franjo

I finally have a new date set for my tethered spinal cord release...July 15th. Not as soon as I'd hoped, as my symptoms require urgent treatment, but I'm relieved, nevertheless, to have the date.

This has been a most ridiculous journey for me. I feel that I'm an unwilling participant in a Monty Python movie, or something. Everything that could possibly go wrong, since last August when I was diagnosed, has went wrong. Silly, avoidable stuff. Faxes not being sent, records being lost, and simple miscommunication between my NS and my HMO, and even, I suspect, some old-fashioned lying in order to cover some major butt.

I never did receive a satisfactory explanation as to why my original surgery date had been postponed to begin with. I'll probably never know the truth...I've resolved myself to that. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that my NS had a chance to go to Louisiana and hunt wild boar with his buddies, and had to clear his schedule. I wouldn't LIKE that explanation....but at least it explains some things.

Anyway, thank you for all the encouragement I was blessed to receive when my surgery was postponed. I do believe that is what kept me sane throughout all of this.

Hopefully, my symptoms have found a plateau and will not increase before my surgery, as any hope of improvements post-op are not realistic, still, it is possible. I normally would cast my vote for the possibilities, but am trying to remain grounded in the reality, so there's no disappointments later on.

Again, thank you all for being there. I can't say enough.

Love,

~Teri


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Spina-bifida occulta; Congenital Scoliosis (dextrorotatory and 'S' curve, 42 thorasic and 57 degrees lumbar); Meningomyelocele (split cord @ L1); Diastematomyelia (re-sectioned at L2-3); tethered cord @ S-3; cysts on cord; various developmental abnormalities of the spine: narrowing of all disk spaces, defects in posterior arches, ectasia of the spinal canal and dura, segmental disease, sclerosis in L. iliac bone and adjacent sacroiliac joint, unilateral osteitis condensans ilium, hypertrophic facet disease L4-5 and L5-S1.

Surgeries include, but not limited to:
Lumbar fusion-1968
Fusion with Herrington Rod instrumentation-1970
Femoral osteotomy-1971
Tethered cord release-1987
Rod removal-1987
Chiari-type pelvic osteotomy-1988
Trochanteric osteotomy-1989

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Spina-bifida occulta; Congenital Scoliosis (dextrorotatory and 'S' curve, 42 thorasic and 57 degrees lumbar); Meningomyelocele (split cord @ L1); Diastematomyelia (re-sectioned at L2-3); tethered cord @ S-3; cysts on cord; various developmental abnormalities of the spine: narrowing of all disk spaces, defects in posterior arches, ectasia of the spinal canal and dura, segmental disease, sclerosis in L. iliac bone and adjacent sacroiliac joint, unilateral osteitis condensans ilium, hypertrophic facet disease L4-5 and L5-S1.

Surgeries include, but not limited to:
Lumbar fusion-1968
Fusion with Herrington Rod instrumentation-1970
Femoral osteotomy-1971
Tethered cord release-1987
Rod removal-1987
Chiari-type pelvic osteotomy-1988
Trochanteric osteotomy-1989
Tethered cord release-2003
Fusion with instrumentation with lots and lots of screws-2003