[wendriful]

Maybe I should just start a new thread? MY head is swimming with information, just when I think I get it; and I research discs til I am blue in the face ...I am told by the world's leading surgeon something I don't understand at all. Maybe it's the language barrier. I should just write them back and ask for clarification, but don't feel that would be right since I told them before they responded that I was not going to use their facility, and I just don't want to tie up their time.

I think I am reading his message to say, we have relooked at your case, and it's way too risky to do anterior procedure unless you have a VERY, VERY skilled surgeon, so second best choice would be to get a dorsal fusion only, ie. PLIF or TLIF only. Maybe I will just write back and see if they meant 2 fusions or a fusion and an ADR.

My abdomen is full of fun titanium and mesching, etc. so it would be like a minefield; but everyone originally told me that I was a candidate for 2 ADR. Until the doc from New York said: I am 100% positive that can't happen...then they changed it to: you can get a one level ADR and a fusion. Today I went to our local neuro/ortho surgeon and he doesn't do ADR's but offered me an ALIF with cadaver disc and then will flip me over for some percutaneous pedicle screws, etc. in my back to finish minimally invasively. I now have to do 3 more weeks of studying all of those initials I guess. (I get the jest of them, just am SO unsure of who, what, when, where and how for ME.) And I know that noone can decide but me...

On the ventilator dialogue, that must have been a horrifying ordeal for you and your husband and then to not feel cared for after, must have felt like betrayal! I think I could use a breathing apparatus right about now; oh wait, I think a brown bag will do. On the law suit, it's been 16 mos. and DH's company attorney's have already decided that I would lose apparently (at least if suit was filed against provider; they were deceptive to me and didn't tell me BCBS called them and said they wouldn't pay for his stay, and then proceeded to bill us (unknowingly) for residential treatment while telling me it was inpatient! And because I signed something when I checked him in, it makes it impossible for me to win (apparently) Course, DH never signed anything!...whatever...It will AT least be a tax write off! I need air...