Here I go, my 3 level Activ-L story begins

[joemonfl]

I've been on the forum and looks like it is time to begin my story.

Wating now in one of those rooms for my turn, a 3 level Ativ-L. L3-4, L4-5, L5-S1, about a 4-5 hour sugery I've been told.

I ran into Mark yesterday during my pre op session. A very nice, tall and thin guy that literally bounced up and down in the waiting room. I remember pics from his website and he has lost weight since his ADR surgery. Something I think we are all hoping to do once we get better. ( i plan on being on the tennis court again)
I planned this trip and surgery on my own, but i'm sure he'd be very helpful if you were to work with him. He said he'll check in on me while he's here.

Dr Z is as nice in person as on the phone and the staff is very helpful. I've spoken to him, sent him my Mri's etc and arrived in Munich 12-13-07. I've never seen a doctor that spent nearly 4 hours on the phone plus emails with me, in addition to the time when I saw him here pre op for at least 2 1/2 hours. You'll feel comfortable here. Strange because as big a procedure as this is, I'm very calm, just a little anxious waiting my turn.

Oh forgive me for being a divorced male for a second, but there are some of the prettiest woman here. Lot's of blue eyed, attractive blonds Looking doesn't take away the pain, ..well on second thought, i do forget it for a few mins at least.

If you are an American in Germany, I do suggest learning some German. First it is polite and second you won't have a total vacant look on your face when others are speaking in German. At the very least a nice smile goes a long way and use some german please and thank you's.

Haven't found any English tv shows although NCIS is interesting to watch in german here. So you might want to bring your own entertainment.

That's it for now, I'll check in when I can post op.

[slsunflower]

Good luck!

[mmglobal]

Pretty women at the AlphaKlinik? I hadn't noticed... I'll have to pay attention next time I'm there. Joe.. I hope your surgery went well... I'll see you over the weekend... here till Tuesday.

[fuzzy]

3 Activ-L's, wow, how cool!

I really do wish you the very best and I know you are in the best of hands. We just missed each other by a few days!

Yeah, the beautiful woman in xray....
and you will love the nurses that will take good care of you the next few days!

[dshobbies]

Joe...,

Hope your surgery went off/goes off without a hitch and turns out to be everything you've hoped for. My fingers are crossed and my thoughts are with you.

Pretty women! Mark, I'm surprised you hadn't noticed

Happy holidays to all, Dale

[mmglobal]

I saw Joe this morning. He looked pretty darned good having had a 3-level lumbar less than 24 hours prior. He seemed to be in good spirits... I wish I could have stayed longer to chat.... aren't too many old-world computer geeks like me around... I'll bet we would have been comparing stories about stone computers and memory that cost a bazillion dollars and was measured in k... not megabytes or gigabytes. (When I say k, I mean like 4k... 8k??)

He's got his compter and they've got wireless there... I'll bet he'll be along soon to give us the first-hand update.

Mark

[annapurna]

Joe,

Hope you're doing well and recovering from your big surgery. Hope you're not too sick from the anesthesia or med's.

I feel like we're twins since I got surgery at the AlphaKlinik on Wed for my knee. I see both Dr. Zeegers and Dr. Toft for my spine and knees, respectivley since I have ongoing problems with both.

Congrat's on taking such a big step in recovering your spinal health. You are in good hands with Dr. Zeegers and I'm sure that you will continue to do well.

I'm staying in a hotel to the south of Munich and will return to the States on Wed. of next week. I'm on crutches for the next two months, but my hubby is with me. We will be at the Klinik on Monday for a knee checkup. Will you still be there? Should we stop by? Do you need any help?


Best,
Laura Wurth

[fuzzy]

Hello Annapurna I am pretty sure Joe will still be there on monday. You might check at the nurses station to see were he's at. I am sure he would love to meet.

[mmglobal]

I'm here with Joe... he's just 2 days post-op now and I can't believe how well he's moving. Still stiff and sore from surgical pain and has all the normal post-op challenges. However, he seems to be way ahead of the game now, with no new symptoms in his legs, he moves well, walks easily and can even sit in ways that he could not prior to the surgery. There are many motions that were incredibly painful before the surgery that are already better.

My usual caveats apply... still early... don't know how good he'll get, but at 2 days, he looks great and can be happy that his recovery is going as well as possible.

I'll post more as I know it. He's pretty well connected, so I expect to see him posting his own version of the story soon.

Pain free vibes out in all directions.

Mark

[joemonfl]

Good morning. Guess what? I made it!!!! Wew wew! Cut just like a melon.

I felt at 50 and a athlete for so many years, that this was a good time for the surgery. I think that has helped my recovery.

Fri of surgery was rough, Dr Zeegers replaced 3 levels or discs and I'm now about 3 cm taller.

Sat wasn't much better and up til Sunday afternoon I was in pretty bad shape. The back pain is basically gone. But having the new found height is stretching my body up and I have to get used to that so other parts are sore, hips, etc.

Under the TMI heading but good advice, The belly gas was horrible, when they moved my insides to get to the discs,it shuts down the bowel action, so as I recover, parts start working at different times and gas builds up. They were going to give me a laxitive overnight but I couldn't make that, so I asked for a supository and viola, the gas went down and things started working again. Big wew wew! :0) Once the belly got better my pain level went down a lot. Those tummy urges shortened Marks visit when he came by to check on me, but nice seeing a friendly face.

Sunday I even got to listen to the jags game against the steelers on the radio via the Internet from 7-10:30 at night my time. I was able to concentrate on the game for that long and felt that was progress. It was a good game and made me feel a little closer to home.

But how do I feel? Really pretty good. I get surprised when I get up from a chair and my low back doesn't hurt, it has for so long. Mornings before took me about 1-2 hours to straighten up, not now. I'm a little sore in the hips but overall pretty good. Yesterday I walked to Dr Bohm's (sp)offiice upstairs. Oh the meds and procedure I think blurs your memory so taking some notes on names is a good idea.

It's cold here, about 29 today. A far cry from the 80's in florida that I left.
Sunrise is around 8:30am and sunset is around 3:30pm, also way different than Florida.

I should be here in hospital today and perhaps Tues or by Tues they may move me to the hotel, I haven't heard yet.

am I happy? oh heck yea. Is this major surgery? Oh yea, and Dr Zeegers is one outstanding surgeon. With this result, even though it is early,I wouldn't have gone anywhere else.

[Sonata]

Congratulations Joe!

I have been thinking about you.. Wishing you the best..

Sonata

[fuzzy]

Wow, what a great story!! You are doing great. I had my visit to Dr. Blome by wheelchair (he drove me). Shows you how good you are doing.

Congrats to you and Zeegers. Say "Hi" from me!

[dshobbies]

Joe,

How wonderful for you. I'm so glad you're pleased with your decision and even more so that you're feeling so good. Please remember that as you feel better day by day to take it slowly. Pushing yourself serves the opposite purpose during this healing period.

Happy holidays to you and to all. What a happy holiday for you!

Dale

[joemonfl]

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for all your good wishes. The last few days have really flown bye. (thankfully) And I hate to say this, because it is early and everyone will react differently to surgery, but it really has not been bad at all. Especially when I remember the pain I was in at times, just laying on the couch with the tv on, hoping the night would be over soon.

Certainly everyone is incredibly pleased with my 3 level progress and there is no one else to thank other than Dr Z.

Sorry Laura we missed each other, I'll be here til the 26th, so if you'd like PM me for contact info. But I'm pretty ok thank you for offering. My ex wife and daughter are coming thursday to make this into a more memorable experience. Kind of strange not being home for xmas.

Thanks also to Mark for checking up on me (I'm not one of his clients either) and I really have much more personality Mark than what you've seen

Well I was discharged today from the AK to the sheraton arabellapark (very nice btw though no wifi in the rooms and they charge 17 euro's a day for hi speed internet access ). It has been a long day and I haven't gotten to rest all day so I am very worn out.

Today was physical therapy, massage and checkout. (The girls are still very pretty) That is only 4 days from a late Friday surgery, I'm still amazed.

Still no real back pains other than my my body adjusting to being 3cm taller, which is uncomfortable in the hips. I did as much preop stretching as i could.

This has not been pain free so here is an idea of meds, the first couple of days was the depro drip I think it was, followed later by 3 morphine shots. Then I saw Dr Blome who changed my meds to 100mg of tramadol 3x a day, voltaren a nsaid 2x, nexum 1x, to calm the stomach and one with codene 3x I'm not familiar with. I function fine and as things calm down I'll back off the meds. I was never on some of the real heavy duty pain killers at home but was lucky in that i work from the house and could lay down as needed but of course my work & personal life really did suffer.

I know this is a small private clinic (maybe 10 rooms in the spine section I was in) and is by no means inexpensive, but to the very last person, everyone has been so nice and helpful.

Fuzzy it was funny because after chating with you, during my consult with Dr Z, I asked him how he decides to use adr or cage and mentioned a patient he just worked on. He was surprised I knew you and was very happy about your outcome

Tonight is my first night back in the hotel which will be great, but I certainly will miss that buzzer and the nurses that walk in.

[mmglobal]

Hey Joe... glad you are still doing great. I was hoping to stop by Tuesday on my way out of Munich, but I had a problem with the car and wound up in a mad dash to the airport.

Keep it up... be smart about your activities... ramp them up slowly. Don't go hog wild because you feel good... if you were at home, you would not go to Disneyland!

Take care... all the best...

Mark

[joemonfl]

Thanks Mark, I did pay for it the day after discharge and am letting my daughter and her mom do the touring (and they are beat).

Unlike others the more I walked the more sore my muscles got. My hamstrings are soooo tight due to the new height and as i'm stretching post op, I'm doing better. Laying on my back pre op, I could get to 90 degrees, post op, just 35. massage helps.

Last 2 nights sleep have been great, no more tossing and turning and walking up from pain, either pre or post op. pre op, 6 hrs sleep was a great night, the day my daughter flew in, I slept for, I'm embarrassed to say, 12 hours.

[ans]

Good luck to you as you're progress sounds great. Btw, Dr. Carl Lauryssen in LA really liked the Active-L disc.

Take care - Allan

[joemonfl]

Hi Everyone, hope you all had a merry xmas.
I'm back in Florida and today I am 2 weeks post op. I never thought I'd feel this good again.

The trip from Munich to Philly on US Air was pure hell. About a 10 hour flight which is hard enough, but US Air does not have fully reclining seats in business/first class such as the ones on Lufthansa. That would have made it much easier. (US Air cancelled my flight at the gate from Jacksonville, Fl to Philly so they rebooked me the next day on Lufthansa through Charlotte)

I would STRONGLY suggest: finding the shortest flights, avoiding airports with long delays, and fly at least Business class with an international carrier like Lufthansa, it will cost you more but on the way back, will be worth every penny.

I got home Wed at midnight after being up for about 23 hours and it was so nice to be back in my own bed. (But would not mind seeing those german nurses again.)Still getting over the jetlag but back is feeling great.

Before I left a could manage a walk with my German Shepherd of about an 1/8 mile with pain. This morning he got his first mile walk, in over 3 years, and was very surprised. That was two of us. The back muscles are getting much more used to the new implants and soreness is getting less.

Pain meds are tramadol 50, arthritis formula tylenol and flexeril.

**Oh one negative about the operation.** I got in my car to drive to the grocery store when I got back and since I am now 3cm taller, my head hits the roof, looks like I better go truck shopping next.

Happy New year everyone.
Joe

[mmglobal]

Great news Joe, I'm so happy for you! Remember to ramp up slowly. That will be tougher and tougher to do as you feel better. It's harder for the former atheletes because we have higher expectations about what we can do.

Keep it up... I look forward to reading about your continued improvement and returning to a normal life.

Mark

[fuzzy]

Hey Joe, great to hear you are doing so well! I agree that one need to carefully find the best air ride possible. I can report that United has good business seats on the larger airplanes to Europe Their 747 business class upstairs is the best but do not book a seat right in front of the bulkhead. There you might not be able to get flat enough if you are tall. The united 767 planes the seats are good enough but not quite as nice as the ones on 747 they are slighly more narrow but fold flat nicely. Put the blanket on the folded out foot rest and lay you feet or ankles on top rather then on the foot rest and you are totally flat. This was actually a good ride home.

I have the same problem with my old Range Rover. I am now solidly hitting the roof with my head and there is no way to get the seat lower :-( but my Dodge truck is perfect and it has been patiently waiting for me to be able to drive it again. That time at least for short drives has come (bounce bounce bounce)!

[sahuaro]

Joe:
I just read your thread and am so glad you had a good experience and successful surgery. You certainly are brave to have gone to Germany for the surgery by yourself, and it was wonderful of Mark to look in on you.
Wishing you continued success!

[joemonfl]

Hi Mark, Fuzzy and everyone.

I'm 3 weeks post op as of yesterday 1-4-08. Had some Florida weather that reminded me of Munich, ..chilly.

Feeling pretty good, No spine or leg pain but low back muscles and quads are real sore. I'm sure it will take time for my body to get used to the new mechanics. What a treat to have muscle soreness again. Massage does wonders as does laying down in the afternoon a bit.

Belly incision is pretty much healed, about 90 %. Still a little puffy. No dressings for a week now.

Oh great news, sex no longer hurts as it did before surgery. And no post ADR sexual complications either...thx dr zeegers

Will start light Pt late next week along with massage.

All in all, life is sooo much better. Now if the Jags can win tonight