Back surgery gone bad

Liarose006

Charlie stay strong. Your son is a blessing and as a Mom myself, nothing can make me happier than seeing their little faces. Definitely a spirit-lifter for your wife. You are absolutely right, you have enough to deal with then to shoulder the surgeon's guilt. Focus on what your wife and your family's needs are. Continued prayers coming from me!

gmak

Dear charlie, We will continue praying & praying. My son hunted Easter eggs in my room & it amazed me how strong, resilient these little ones can be & such joy will surely help melissa! Thank you for updating us. Praying for unwavering faith & a miracle.

dustytrail

Charlie My family prays for your wife and your family. My husband is schedualed to have the same surgery next month. We are both very affraid of this happening. I am going to have him read your post tonight, I hope this will change his mind. I am so sorry this has happened. Is there any way that she will recover and be able to feel and move again? Did they give you any rate of chances of recovery? Again, We pray for her and your family.

CharliePA

Melissa is having a pacemaker put in Tuesday (tomorrow). It's the only way that she is going to be able to be raised over 45 degrees without her heart basically stopping. She originally felt pretty much the same as when she had a C-section when our son was born. She could feel pressure but nothing else. Today she told me that it feels different now, almost like her arms, legs and body are asleep. She reflexively moves her right leg a little when I tickle her foot. Both of these I'm taking as good signs. As for her chances for a complete recovery we just won't know until it happens. At rehab they will keep her as long as she is making progress. Once she plateaus off then we will start at home. It's just anyone's guess at this point. Every individual is different so every individual heals or makes progress at a different pace. Complete is pretty much out of the windows tomorrow once the pacemaker goes in because she didn't need one before the surgery. I wouldn't tell anyone to or not to have the surgery. I would just say do your homework first and think long and hard about the possible consequences. Gotta go. Keep praying for us....

gmak

Dear charlie, I will be praying for melissa tomorrow during the pacemaker installment, & a complete recovery with the spine is still possible because all things are possible, then she can go to magee i pray. I know its not the same severity wise but when my nerves began to wake up they felt like pins & needles. How is the trying to breathe on her own? Im sorry to ask questions, i know you are so busy but what medicines are they giving to lessen the swelling & have the drs given a time frame re: when the swelling should subside? If not, maybe magee can.I will keep unwavering belief & faith looking for a miracle for you all. God bless your family!

CT06405

Charlie, I have heard of people developing foot drop, etc. soon after back surgery due to swelling, but with therapy they made a complete recovery within a few weeks or months. Once the damaging pressure is no longer there the nerve can start to recover and regenerate. I had a nerve that was cut in my jaw wake up 6 months after the incident and begin to feel again. I know your wife's case is not exactly the same thing, but the body's ability to fight to return to what it was is amazing.

I really hope and pray that she will recover and in a year this will just be a bad memory. I think there is a very good chance that she will heal and be back to what she was except for the pacemaker. Keep us posted on what is happening if you can!

CharliePA

The pacemaker went in without any complications. She had an MRI proof one installed. She did have an MRI done on Monday and we got the results yesterday afternoon. Because the swelling was so bad it cut off blood flow from C-3 all the way to L-3. Because of the lack of blood flow to the outside of her spine that part of it essentially has died, just as if she had had a transaction of it. The doctor told me that it will leave her in a range from not walking ever again to being in a Christopher Reeves type situation (his words not mine) . We will wait and see what the folks at Magee have to say before telling her because I don't think it's fair to tell her now while she is here in the ICU. It just wouldn't be productive. Thank you all again for your kind words and prayers. Please continue to keep us in them...

teteri66

I am visiting my aunt for her 91st birthday. Her church has a strong prayer circle and I have asked them to include Melissa in their prayers.

You are very strong to be dealing with all this. Is Melissa able to talk with you? I cannot even find words to offer to you. This is truly catastrophic. I hope everyone's prayers will make a difference.

Please keep in touch. You have many new friends who care.

Blessings.

gmak

Dear charlie, I will keep praying because i believe prayer changes things. I dont want to bog you down with my story so let me encourage you to start now with obtaining copies of MRI results & disks for your own records because i just took NS @ his word & i had a condition from 1988 to 2012 on every MRI that no one ever told me. I agree with you that after the specialists @ Magee evaluate, diagnose & give treatment plan is a good idea, it may be interpreted differently. Still believing for a miracle! Im so sorry.

Barefoot31

[QUOTE=CharliePA;5159904]The pacemaker went in without any complications. She had an MRI proof one installed. She did have an MRI done on Monday and we got the results yesterday afternoon. Because the swelling was so bad it cut off blood flow from C-3 all the way to L-3. Because of the lack of blood flow to the outside of her spine that part of it essentially has died, just as if she had had a transaction of it. The doctor told me that it will leave her in a range from not walking ever again to being in a Christopher Reeves type situation (his words not mine) . We will wait and see what the folks at Magee have to say before telling her because I don't think it's fair to tell her now while she is here in the ICU. It just wouldn't be productive. Thank you all again for your kind words and prayers. Please continue to keep us in them...[/QUOTE]

HI Charlie, Please know you and your family are in my prayers, God Bless and keep you in this very difficult time.. Barefoot

JT143

My prayers are with you and your family

noevr

Hi, first I want to say I am so sorry this has happened and I realky hope with time and rehab she gets most of her function back.


I know that you have so much going on, but is there a family member that is close that has been offering help? Wha t I'm thinking because I believe timing is important could you let them find you a good attorney? I think those surgical notes need to be subpeonaed to be sure they are not keeping anything from you.

I know its hard to deal with that's why I wss thinking of another family member or close friend. I do feel its important.

Lifting all of you up in prayer, cathy

CharliePA

Sorry it's been so long since I got back. It's not been easy. We are now at Magee in Philly. Melissa is doing the same. No better, no worse. At least now we are in a better more equipped place. Gotta go. Keep praying....

gmak

[QUOTE=CharliePA;5164212]Sorry it's been so long since I got back. It's not been easy. We are now at Magee in Philly. Melissa is doing the same. No better, no worse. At least now we are in a better more equipped place. Gotta go. Keep praying....[/QUOTE]
Hi charlie, Of course, my family will keep praying for melissa. I hope that it is very a short time before the Magee people come to you with a new viable treatment plan for melissa. Still praying for an undeniably God gets all the credit, miracle! Hang in there Charlie, i can only imagine how hard it has been & i am so sorry. I hope & pray that good news will be forthcoming soon!