Yes Pops
that is correct - at the time of my implantation I was one of only 3 in the world to have a ADR for a spondylo. I also remember Dr B. telling me in his opinion I had the worst single level disc he had ever seen in his approx. 18 yr's at that time. What a dubious distinction. What was in this decision making was knowing the disc or the lack of one was in NO doubt my pain generator of IMMENSE proportions. I had a Lidocaine Facet injection at L4L5 just before leaving for Germany to be sure the facets were not a issue I requested this here just to be sure of their status in this equation. They were arthritic but nothing I have not been able to manage & they were NOT the source of my pain. I basically had nothing left to loose I was at the end of my rope & things were getting pretty bad leg wise again for pain with nerves being compressed. I didn't wait 10 yr's of refusing a 2 level fusion just to have one now & I knew I had to have this surgery or wind up being someone's ER fusion a 2 level one - I had no choice left. Oddly a S.S. from N. Carolina was there in the room learning how to do this surgery as Dr B. operated on me - he said I would have been the same thing I knew someone's ER fusion in less than 2 wk's time. I barely made it in the nick of time. I refused Dynesis alone as I knew it would not do anything but to stabilize me - the long standing pain of 10 yr's was the disc level not the recent Spondylo & so I refused Dynessis surgery alone with Dr B & Fenk- Mayer this stalled thigns by 2 mo's until i told Dr Fenk - Mayer I needed their help was serious but I needed to talk to them 1st to tell them I needed to address the discogenic pain. Dr B. called me & by my asking him questions & he me he agreed I needed the ADR the most as I felt & he said if this slipped later on I would need Dynesis. So far so good & L3L4 which was herniated has also stayed thanks to the ADR - Dynesis alone I feel over time I would have blown that level which now the studies have shown so I am glad.
We had one week's notice as Dr B worked me in as a emergency case. My MRI never showed the full extent of the issues & Dr B had a painstackingly long surgery - the USA doc said I got perfection that day. I believe God was in the room as the Great Physican. As you may remember Mark I woke up to only surgical pain the old pain was gone! I never looked back & heck no - I have fallen more times since my surgery than i care to count - for one reason or another. Some of the falls have been hard & I broke a rib over my heart last summer - my ADR has survived & stood by me. My issues are now being caused by a sleeping monster I had hoped to keep asleep as long as I could my neck. - It is still not the pain level of my low back but it is limiting me in way of my arms & it is nagging. I posted my info on my neck under Old Lumbar now a Cervie I think it is called. I have not taken a pain pill since the 2nd day of my ADR surgery. I have kept moving & truly enjoyed a time with no pain in many many years. Now it is Headaches & what feels like someone is choking me on my neck etc. arm pressure & some nerve jolts in the arm & shoulder pain the normal Cervie drill I guess. But I have the T.O.S. as a 2ndary to my neck & it compromising 2 Arteries & other issues that I know I need to address. I feel I am impinging especially with movements backwards especially if I look up or move my head back on my cord & nerves.
With all of the rain we have constantly had this spring I can get quite inflammed & arthritic. I know I can get better - it's just a matter of when - like it was before. It is real but a solution is also real.
Jill