Since my last health update, there's been a lot of "hurry up and wait" and several frustrating disagreements among medical professionals who can't agree on what they want to do to me. I'm beginning to feel like a laboratory guinea-pig.
All the doctors agree that "Something Must Be Done!" - but they can't seem to agree what that Something should be. The main point of contention appears to be whether I need three more vertebrae to be fused, adding on to my present fusion site, or whether the existing fusion should be removed and a sort of reinforcing tube or grid built around all the vertebrae in my lumbar spine. The latter is agreed to be the strongest option, and the least likely to give further problems in future, but it's also the most invasive and potentially harmful if something goes wrong. (Doctors: "Nothing Will Go Wrong!" Their nurses, talking to me when the doctor has gone out for a moment: "Don't You Believe It!" I think some of the doctors want to do it purely so they can say they've had experience with the procedure, but I'd rather have a doctor who's done it before, as many times as possible, so he's not graded low on the learning curve.)
I've just about finished with the tests that were required to get this far. (Believe it or not, it's taken over six months to go through them all!) The file of test results is pretty thick by now, but it still hasn't provided enough evidence for the doctors to decide on the best approach. I'm going to give them until the end of February, then, if there's still no decision, I'm going to take the entire file and CD's of all the imaging and go to a completely different hospital network in the DFW area for a second opinion. That will delay proceedings, but I hope will provide greater clarity. Besides that, the doctors in the other network appear to be considerably more experienced than those in the local one, so I hope I'll be dealing with specialists who've faced this combination of issues before and treated it/them successfully.
Meanwhile, thanks to your generosity, dear readers, the bills are paid up to date, and so far (cross fingers, touch wood, etc.) things look manageable in terms of future planning. I remain very grateful to you all. I'd hate to have financial worries hanging over the physical ones! Thanks to you, I haven't got that added complication. Pain remains a daily problem, but I've added another medication targeting peripheral neuropathy issues, which has helped reduce the dosage of painkillers I've been popping. That makes me feel less zombie-fied, if you know what I mean, and is yet another reason for gratitude towards God, the doctors and all of you.
So far, so good. I'll provide another update in a couple of months.
Peter
12 comments:
Transfer your consciousness into an X Optimus Prime Robot. It would be a lot less painful.
There's a reason they call what doctors do 'practice'.
Whatever you decide, there will be prayers that God guides the hand of your surgeon.
I've heard Baylor medical is a good hospital.
Thanks for the good news. Well, perhaps not entirely good, but it could be worse.
Nice to see you are in high spirits.
y' ever git to feelin' like you're cute n' cuddly; brown n' white; 'bout a foot long weighin' in 'round 3 lbs (usually called a Guinea pig)
y' need a doc, not a vet. hafta be one or two around
Your approach is reasonable, in that seeking out the most experienced doc for your procedure is the way to go. Having said that, avoid the department chair, they may have done more procedures lifetime, but not in the past few years. A good question is, "How many of these have you done over the past 2 years?" I will pray for a good outcome, and less pain.
^^^ This, but prayers will continue for a GOOD resolution!
I had a cage in my spine (L3,4,5,S1) in 1985. Hurts everyday. But I'm still upright and don't use a wheelchair. Its a tough decision but I'll send some smoke up for your recovery. Storyteller
If you can, check for hospitals that specialize in your problem. When I needed my mitral valve repaired I found the two best places were Cleveland Clinic and Mayo clinic in Minnesota. Mayo was closer so I went there and have no regrets after more than 10 years.
My dad had an epoxy cage put around his lower back vertebrae and the results were immediate and positive. Medicare at first claimed it was medically unnecessary but apparently could not argue with the results (and he sicc'ed my mom on them). However, he was told to never bend, lift, or twist again.
I had major back surgery after a bad motorcycle wreck. One result, 12" titanium bars holding my upper back together. 3 years later, no pain, full movement, no limitation on activities. JPS in Fort Worth.
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