Eddie G Prodisc L4-L5 October 2006

[Eddie G]

SURGERY DATE: 10/24/06

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 38

SURGEON: Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: NYU

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): Prodisc L4-L5

COST =?
AMOUNT BILLED: ?
INSURANCE ALLOWED: ?
OUT OF POCKET: Private nurse at hospital, fancy massage chair, weekly 2 hour massage
TRAVEL: Minimal
EXPLANATIONS: Worker's Compensation


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...:
12/16/03 I had a nasty fall at work. Twisted when I fell on ice. I was totally airborne.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...):
Discectomy in 2004. Epidurals and Facet injections. Trigger Point Injections, Medial Branch Blocks, Acupuncture


PRE-OP MEDICATIONS:
Oxycontin, Neurontin, Valium

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...):
Discogram 5/15/06 L4-L5 DDD & asymptomatic annular tear @ L5-S1
Discogram 10/27/08 positive @ L5-S1

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.):
7/10 pain in lower back
6/10 pain down right leg, sometimes left leg.
Occasional paralyzing pain

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to):
70%back pain, constant, burning, stabbing, stiffness, dull pain, throbbing pain
30%leg pain, stabbing
Sometimes the pain would drop me to the floor.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE:

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: Could not move in hospital bed for 3 days. Not even roll over. Worst experience ever. Stomach did not wake up for 3 days. All I wanted to do was hit the button for pain meds and sleep. The fusion patient next to me seemed to be up and around and recovered quicker than me. Dr. Goldstein was wonderful however. I wish the nursing staff was as good as Dr. Goldstein was.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:
1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

Don't forget the detail update section below!

DATE UPDATED: __11/6/06_ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _1/15/07___ FUNCTIONALITY: _3__ SATISFACTION: _3_ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _5/3/07__ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _8/4/07__ FUNCTIONALITY: _3_ SATISFACTION: _3_ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: __11/2/08__ FUNCTIONALITY: _2_ SATISFACTION: _3 [2 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [3 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [4 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [5 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 YEARS POST-OP]

DATE UPDATED: _________ FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [7 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):Well I've started outpatient physical therapy this week. I have ALOT more flexibility and hopefully the pain will be subsiding more & more. One of the therapists stretched me out so much, he was practically giving me a chiropractic adjustment. I was wary at first but I felt so much better afterwards that I'm looking forward to the next session. I need more time and more exercise.

I will keep my positive attitude and I will get better.

I've been going to P.T. 3x a week and it has really made me more flexible & mobile. I still have 7/10 soreness in my back and still some pain down my right leg. Despite my slow recovery, I still feel optimistic I will heal from my injury. I feel I made the right decision by going with ADR over fusion. (I can be fused in the future if need be)

One personal goal is to be back to work at my desk job by late February



3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
It's been 2 1/2 months since my Prodisc implant. I'm still sore. It's a constant soreness. I have some leg pain that comes & goes.
At physical threapy I do an assortment of back strengthing exercises. I had to cut back from 50lb. weights to 30lb. weights as it was too much for me. I started eliptical machine training but was only able to do 30 seconds at first. I add 30-40 seconds each week. I'm now up to 3 minutes. My treatment calls for 10 minutes. My goal is 30 minutes.The big guy there picks me up like a ragdoll. He presses on my spine while I push up causing mass popping. He stretches me in ways I havent stretched in years! All in all it's a good experience and it gets me out of the house.
I'm still out of work. I will not go back until I can drive painless for 30 minutes. My desk job will be there waiting for me so I'm in no rush. I'm progressing at my own rate. Not fast, not slow, my pace. My goal for returning to work is March as I'm sure I'll be driving & sitting for more than 30 min. by then.

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was out of work yesterday due to my back pain. I spent most of the day in bed. It was thundering & lightning the night before so when the barometer moves, my back aches. I’m not doing very well but I’m glad that I can at least make it to work. I only missed two days in the month that I've been back. The hardest part about my job is driving there. I still drive with an exercise ball on my back which helps. I can still only sit for 20 minutes at a time which is exactly how long my commute to work is. If there is traffic, I usually pull over to stretch out my back.
I have my own heating pad and a couch to take my breaks at my office. My pain was 9/10 yesterday.
My last visit with the surgeon (Dr. Goldstein) was April 16. He said I may have permanent injury which I really wasn’t too happy about. He said to give it a year until I start getting bummed out. I don’t need to see him again until October. Hopefully I'll feel better by then. I finished (graduated) physical therapy on Tuesday which is good because the combination of getting up at 5:30 in the morning, working all day, then exercising at 5pm was just too much for me. Physical Therapy gave me a list of exercises for me to do at home.


1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
Well, unfortunately my hideous back pain is still there. My entire life seems to be revolved around my @&#%$ back. I had to turn down sex, DJ gigs, sex, a car trip to North Carolina, doing home improvements, sex, ect. (I do however mow the lawn with a self propelled mower, it's good exercise) My leg pain is still there because I forgot to bring my Neurontin to Sweety's house and after 2 days of not taking the nerve blocker, my leg pain came roaring back. I really thought it had subsided but I guess I'm part of that darn 10%. I had the paralyzing pain for a few days.
My work doctor is referring me to a pain specialist in hopes of testing the L5-S1. My previous discogram showed a tear in the annulus. I really hope they just do a velocity test but if I have to get another discogram, so be it. Anything is better than living in pain like this. I'm not doing ANYTHING until after my September nuptuals.
My bike riding days are temporarily over because someone came into my garage and stole my bike!
I was home and the perp is lucky I didn't catch him because I would have beat him with my cane like a WW1 vet!

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):
The Prodisc disc is implanted perfectly. It seems the L4-L5 may not be a pain generator.
Had a Medial Branch Block and trigger point injections over the summer. The procedures went well. I was sedated and did not feel a thing....until I woke up.
I started walking and the pain was just waiting for me. The pain followed me when I sat down. I regret to have to tell Dr. Oza his little plan for me was FOILED! I don't really know where to turn next. I don't want an implanted electric stim in my back but what else is there? I tried EVERYTHING! Very frustrating.
My pain is 8/10 and I am out of work. I am up most of the night. I never even sleep correctly anymore.
Had a discogram recently which was positive on the L5-S1 level. There is a window of hope now. Maybe there is something they can fix. My pain generator may be an annular tear.


3 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

4 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

5 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

6 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

7 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

[Eddie G]

Im in the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases. I found an unsecured network to do my updates on. Surgery went well. My blood pressure was a little high but thats expected with all the pain. The fusion took 5 hours on Tuesday afternoon, and I was up walking around today. Only a little but it meant alot to me to get out of bed considering my disk replacement had me stuck in bed unable to even roll over for 3 days. Today is the first day I can eat solid foods since my belly finally woke up. EVERYONE seemed obsessed with me being able to pass gas so every time they walk in the room I rip a loud one and give a big thumbs up. I guess that may be why they stopped asking me.
I hate pain pumps I could hit the button every 6 minutes so when I would fall asleep and miss a few doses I would wake up in horrible pain and have to wait 18 minutes to feel SLIGHT relief. Once they put me back on Oxycontin my pain was manageable. It's an 8 until I get up then tummy hurts up to 10.
Surgery went well. Great surgical team.

[Eddie G]

Day 3 and I still have alot of pain, especially when getting up. I force myself to get up & walk as much as possible though. They gave me a pee bottle but I would prefer using the bathroom, hence the walking. Blood pressure went down. I had a private duty nurses aide who just went home. She was very helpful washing me and giving me ice chips during the night. She also helps me out of bed which is a big procedure since I have the air boots on. I need to prepare myself to go home this weekend. I somwhow need to keep the cats off me when I get home too. That willl be challenging!
Cant wait to play with my Playstation3.

[mmglobal]

Eddie... you home yet?

Do you have Guitar Hero?

[Eddie G]

I got home from the hospital. I now have a hospital room in my living room. I rented an electric bed, I borrowed my Grandma's spare hospital food tray, I have my Playstation3, phone, massager, laptop all here next to me. This isnt too bad. I cant wait until this pain subsides. Should take at least 6 weeks. Im watching football all day today. Ive been looking forward to football for a week since they cut me open.

The only time I got nervous was when I was in the operating room. I was fine with the IV going in and all the probes & wires...no prob. Once they stuck that mask over my face OH BOY! I was claustrophobic!!! I smelled the air coming in and then I was out. I woke up shaking uncontrollably for like 2 minutes. I said to myself, relax relax relax.... Im awake Im awake.... and I finally relaxed. My mouth was super dry so Sweety & my Mom were feeding me ice chips for a while. The whole time I was lying there some woman was moaning LOUDLY! "OHHH THE PAIN!!! OOOOHHHH THE PAIN!!! OHHHHHH THE P A I N N N N!!!!! Over & Over & Over & Over & Over! OMG!!! And she WOULD NOT stop for the whole time I was in recovery!!!! She spent so much energy moaning she could never have gotten herself to relax. I wanted to say: "Hey Lady Shut UP!!! There are sick people here!!!"
I felt EXACTLY the way she sounded but I didnt have the energy to distress everyone else around me by moaning at the tippy top of my lungs. I tried to do as much as I could without bugging the nurses too much. Once I got the hang of it, I got in & out of bed by myself. I only really had to call them for my pain meds. I was up at all hours of the night so I needed my breakthroughs at like 1am....5 am...and I had to call a couple of times to get those after waiting 1/2 hour. I walked as much as I could to wake my stomach up.
I paid to have a nurse's aide stay with me from 8pm to 8am Tues, Wed, Thurs. I figured Thanksgiving would have alot of nurses taking off so I wanted a backup plan. Ive been through this all before so I knew what to expect. The first 2 days were unbearable. I just wanted to sleep. I finally turned the corner on Thanksgiving and was able to get out of bed and pee. I really hate cathethers but I hate even more having to take them out! OUCH!!!!! Ripping off my stomach bandages was no picnic either. The doctor came in and just pulled it right off with no warning. I have to remember to shave my entire body if I ever need surgery again. It looks like I went to a waxing salon in a saloon. (a waxing saloon, get it?) The surgeon made my original scar 2 inches longer and I now have 4 new holes in my back. They cut me on both sides this time. Doc Goldstein said there was hardly any scar tissue and what little he did see he scraped off. Dr. Nalbandian entered my stomach through the other side this time so there was not much to re-disturb. It will take some time to see if this operation worked. Being home isnt too bad. Im actually able to climb a flight of stairs but I am limiting that to emergencies like getting my exercise ball from my room or getting the ethernet cable for the Playstation. My appetite is good and everything is working correctly....EVERYTHING
I'm sure glad the worst is over!
So the plan tonight is to watch more football and if I'm awake Im playing GTA4.
No Mark, I dont have Guitar Hero but I like that game too. I like the old school games too like Space Invaders, Front Line, Pac Man, Dig Dug etc... All the stuff I spent my allowance on as a kid
When I got home the new 3 Stooges set was waiting for me and the latest Benny Hill. I have a pile of Randolph Scott westerns and my Sherlock Holmes book. That should keep me entertained for a few hours.
The cats have been good so far but I know they will jump on me during the night during one of their play fights and I will wake up screaming but I cant sleep with the brace on so I have to hope for the best.

C-Yaaaa!!!!

[Gil Denis]

Hi Eddie

Hope all is well. I read your history and i am wondering how long should i wait to have adr. My pain is 1to4 and still do not take anything for pain. DDD L4-L5 with L3 to L4 disc problems. Suggested fusion at L5-S1.

Best recovery

Gil

[johnb]

Eddie,

I've followed your story and love your sense of humor that you keep despite your challenges. No PS3 for me but I've got my XBOX360 and I've already completed GTA4. Some folks find the content objectionable but its good fun for me. My nephew comes down and begs to play and he's 11 and I say no way, no cop killing for you (his dad is a cop and it just creates a bad image in my mind)

There is one part that is sort of like the FBI and if you walk on their turf, the feds and police come after you. Its good fun. PM me if you have any trouble but it sounds like you have been gaming as long as me so you're probably set.

Let's hope this is the surgery that gives the relief you deserve.

John

[Eddie G]

Yeah it's definitely an adult game. I don't play the game to complete missions against the computer, I only play online with other people from around the world. We set up teams and chase each other around. That's the fun part for me, like virtual paintball in a HUGE city. (except it's not paint) Kids should NEVER play this game, especially play the story line.

My pain is still pretty bad. I had pre-op right hip pain, I have post-op left hip pain. My right leg feels weaker. I have sharp pains in my tummy and back incision pain. Luckily I bit my tongue, cut my finger, and slammed my ankle on the corner of the hospital bed, all within one hour, to help with the pain. Yep that was sure lucky.
I also squatted down to look into the Frigidaire™ and when I got up something popped in my back. Felt like an adjustment. It was either the spine settling or the house settling. Wow!

Hope all is well. I read your history and i am wondering how long should i wait to have adr. My pain is 1to4 and still do not take anything for pain. DDD L4-L5 with L3 to L4 disc problems. Suggested fusion at L5-S1.

I wouldn't have surgery until your pain is unbearable. 1-4 is not bad to me, my normal pain is a constant 7 with spikes up to 10.
I'd wait until you can't sit down anymore, can't have sex, or have episodes of laying on the floor unable to move.
If you're sitting & having episodes of sex on the floor, you'll keep. Don't worry, the doctors with the knives and all the BS with the insurance co's will be waiting for you when you're ready. Plus the longer you wait, the more experience these surgeons get with the discs. There are new technologies coming out and maybe you'll fancy some fancy new procedure.

Plenty of on non-invasive stuff you can try first.

[Maria]

I just thought to look at your recent surgical posting and WOWWWW have you been thru it!

You know I'm where you are telling people to be prior to having surgery or more surgery in terms of waiting till ya can't do this that and the other and odd thing is that I already went thru those stages and came out on the other side mostly where pain meds give good relief as long as I've got an ESI going on a few times a year and all activities go except sitting. Always foiling me there and limiting what I can do but I'm sort of concerned that I may make it worse with more surgery YET I'm moving on with osteporosis in the spine and thinking sooner would be better than later re surgery because I will not be able to do anything should the bone become too soft in the future let alone the progressive degeneration of the lumbar spine (heck, my whole spine has DDD).

Oh well, I do hope you continue to recover well and soon will be in less pain and more mobile. I will continue to read your progress/updates.

My cats are ancient now (one had to be put down recently circa age 15) and the others are 13 and 12 and lazy little Persians. They stay w/dh currently not me and there is a huge 20 plus pound domestic cat living there as well and boy can he jump and create a dent in the old bod (my 22 lb mini schnauzer as well who thinks she's a cat).

Ok hope your Mum will be feeling better ASAP as well and gets a good doc to manage her care. take it easy Eddie and thanks for the updates!

[Eddie G]

Well, I still feel like poopey. My major pain has shifted from my right hip to my left hip. The back pain is equal on both sides and still pretty bad. I spent a few hours today standing and walking and now I really tired & sore and done. I'm laying in bed with Curly The Super Cuddly Tonkinese Cat and I'm slowly melting away.
He makes me feel better...even if just mentally.

San Diego winning tonight's game will make me feel better too!

[mmglobal]

It's always scary to have new or changed pain after surgery, but it's very common. The back pain is expected too.

Keep ratting out your mom on the internet... that'll keep your spirits up.

Thanks for posting... It's great to give the true stories, warts and all, so others will have more realistic expectations.

Talk to you soon,

Mark

PS... say "hi" to sweety for me!

[Eddie G]

Hey I never said anything about warts! I quit licking toads back in high school.

I cringe every time my Mom bends the way she does. If I did that I would be on the floor crying for a week! It just seems that she may even be making her problems worse by doing that. Especially lifting heavy objects like that. OW!

I'm sure Mom could say alot more about me than I could about her so I better be nice. I just don't want her to her herself more and wind up like me.

Back pain is still awful today. I'm wearing my brace which is the coolest brace ever. (It has Velcro™!) I see Dr. Goldstein on Monday and I am bringing him another patient. She is a childhood friend of Mom's from Bayonne who has one of the worst backs ever. She has has alot of surgeries. Once she went in for surgery and they put her under anasthesia. Once she was under, the surgeons realized they did not have all the hardware so they had to run over to another hospital for the part while she was still under. She wound up in a coma for 2 weeks from this. This is what people get in NJ and why we NJ'ians all go to NY doctors. Dr. Goldstein has his hands full. She has screws and hunks of metal all over her spine and severe pain that keeps her bedridden. I'm going to set her up on this board on Sunday night. She needs alot of help. Dont we all.

[Maria]

Hey Eddie,
Hope you're doing OK and your Mom too. I know when my back is tender watching other people utilize improper body mechanics gives me the serious spine shivers~ take care, Maria

[Eddie G]

My pain is still really bad. I am able to tolerate walking more but I need to lay down immediately afterward. Yesterday I coiuld not get out of bed because the pain was so bad. It took an hour to get up because I felt very "compressed". I can't walk today because it's raining so I'm drinking more tea to increase my bathroom walks.
The stress from the insurance co's calling me for forms the doctor didn't fill out doesn't help either. Things are constantly lost or never received. Or it's the wrong form. Yadda Yadda Yadda...In this day & age, there is so much incompetency in the world that I need to micromanage my entire life! I need to hire someone to follow up on each and every paper I fill out, every follow up phone call, every tiny detail in my life because I can't rely on people to do their jobs anymore. I think it's just a breakdown in society and part of the dumbing down of America. Sad really...

Anyone want to micromanage my life? I'll pay $1 an hour. No Green Card required.

[mmglobal]

Eddie... looking for an update???

[Maria]

Eddie,
Just wondering if you're feeling better than poopy...not too many days has passed so maybe this will take a while yet can't help but wonder.

Sending along some well wishes and hope you'll have as painless a holiday as possible

[Eddie G]

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope Santa gave everyone happy backs for a day.
I finally got a physical therapist to come to my home after 3 weeks of nothing, nada, zilch, zero, goose egg, zippo. I had an evaluation last Thursday and someone was supposed to come Friday or Monday. Nobody showed up so I called on Monday and they said someone would come on Christmas Eve which he finally did. (I am like a month behind schedule and I wonder if that's the reason why I have such severe pain) So my therapist "Fausto" did some minor stretching with me in the bed, stretched my hamstring with my cane, showed me how to correctly get out of bed, reminded me to keep pillows under my knees, and we also did some walking. He was happy with my walking. We also exchanged tomato sauce recipes since he was Italian and I had some secrets too. Stuff like infusing garlic and frying the wine. (yum) Everybody that came to dinner loved the sauce BTW.

I always walked throughout this whole ordeal but since the fusion surgery, my vertical time is VERY limited to about 30-40 minutes on my feet before I have to lay down. I'm totally unable to drive or go to a restaurant. I tried going to a restaurant and I was unable to squat/stand at the dinner table so I went to lie down in the car while Sweety ate by herself for a minute before she got up and left early too. I didn't like all the people staring at me either. People were wondering why I'm standing for dinner. Then when I'm squatting at the dinner table I can only imagine what people think.

Mertle: "Hey Harriet, look at that young whippersnapper, he's under the table over there! What do you suppose he's doing?"

Harriet: "I dunno Mertle, we didn't do things like that when we were young! We respected our eating establishments!"

Mertle: "I can't see his head anymore, I think we should call the police."

Hortense: "Damn kids today! We could use a man like Herbert Hoover again!"

Mertle: "Didn't need no welfare state."

Harriet: "Everybody pulled his weight"

Mertle/Harriet/Hortense: "Gee our old LaSalle ran great" *PTUI!* "Ohhh Myyyy" (as Harriet's teeth fly out and hit me in the head)

Yeah, I'm sure this is happening to spineys all over the country who are squatting at tables. If this happens to you, keep the teeth as they can be traded in at a pawn shop for even nicer stuff.

So it's Christmas Eve's Eve and I needed to go Christmas shopping, so Sweety dropped me off at the mall. I recently found that walking with two canes is more comfortable for me, so I go off walking with my two fancy wooden looped canes with the zig zagged bottoms. Well that prompts even MORE looks from the Lookey-Loos. I just wore my cool shades and stared right back! Well anyway, after 40 minutes of staring back at the Lookey-Loos at the mall, I was calling for my ride. The pain was just unbearable. I was only able to carry 2 gifts so Christmas was light this year at my house. I had to lay down the rest of the night.

I'm glad Dr. Goldstein renovated his waiting room so when I lay on his floor, it's not too gross.

I sure hope the pain gets better because it's worse than ever. I feel very compressed with very sharp pains in my back, hips and legs. Horrible, hideous pain that just makes me flat out MAD! I dont regret any decision I made because I cant look back in a few years and say I didn't try everything. I tried every injection, every test, every procedure, got the best doctors, the best hardware, etc... so if I am stuck living like this the rest of my life, I can say "I tried"
I am nervous about these new issues that have popped up with my hands & feet being in pain when I get up. They are always falling asleep and I can't close my hands all the way. I am also very dehydrated. I need to see a rheumatologist because the foot doctor says I have plantar faschitis and the dermatologist doesnt know what the symetric legions on my feet are. I hope I dont have psioriac arthritis. I have enough issues to worry about but I hear psoriaic arthritis can be triggered by spine trauma or inflammation. Interesting huh? Never heard that one before! My foot doctor is going to take molds of my tootsies so I will have plates to wear in my feet. That may even help my back....

Happy Holidays All!!!!!!

[Maria]

Hey Eddie,
I make a mean sauce as well (gp's from Naples/Foggia) however this year I didn't make sauce, meatballs, lasagna etc.. my usual Christmas type food (along w/turkey if there's a crowd tho this year just myself and my father).

Re dining out.. Soup Plantation/Sweet Tomato is great in terms of getting up and down a million times to get different foods. That was tolerable for me until I progressed to actually being able to sit a half hour to hour which generally happens post ESIs for a few months.

I do remember post my 2nd discectomy not being able to sit to drive more than about 5 minutes, eating out was out, and really so was anything that could not be accomplished alone and horizontally.

Thankfully I've progressed. The only doctor's office I ever laid down in that I was not pretty rapidly rushed into a room (somewhere even if the backest room in the place) was Dr.Regan's office during a squeezed in consult thanks to Mark and that office had I think 4 different doctors in it and was full of people. It was a long wait but definately worth it and lying down didn't bother me as much as other people!

I think people around me felt badly for me and starting offering to do things for me like go up the receptionist and get me something to lie on. I was really in quite a bit of pain and actually I think their kindness or perhaps pity made me feel even more acutely saddened and worked up.

I can pretty much ignore myself if everyone else would

Here's hoping the therapy will be helpful to the point of making a diff re more time upright and mobile while enduring less pain

[Eddie G]

Nothing new or good to report. I still have a constant stabbing pain in the left side and last night the right side started screaming. My pain manager raised my meds and gave me TWO breakthroughs (Roxicodone & Percoset)but he put the wrong date on the breakthrough script so I cant fill it until next month. I still have enough breakthroughs stockpiled the past few years to make it through until then.
I have home therapy 2x a week and I think I'm making progress there. I can do the exercises, even though they are painful, I still do them.
My vertical time is still 1/2 hour so I spend all of my time in bed. My queen size electric bed was delivered but the guy came alone so he couldnt bring it upstairs. I am still living in the living room so I guess the room is being used for what was intended for.
I am getting really good at GTA4. I will be working on the Rugby08 game next.
I see Dr. Goldstein on Monday and he's has some splaining to do.

[Maria]

Hey Eddie,
I'm just wondering if you're a TV person? I wasn't much of late until my feet started to act up with this Posterior Tibial Tendonitis and whatever else they had/have going on. Round about the time I was still dealing with daily pain with little walking I came to Florida to visit my 87 y.o. father. Not much to do here but watch TV and read so I am passively getting into House again, and saw the very first episode of Grey's Anatomy last night. Wow... that was good.

At home I watch alot of news in Spanish and or movies in Spanish and some of the funny soaps as well. It's a kick ~ I love that I know what everyone is saying and it's no effort anymore. Even getting the humor now pretty much on a regular basis except some jokes are going to be beyond me no matter what.

I hope the good doc can *splain* whaz happenin' w/your back. Maybe some more diagnostics. Take care and hope the bed is comfty~ Maria

[Justin]

Hey Eddie,

How did things go with Dr. Goldstein? Sorry you've been feeling like crap. Keep us posted.

[phylly]

Dear Eddie,
Please post so I know how you are doing. I am scared about my surgery and want to know if your pain is any better. I know the risk of surgery is making things worse so I hope that you are feeling better now. I would love to hear from you.
Phylly

[ans]

I'm sorry you've been through the grinder. I had hip pain and my doc probed the area and it merely is trochanter bursitis; I hope it's innocuous like this for you. Wishing you well. Ever go to NYC to hear music (I like Popa Chubby's blues). Best Wishes - Allan

[Eddie G]

I am through with the home PT and now I move to outpatient PT at Kessler. (only 5 min away) I am pushing myself this time around because I need to get back to work. If I am not back to work by March 18th I am off payroll. My Short Term Disability ends at that point. I think I can do it. I am still experiencing horrible back pain but I've been experiencing that for over 5 years now so it's nothing new to me. I haven't had any paralyzing episodes since the surgery so that's good. My legs seem to be getting better. I dont have the constant sciatica leg pain, it's more intermittant now. I am building up my endurance from being vertical 1/2 hour to 1 hour, before I need to lay down. I am sick of my bed already!

Back to Work Positives:
I have a couch and a heating pad at work so I can relax whenever I need to.
My wife drives me.
I have a nice brace and two canes to show off.
I have a ball to sit on at my desk.
I get a nice paycheck and I have a cool job.
Keeping my benefits.
The Socialization at the water cooler.
A TV at my desk so I wont miss all the Judge shows that I became addicted to since September. That includes Judge Judy, Judge Alex, Judge Mathis, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Karen, Judge David, Christina's Court, People's Court, Divorce Court, Judge Piro, Judge Hatcher, Judge Penny..........oh and CASH CAB!!!!!!!

Negatives:
Getting up in the morning.
Getting laid off anyway because I'm going back during cuts.
Missing my cats.

So I hope I can build up my endurance enough to get back to work. Right now I couldn't do it, but hopefully in 5 weeks I will be in better shape.

I did develop Carpal Tunnel from using my wrists so much during my injury. I have 2 braces for that too. They're fancy.

Toodle-Loo for now,,,,

[New-disc]

Eddie,

How'd you get your avitar to upload?

Todd

[mmglobal]

Wow... lot's of cool hardware you've got. You are so lucky.

I'm glad that some of the symptoms are reduced and hope to hear of you continued progress. Woops... you'd better go answer your phone.

All the best.

Mark

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

I can imagine that others feel like I do sometimes. Namely, we are bionic people. It's not as good, as the real parts, that God intended, but, whose to say that God didn't invent the replacement parts through people. God works through us and, all things are possible. So enjoy the new parts Eddie and, may they take you, pain free or, as pain free as possible, to the end of your days.

You have a wonderful attitude which is half the battle of healing and tolerating whatever life throws your way.

Terry Newton

[Justin]

Hey Eddie,

It sounds like you are making steady progress. I do have to say I have a thing for People's Court. My wife loves Cash Cab... anyway, I hope you are feeling better and that you are continuing to build endurance.

Happy Birthday!

[Eddie G]

The avatar has to be a certain size to load. If it's too big, fuggetaboudit!

Go to Settings & Options. It was pretty easy.

I need to update mine now, adding the 6 screws and a spacer. I have alot of films going to Mark in Cali. They look pretty cool.

BTW Justin, we met at the NY Athletic Club at the symposium. Hope you're doing well!!!!

[Justin]

Hey Eddie,

Funny thing is I was just thinking about when my wife and I met you and your wife at the symposium the other day. That was a world class cast of surgeons!

How is your better half by the way?

Originally Posted by Eddie G

The avatar has to be a certain size to load. If it's too big, fuggetaboudit!

Go to Settings & Options. It was pretty easy.

I need to update mine now, adding the 6 screws and a spacer. I have alot of films going to Mark in Cali. They look pretty cool.

BTW Justin, we met at the NY Athletic Club at the symposium. Hope you're doing well!!!!

[Eddie G]

Sweety is doing better than me. I'm still spending alot of time in bed. I do walk around the house alot though. My PT is only 5 minutes away but I'm not making any progress there. The only time I feel good is when they pull on my legs to decompress me. That and the heat/stim feel good. The eliptical machine makes me feel alot of leg pain and I havent been able to do full rotations on the legs. I still rock back & forth but it's still a good stretch. I am still waiting for approval for the Johns Hopkins Pain Clinic. It seems the insurance co. is not so eager to keep sending me to treatments but anything is probably cheaper than filling me with hundreds of Oxys every month. There must be a better way. I am ALWAYS so dehydrated. I throw off so much heat that my cats fight with each other trying to get closest to me. It affects my skin and especially the feet which are totally cracked now. I drink alot of water.
I found out that the growth hormone (Norditropin) can cause carpal tunnel and foot problems too. I have taken myself off the Norditropin and try to watch how I walk with my canes now. My hands feel slightly better but I still feel swelling in my fingers.
I have to get used to life as a retiree. Im lucky enough to have worked for 21 years so I get my full social security disability payment. I am worried about benefits but for now I have them. In 6 months I can go under my wifes plan. In 2 years I go on Medicare. I just hope I get approved soon because I dont need any more stress.

I hope everyone else is doing better. Im going to try to catch up with everyone.

Toodle loo

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

Eddie:

I sure hope that this situation improves for you. The fusion takes time to heal and hopefully you will be doing better when the bones heal. It sounds like you still have your sense of humor and a good attitude. Hang in there.

Terry Newton

[dshobbies]

I know pain in difficult to live with and by now, you had hoped for a lion's share of relief. Perhaps it's still on the way and just taking its sweet time. Tomorrow is just around the corner. Hang in there,

Dale

[mmglobal]

Eddie, I'm so sorry that you are still suffering. Is there any talk about stabilizing the ADR level?

All the best... call any time,

Mark

[Eddie G]

Dr, Kibiash from Johns Hopkins measured the movement of the disc and there still is some movement. It hasnt fused yet. It may never totally heal. I worry about pieces of bone chipping off from rubbing together all the time but the doctor doesnt share my concerns. I am waiting for an MRI so they can make a complete and thorough diagnosis. Im hoping for the beginning of May. So far he just mentioned injections and surgery to fuse the Prodisc. Im holding off on telling him to go scratch his ass. Maybe after the MRI is done and he still wants to cut me.

[zfontana]

Originally Posted by Eddie G

Well, I still feel like poopey. My major pain has shifted from my right hip to my left hip. The back pain is equal on both sides and still pretty bad. I spent a few hours today standing and walking and now I really tired & sore and done. I'm laying in bed with Curly The Super Cuddly Tonkinese Cat and I'm slowly melting away.
He makes me feel better...even if just mentally.

San Diego winning tonight's game will make me feel better too!

gery

Ed i have the same pain as you and had the same surgery. L4-l5 facets are causing that pain hip and back pain. I have a tough time walking due to that hip and back pain. Hope all is well.

AJ