Jim..

Maria · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2015, 02:53 PM

Is Dr. Coufal doing your surgery? It's been some time now and I've forgotten what you're having done.. revision for ADR.. removal.. fusion?

Glad to read the insurance company approved your surgery and wishing you all the very best with surgery and recovery!

Maria

Jim M2 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2015, 06:31 PM

Dr. Neville Alleyne at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside. He is going to remove the ADR and fuse the level.

mmglobal · #3 (**permalink**) 01-20-2015, 07:38 PM

do you have a date?

Jim M2 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-23-2015, 07:06 AM

OMG, where's my head (for not giving the date earlier)? It's tomorrow morning Friday 1/23. I check in at 9:45a. Surgery starts at 11:15a. They are estimating 3.5 hours in surgery and 2 hours in recovery.

Maria · #5 (**permalink**) 01-23-2015, 04:49 PM

Jim you might already be at the hospital though I just wanted to add well wishes again for the most successful surgery and recovery to alleviate your pain and help with overall functioning! Please let us know how you are when you are able. take good care!

Maria

Jim M2 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-30-2015, 06:20 AM

The holiday Goa website doesn't work. Good thing. In Goa the beggars will chase you. I've been there.

I am 6 days out and doing okay.

mmglobal · #7 (**permalink**) 01-31-2015, 05:04 AM

Jim, I'm very, very, very impressed that you can say '6 days and all is well'!!!! That is awesome!

Your phone is ringing now.

Mark

Maria · #8 (**permalink**) 01-31-2015, 04:27 PM

Hey Jim,
Glad to read you're on the other side and "doing Ok." When you've time and if you've the inclination I would love to read more about your surgery and recovery. I imagine it's going to be day by day for a while though 6 days out and even able to write on a positive note sounds like a great start to me!

take good care! Maria

Jim M2 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-31-2015, 05:39 PM

Hi Maria,

Thank you so much for the nice words. I will write more later.

Jim

Jim M2 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-11-2015, 05:12 AM

Here's what happened. They took out the Charite. They did nothing from the backside. I was released from the hospital the day after the surgery. I don't know what to think. I would like to be fused through the facets and stablized with rods. This was Dr. Reagan's plan.

There is not much difference between pre-surgery and post surgery pain. This makes sense. I'm not fused yet so any motion aggravates the facets.

Dr. Alleyne will probably say something like, "after L5 fuses with S1 the pain will subside." It is a more drawn out and conservative approach. I supposed any backside intervention can still be done if things don't work out. Otherwise I don't know what to think. I am somewhat depressed about the continued pain.

I see Dr. Alleyne late tomorrow. I'll get a full explanation of what he did and why he did it that way.

Maria · #11 (**permalink**) 02-11-2015, 08:13 PM

Hey Jim,
I've been checking in to see if there were any updates from you. Will be looking to see what information the surgeon gives you re his train of thought re surgery performed and possible future plans based on how things go I would imagine.

I do hope your pain level will be less perhaps after some time. I know this will sound strange to you though after 2nd terribly failed surgery I think I would have been satisfied with "no increased pain" but I guess I wouldn't have known that unless I went thru what I did..

Anyway I'm still hoping for the best for you with as little invasive surgery as possible.

Thanks for updating us thus far and look forward to reading about your appt. and what the surgeon says.

take good care~ Maria

Jim M2 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-14-2015, 05:30 PM

Hi Maria,

Dr. Alleyne said exactly what I thought he would say, "after L5 fuses with S1 the pain will subside." I don't doubt it. I was in the bad configuration for over 11 years and it will take some time to adjust.

Here at three weeks I tolerate sitting a little better than before surgery. They don't want me sitting for more than 30 minutes without getting up and walking for a little bit. I didn't like sitting at all before the surgery.

Dr. A said the Charite came out with no problems. They did have trouble distracting the space and inserting the high density poly cage. Once the cage was in he saw no big pay off to balance the risk of going in from the back. In the two pictures you'll see vertical metallic pins that seem to be holding the vertabra apart. The pins are part of the plastic cage and are there for the purpose of sighting the orientation of the cage in the x-ray (similar to the metal ring in a Charite core).

I have another post op visit with Dr. A on March 30. That's it for now. I'll let you know if something new develops.

Maria · #13 (**permalink**) 02-14-2015, 08:01 PM

Jim,
I completely misread what you wrote prior to this last update. I read that the ADR was removed and nothing was done from the back .. however I didn't remember that you have probably already stated previously what was going to happen from the front so I was thinking there was just the ADR removal!

Sounds like you are progressing and of course that can take time. After my failed 2nd surgery it took me from '92-2005 to really feel some real improvement and that's because of the auto fusion at L5. L4 still gives me problems and WC still does not certify ESIs for me which really did help.

Their latest reason was the doctor that ordered the ESI did not call them back. Of course they were calling my OSS's office and wrote that they were trying to reach Dr. Toliver (my PM in SD). I have the right to request to see an IME which I know is like seeing an optometrist for my low back as far no one doing anything helpful for me.

Also I have to wait 12 months now from the non certification or denial before I can have another ESI requested.

Back to you.. glad the sitting is improving even a little .. it's kind of a nice thing when one wants to be social or use the computer or ride a bus, train, airplane, drive further than down to the end of the street etc!!!

take care! Maria