1 yr. ADR anniversary

[prodiscette]

Hello fellow spineys! Greetings from cold and rainy Arizona. I'm looking out my kitchen window at the gray skies and the freeze damaged plants and trees--it's been a weird winter. Just spent a little time reading some posts from you old-timers and it's good to see that you're improving with and without surgery--Maria, I'm amazed!! Best of luck to those of you who are seeking solutions--this is a great forum, lots of caring and smart, resourceful people. Mark is an invaluable asset to your journey as he was to mine. I don't even want to think about where I'd be if I hadn't discovered this pathway to healing. It started with a link from Djscal on Dr. Yeung's website and here I am today. Thanks so much to you Dan, Mark, Pauletteski and everyone else who helped and inspired me.

I had my surgery with Dr. Bertagnoli at St. Elisabeth's Hospital in Straubing on 1/10/06 so it's time for an update. I'm doing so well that the date came and went without me realizing it! A brief summary: I am 55, in good general health, have been moderately active all my life. Had lower back pain on and off for years but constantly for 2+ years after training to walk a marathon (what was I thinking?!) Went through all the consults, diagnostics, ESIs, endoscopic discectomy, pain meds and finally ADR at L3-4 (thanks, Mark) and L4-5. The trip to Germany with my mother Barbara, Mark's assistance, Dr. B & his staff, St. Elisabeth's, meeting other patients from the US--a once in a lifetime experience!! I am so lucky and grateful that everything came together in the way it did.

As I sit here writing, I am aware of only a slight burning sensation on the outside of my right lower leg. I had this issue before the surgery only worse. Now it comes and goes and is barely noticeable most of the time. I am able to do almost everything I did before--except heavy lifting and moving furniture around--that's off my list permanently! I am still careful about my movement but that too is a permanent change. The biggest change is that I have a life that is no longer measured by pain. I can make plans and keep them without worrying about how long I can sit, stand, walk, etc. I can enjoy cradling my new niece who is just 8 weeks old!!! I've been able to catch up on movies, concerts, trips. Organizing my home office, which had become the repository for the mountains of medical paperwork, was overwhelming. Now I've got that mountain down to one little hill which I'll finish today. My attitude is more positive too. I never lost hope before my surgery, but some days it was dangling by a thin thread.

I met with my Phoenix orthopedic surgeon last month-I still check in with him for follow up x-rays and prescription refills. He told me I'll probably always have some pain from nerve damage. That was hard to hear and I haven't accepted it. If he's right, though, and this is as good as it gets, I am satisfied.

Good luck and good health to all of you this year!

[Maria]

Hi Prodiscette,
Thanks for the update~ so glad to hear how well you're doing! I agree with all that you said re Mark as I feel I'd never have gotten surgery authorized without his accompanying me to my WC 2nd surgical opinion visit.

Currently I'm doing well. I've not had a significant flare up since the day that I went to see Dr.Delamarter and Dr.Regan in Los Angeles and found myself sitting far too long...

However, the odd thing was that normally a flare up like that would have lasted days/weeks.. and it was gone the next day. I think endorphin release had much to do with this...

I have been walking quite a bit which I also think helped and just doing things that I would have not done before ..didn't let myself.. of course, heavy lifting is off my list permanently as well I'm sure!

I will be scheduling surgery but not until April. I want to give myself some more time to see how I do, have bunion surgery, and see how this effects my spine (gait being off for a while).

The one thing I don't feel confident doing is making plans that are of any significance, such as traveling w/o making heavy preparation for seating such as buying 3 seats for long travel on a plane..

I guess I will try a trip soon and see how I do, just to San Francisco tho~ one seat on a one hour flight~ it will be a test if I'm not getting an ESI anytime soon!

Back to you~ wonderful to hear you've had such success~ we are close in age and it's nice to know you have *gotten your groove on again* so to speak!!

Take good care and please keep us posted! Maria

[Poncho]

Glad to hear that you are doing so much better!!!

The nerve thing... It comes and goes for this spiney too. I'm about 2 1/2 years post-op. Kind of wierd. Kind of crazy, but I still think it is still improving....No medications other than Tylenol / Motrin.

So, hang in there!!! It is hard to tell how long it will take the nerves to heal.

[letteski]

Hi Anne

So great to hear you are doing well. I miss our regular updates on each other’s progress. But like all things when we life returns well we just have to enjoy what we could not do before. I’m so glad you did not wait much longer and got yourself in and fixed. I hope things continue to improve just like Poncho said I too am still seeing improvements not 17 months post-op. Take care and please check in from time to time and let me know how you are doing.