Help. What is it like to check in to the hospital + prepare

[DesertBloom]

Hi Seversano: Good luck with your surgery and I wouldn't worry about having as many surgeries as I did, because I had very unusual things going on with my bone.

My fusions failed because I have a severe bone disease that wasn't diagnosed until after my 6th surgery. The surgeries failed because my bone is very soft and porous, and the fusions disentegrated after each surgery, making it necessary to repeat it because my physical limitations were out of control and of course intense pain. When the fusions failed they caused nerve, muscle, spinal cord and other soft tissue damage. The bone broke apart, literally, and imbedded itself into all I mentioned above, which had to be removed. I also had hardware fail for the same reason because my bone couldn't hold the screws. When that happened I had one screw go straight through my sciatic nerve and it stayed that way for apprx 9 mos. so the damage was done. I had many Drs tell me they have no clue how I withstood that pain that long, but c'est la vie, and I really don't know how I did it. At the time they couldn't figure out why I couldn't walk, sit or stand until they found the problem. On my last surgery they used cadaver bone with more rods and screws and so far it's holding, but I'm on a very strong daily injection of parathyroid hormone that actually grows new bone unlike the bisphosphonates (Actonel, Boniva etc) which only slows bone loss, which is used for severe osteoporosis, which is what I have.

This all started many years ago and spread out over a 28 year period, so I wouldn't worry about additional surgeries, but there is the risk of the domino effect after back surgeries which happened to me each time. Each time they repaired the spinal stenosis grade 1 I think, it started again at the next level up above each of the surgeries. I would never have another surgery unless paralysis was an option, but I heard that one many times also. I have to live with the stenosis, DDD, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, a facet joint problem, and permanent nerve damage, but it didn't completely destroy the nerve so I guess that's a good sign, except for the pain. I can't take nerve meds because I'm severely allergic to them and I have glaucoma so they really mess up my eye sight among other major probs.

So don't worry about it, my situation was strange, to say the least. I also had many other problems but it would take too long to explain, and I don't really like to talk about it; dealing with non stop pain this long is very tiring, and changes every aspect of your life completely.

Good luck and don't worry...

[Harmony5]

Hi Saversano!

I had a microdisectomy in 2004. Keep in mind that all hospitals do it a little differently and each one's experience may be different. I feared the worse too but it wasn't so bad. I was in a pre-surgery room getting prepped in a bed and my family was there with me. Then they took me to another holding room in the bed; the doctor came in and said are you ready, then the anethesiologist gave me something in the IV as they were taking me on the bed to the operation room. I never did see the OR for this surgery. I did for the fusion I just had but it did not bother me. I didn't even recall being in the recovery room as I woke up in my private room. I have a problem with getting sick from meds so my main problem was being sick to my stomach.
I was in for 3 days (one day longer because of being sick). You'll do fine - I know the hardest part is before hand when you have so many questions and not knowing how it is. I'm glad you came here to the Boards and feel free to ask anything else. My best to you.

Harmony

[BlueAtlas]

DesertBloom, what a time you've had! How are you doing overall? What do they expect for you long term? Have you suffered from depression as a result of your medical problems? I imagine you're quite an inspiration to those who know you, as you are to us here on the board!

Blessings,
Emily

[yvette777]

When I had fusion, when the nurse was wheeling me to the OR, she was cracking me up the whole time. She said, do you watch Grey's Anatomy, I said yes I love that show, She said, well we call your doctor MC Dreamy lol. Then they had me cracking up the whole time, they put the little sticky's on me, the doc came in and I don't remember anything else. I do not remember the recovery room either.

The first time I had surgery years ago, it was to have my tubes tied, and it was suppose to be outpatient. Well I woke up sick and ended up staying in the hospital for two days. Since then i've had three surgery's and I've told the anesthesiologist, when they know this they put something extra in the IV and I've never had the problem again. Although I was really scared the next surgery!!!

[DesertBloom]

Hi BlueAtlas: Thanks for asking Like most everyone here there are tons of normal things I can't do anymore, which is depressing, but I don't think I'm suffering from major depression. I get frustrated and down, but some how I'm able to get past it pretty fast. I can't take any of the depression meds because for some reason they make me feel worse.

I'll never get rid of the pain, and right now with my bones, I'm at the spontaneous fracture level, so I have to be careful sneezing, coughing, no bending or strecthing etc. but I try not to think about it too much.

For now my fusion is holding and the hardware is still in place but the constant pain is hard.

The only other option I've been given is the morphine pump, but I'm not to keen on that. If at some point I have to do that I'll deal with it then. The SCS isn't an option because I have too much scar tissue, plus my Dr doesn't like them. He's the specialist they send patients to, to have them removed when they have failed. He has seen too many problems with them, but even so I'm sure they help some people.

Good luck with your back...