Hello everyone,
Surgery is set to go Dec,26.
I was running late & could not get my list from you all at home. I did remember alot of the questions though & my husband ask afew of his own.
My husband wanted him to show him again on the MRI what was what & why the surgery was needed. There is full compression at one level & part on the next. My husband said you dont even need to be a doctor to see it on the MRIs.
He sent my collar home with me, soap to use on the neck a week prior & a script for a shower collar.
He will not be taking from the hip, but forgot to ask him what he will be using.
It will consist of a cage,plate, & screws.
No students, as he does not like anyone involved in his surgerys.
His success rate is very good as he takes on canidates he knows he can help & has sent many away. He is strict on following the rules.
He said some surgeons today dont make their patients wear the collar, which he said he would never do. He feels you are at risk when not wearing one & the plate can compress & cut off breathing if anything were to happen. So he said he just dont take chances with that type of thing.
He also stated alot will depend on how well I take care after the surgery.
eight weeks of the collar & no driving for that time & work. I can attempt like some paper work type thing earlier if all is well but thats it.
The collar is not the old fashion real hard type. He put it on to fit it, its not to bad I guess (so I say now)
He also said something about having a team that puts probes on my forhead that measure or checks the nerves endings.
He also has another surgeon standing by in case anything were to happen like with the esophagus. He explained that the the drain tube(cant remember the exact name)would be pulled out the next day & that hurts like heck but only takes a second.
He also went over some other things such as my voice can be horse & why he using mega doses of steriods right before & after to prevent to much swelling or it could have an impact on breathing or swallowing. That scared me since I have had breathing issues & know what it is like to struggle to get a breathe in. I am fine with everything else.
He did say that the new pain issues may be coming from the problems in that area & that sooner or later pain meds could stop working.
My PM will contine to treat me, thank god since this surgeon does not prescribe anything but norco, & that does not work well with me.
I also told him my PM will continue to look into the lumbar. Which he said was great, as I am sure it will have to be dealt with.
I explained about the being hit by the cart & he said it could have aggravated it all & that my symptoms indicate it is progressing & thats why the surgery needs to be done soon.
Of course he went over the risks to. He said no surgeon could promise me I will be totally pain free but he feels this will definantly help with the pain. My symptoms match with injured area. I did not realize myself how bad it was till he went over it with my husband, who was shocked.
I still as my family cant believe noone caught this or bothered investigating it more. Since my PCP has to order the presurgical testing my husband said he hopes they realize how much I have had to suffer with this do to it being over looked. I am some what scared but honestly I dont think I have a choice. Thank you all for helping me. Now on to preparing the house.
God bless you all, I am blessed to have you. Sammy
Sammy, just read your post concerning your surgery in December. I really am glad you finally got yourself a doctor that listened to you, and is going to do something about all this pain and suffering you have been going through for such a long time. It is, indeed, a very scary thing, but, with all you just explained in your post, it seems like you don't have any other choice.....and this surgeon your going to sounds very good.
Just wanted to wish you luck, and let you know I will be checking in to see what is happening from now until your surgery. Take care of yourself for now, and god bless you. Have a good Thanksgiving and your in my prayers.
Thank you Chab, It is so good to hear from you & hope all is well.
I am really busy with work & home & getting worse. My husband is upset I chose to wait until Dec 26. I am miserable but hanging in there. I definantly would be much more paniced not knowing what was going on at this point. I just wish I would have known along time ago & had it over with. I am trying to come to terms with all the doctors more or less blowing this off.
How are you & your family doing? Think of you often so please let me know.
Marcia if you see this how are you feeling? I am trying to remember if you had C or back surgery. You have been on my mind. I have been so busy or just in to much pain to post alot. I try to read a few daily but all kinds of things popping up lately to keep me busy. I am just hanging on & really came close to climbing in bed & covering up my head & saying forget it. Please let me know how your doing. Did you ever manage to get your raise with your meds? Been missing you all. God bless & hope to hear from you. Sammy
i am still here hon. i needed to ask you about that compression stuff? just exactly where do you have 'full compression? is this a nerve or spinal cord? i don;t think i have actually read your MRI summary,could you type that out for me so i can see it? and just what IS that drainage tube all about? i had my surgery at the c spine level with the anterior approach too and i never had a drainage tube for either of those c spine surgeries. just very curious there.
your surgeon sounds VERY good hon,the fact that he also insists on using that collar along with the hardware too is a good sign that he takes you seriosly,and his level of care. so you are also having intra operative monitoring too? he IS very thorugh. i only had this done with my spinal cord surgery since they were going into the actual cord. this is a very good thing for you to just have. it never hurts to have your motor and sensory monitored whenever they are messing with nerves. this is done by a neurophysiatrist. that is all this guy will be doing for you,just monitoring your nerves the whole time. this just lets the surgeon know that he isn't hitting nerves to the point that it is showing on the monitor,if they do,the surgery just stops and they watch that monitor til the nerve calms down and try it from a different angle. if you want to know more about the monitoring angle of this,just look up 'intraoperative monitoring" that should bring up info for you to read thru.
still no actual raise in my meds yet. god i just do not get that an actual pain clinic wopuld not just accomidate tolerance?? helloo? i am going to be chatting with my primary some time this month.i have to see him anyways for the referral for my annual MRA to check for any new little aneurysms. i stopped, after last years having to have the angios now since i have come up clear since 05 when i had that one coiled. that is a huge relief not having to go thru the angios anymore,unless something gets found upon the MRA. really don;t need another aneurysm again ya know?
well keep us posted hon,you too have been on my mind sammy,you always are. it really sounds like you have a really great surgeon,so thats good huh? that collar does get a bit old after a while,but it IS better than having to worry about a misalignment,even with hardware. that is your splint. chances are they will do with you what they did with me since i did not want my own bone used for my fusion after watching my hubby in more severe pain just from that hip graft than the actual surgery for his herniated disc. they more than likely will be using bone from a bone bank. believe me,it is sooo much less painful not using your own bone. well keep me up on all things sammy. take care hon,and know i WILL be here for ya anytime. marcia
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3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
Marcia, I have the MRI results under a post here some where. I thought the same, it did not sound that bad on the report but the surgeon showed the films to my husband & he was surprised at how it appeared & the statement made by the surgeon. I believe he was referring to the cord. My husband was saying that has to be why I am expericancing so much pain. I am not sure what level, as I was sitting on the table like a dummy, to worried about my sister at the time & not being able to see her. I guess you really have to watch those reports, they may not really say in words exactly what is happening in there. As I said my husband said you could see it right away on the MRI. Still struggling with how it was overlooked for so long.
As far as the drainage tube well he said that hurts the most when it comes out, so not looking forward to that. Interesting that you did not have one, anyone else have a drainage tube after surgery?
you are not going to believe this. Remember how I broke a tooth off before the shoulder surgery, well did the same thing again. I am so upset pain from that now & its adding to the existing pain. Have to see if I can activate my dental again.
I am so sorry you are still left to suffer. I worry about the same, getting used to the meds & building up a tolerance so it no longer works. My surgeon was talking about just that. I think about you all to in my PM family & how does everyone deal with that.
What is your pain level these days?
We really are a mess. You have been through how many surgerys?
Next will probably be the lumbar, have you had problems in that area?
We did not (you & I) choose well at all with our careers. both of us were destined for problems considering our size & what we chose to do. My wonder woman days are over for good,lol.
I am working on catching up at work & home (holidays) & its not easy.
with my work I run two households & running one is hard enough. I dont think I will get a break until this surgery & by then I will need it.
If you can read my other post, I am worried, really worried about the change in symptoms. Before it all made sense according to the dermatome chart & the talk with the surgeon about what can cause what in that C5 & 6 area. Now I am not so sure. Its the last three fingers (middle, ring & pinky) that are really acting up. Not sure how that meshes with the C5 & 6. Unless its kind of like a secondary pain coming from that area. The surgeon said it wont change anything surgery wise but heck I hope there are not other problems in that area & of course noone wants to repeat an MRI, wont even do one on the lumbar & that has been recommended from the radiologist.
I just dont want to go through all of this to find out I am left with more issues unresolved in that C area. I do think this surgeon is good, I just have a hard time trusting doctors after years of suffering.
God bless you, you are always there for me & I so appreciate it. Take care & I hope you get some where with your next appointment. Sammy
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