from the removal of the hardware? If you don't mind my asking, why do they want to remove your hardware?
Best of luck with whatever you decide to do and congrats on your daughter getting married soon.
Hey,
I really think I'd be ok if I had it done soon . But if they said not till April I would agree it would be to late..Pepper your right I don't tick her off I don't have a doctor to do the trial yet..My surgeon would be ready ASAP if I told him ok. He's pretty good getting me in as quick as possible.
fusionman.
My doctor wants to remove my hardware cause I'm fused plus he said I might be getting pain from the hardware also..It's not doing anything anymore so I don't need it..After my last surgery to remove scar tissue and put a sleeve around my dura I was up and around shortly after but I'm not sure on hardware removal . I think I would be fine..I'm a mean son of a gun so that should bother me..
Somewhere on this board someone else had theirs removed and said it wasn't that painful. I will have to see if I can find the old post and refer you to it. I love a good hunt.
Hi Shawley,
I'm supposed to have part of my hardware removed once I reach the year mark. I'm not committed to that yet. I have no desire to let anyone do anything on me again for quite a while. But I know it's gotta be done eventually. I'm under the impression that it's a very quick hospital stay, maybe not even admitted. But this was just a passing conversation with my surgeon, not really pursuing details at that time. If you're not having to be careful for bone to fuse, I would think that having a hardware removal and getting the trial stim put in wouldn't really be a major procedure. If you had it done in April, I think you would be fine to go to Maryland by June. Check with your doctor, of course, but wouldn't it be great to dance with your daughter without being in pain? Wow! What a wonderful memory that would be!
Maybe you could get yourself on the schedule even while you're making up your mind. You can always cancel, but in the meantime, you wouldn't be crowded out by others getting onto the schedule before you.
HI Shawley,
I had my hardware removed a year after my first two level fusion, it was removed because 2 of my screws were loose (ok I hear that snickering). It was pretty easy, they removed all 6 screws and the rods, put more BMP around the spine and closed me up. I think it was like a 3-4 hr surgery. That was on Dec. 15, 9 days later I was in a motorized cart Xmas shopping. If all the do is remove the hardware you should pretty good to go.I wasn't fused and it was ok for me, I would think being fused would be even better since your more stable/
Good Luck! I hope it works ok for your trip.
God Bless
Carol
__________________
"Thru every dark corner is a door to a new light"
(Dana Reeve)
Shawley
Sorry you are in such stress with the time frame. I am afraid I have to side with your wife. At least now you know how to handle your pain and after the surgery it is all brand new and you have to adjust. Has anyone given you a time frame for recovery?
Good luck and I am sure you and your wife will be proud parents at your daughters wedding in June. Remember we are not given more than we can carry however sometimes it feels that way
Here's a thought. You want your hardware out, the trial stim in and you want it done before the wedding.
Your wife and daughter are planning the most important thing (at this point) in her life. You wife is worried about the wedding and everything that goes along with that....AND YOU WANT TO HAVE SURGERY SO SHE HAS ONE MORE THING TO DEAL WITH IN HER ALREADY OVERWHELMING LIFE. Sure seems like a no brainer to me...
What happens, god forbid, if there is a complication? What happens if your recovery is slowed for some reason? What happens if you end up not even being able to walk your daughter down the isle or path or over the grass?
I spoke with my surgeon about removing my hardware. He told me it is major surgery, not as bad as the instalation, but still big. It will also include a hospital stay. Mine is different than yours would be but still....
Shawley, I see where you are coming from, but you are SUCH A GUY!!! How long do you plan on living with the dog?
Ok Ladies,
Thanks for all your suggestion's. Control my pain ? Clover I can't control my pain , sure if I kick back on my recliner all day I'm fine. I don't think I'll be able to stand for an hour. I have had a revision surgery , removed and replaced my hardware and I was up in 2 months thats why I think I'd be ok..Only one of my surgeries was horrible and that was the first , my Laminectomy / L4-L5 fusion with hardware..The other 2 was a cake walk sort of.
I understand there are risk involved but life is a risk right ? I have put this trial stim on the back burner for months now and now that I'm no longer taking narcotic's for pain my level has skyrocketed..It's not a guy thing..I'm just tired of all this going on. My wife is a little upset because she can't take off her college class and my youngest daughter is going to the prom with her boyfriend and my wife is all worked up over getting her ready. The wedding is very small , it's just the imediate family members and there is really not much to get ready for. I haven't been givin any time frame for the length of surgery..Probably 3 to 4 hours I would think ?? I'm doing it ! I have it scheduled for the 29 of March (trial Implant).
Shawley, I agree with Pepper. You have to do whatever you can do to find relief. No one understands how much pain you are in. I'm sure you're daughter would not want you in agony during her wedding. I hope that the surgery proves successful and you find relief. You deserve it.
Thanks Pepper , I do need a break today I just posted in Yvette's thread go read what I wrote , I had a funny but wierd experience today at the Doctors office.
My mother in law agree I should get this done ASAP because I can handle the surgery , Unless I were to kick over
Shawley - My pain level just stinks but I don't have to tell you that. You live with it each day. I am having nausea and everything. I really think I tore up my muscles along the incision. It is hard to believe one can cause that much pain and damage from bending. I don't think I messed up the hardware or anything at least I pray I didn't.
Pepper I hope you didn't do anything to your fusion..You have to be very careful..NO bending lifting twisting !! Jeesh !!
When do you see your doctor again ? You shouldn't be in that much pain unless maybe you did do somthing ??? Tell hubby to clean dog puke up from now on you can't bend..I took my buddy to the doc's with me today but he stayed in my truck, for an hour..I thought he had the seats tore up by then but he didn't.
I hope my wife doesnt see that post either . It was kind of funny if you were there and NOT me..I'm sure she chuckled over it..
Shawley, I can't imagine I hurt anything. It was a moment that one doesn't think- -- I don't think I will be forgeting again for a very long time.
My next appt is 3/26 but if I am hurting I will call my doc Thursday. I have to get thru tomorrow -- hubby has to go thru all the motions with the funeral and burial. I have no one here to take me to the doctors. My MIL who was supposed to be taking care of me is with Mr. Pepper. I have been flying solo with the kids.
Pepper I'm sorry your flying solo , it must be hard..What great timing for a love one to pass right after your fusion.. I was never knew my uncle's they were all gone by the time I was born , but I do know how it feel's to lose a loved one .
I hope your pain subsides today , Did you watch american Idol last night ? My wife has me watching all that garbage
Hope I didn't offend anyone with that post yesterday , my wife is alot hotter I was trying to make you smile..
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