Hi Guys,
Thanks for your kind words
. It is really good to be able to support each other in this way. Unless you have been through it, it is very hard to understand what dealing with pain day in day out feels like. And very easy to feel completely alone.
It can be so confusing when there is so many conflicting messages out there:
Some lay people think you just get the operation and thats it, your fixed what the hell are you waiting for.
Physiotherapists advise you against surgery and when youre not getting better treat you like youre not doing the excercises or that the pain is all in your head.
My pain management doctor told me fusions dont work and that your teeth are going to rot out of your head on oxycontin but didnt offer me any other alternative other than more anti-depressants and more excercise. (Hello!!!! I cant do excercise without the drugs!!!!!)
The sad part is the surgeons, they sure as dont encourage you.
I was given about a 98% success for my first operation ,a discectomy and now a few years down the track I am given 70% for my next one,a fusion. And "We will deal with any other problems later,and there is no rush."
Would you take those odds when the first one didnt work?
And then there are the surgery horror stories both for fusion and ADR.
So I am in the position of thinking well could this be the best its gonna get?
Is this the new baseline for my life?
And should I be grateful for the level of function that I have? I could be much worse.
But I cant help but keep wishing for this knife pain to be taken out of my back and to be able to relax in my own skin.
Keep hope alive guys,
Michelle.