Details For Marty

[Guest guest]

Dear Marty,

I wrote alot of my past history on my post the other day when I

rejoined the group. To sum it up briefly I had my first bk surgery

in 1976 for herniated discs at L4-L5, L5-S1. I felt alot better

after that one. I went bk 2 wk as a Nurse within 6 weeks. I got

hurt at wk lifting causing me to have a 2nd surgery in 1980 for

herniations at the same levels. Both surgeries were Laminectomies.

20/20 hindsight tells me I never should have gone back to bedside

nursing as after this surgery. I went bk to wk within 3 mts and Dec

2, 1983 I got hurt again. This time the vertabrae collapsed and in

1985 I had an Anterior/Posterior Fusion with Harrington Rods. I was

in a body cast for 3 mts.

I wound up having 4 more bk surgeries over the next 15 yrs,

surgeries that never left me feeling much better. My Fl Bk came on

slowly. I noticed one day I had started to pitch forward whenever I

was erect. At first it was no big deal but over the period of the

next 5 yrs I became bent in half & had to use a rolling walker to

ambulate. As nycaquabeau said in her post " walking around like

this 24/7 is very exhausting " The pain I was in was very bad. Two

yrs before my surgery I had come to the conclusion that I was

definitely heading for a wheelchair, it was then I decided to look

into having yet my 8th bk surgery. I was very frightened, I had had

so many bk surgeries & for the last 4, I was not much better than

b4. Did I want to take a chance of having yet another major bk

surgery, with all the serious risks involved? It was a decision I

had to make. There are never any guarantees regarding surgery. I

saw 4 Revisionist (Dr Crandall AZ, Dr Neuwirth NY, Dr Bridwell MI,

& DR Dryer NY ) before choosing Dr Boachie-Adjei. He is located in

NY City at The Hospital For Special Surgery. I had a totally

posterior approach. I have cages & rods in my bk. I believe the

rods go from T11 to my sacrum with the cages around my lumbar &

sacral areas. I was in the hospital 15 days & in rehab for 2 weeks.

It was my 1st experience in a rehab & it was definitely necessary in

my case. It took me quite a few months to learn to really walk

again. Even 10 months after my balance is not great. I cannot bend

over & I still must wear the Milaukee Brace. I really disliked the

brace right after surgery, but now it is my best friend. It

reminds me NOT to even attempt to bend over. When I do not have it

on, it is easy to forget. plus my back aches alot more. As I said I

still have some pain but nothing like before.

This surgery was life altering for me. I look fwd to getting up

every morning & I absolutely love to just walk. Everytime I see

myself I cannot believe it is me looking back, totally straight.

Before the surgery I could not stand up straight if my life depended

on it. I had unrelenting pain before & now the pain is mamageable.

I could go on & on about how the surgery has given me back my life

but I think you get the picture, I pray everyday it lasts & I MUST

keep reminding myself NOT to do anything that may reinjure my back.

( it is sometimes hard cuz they r the normal things people do )

If you have more questions feel free to asK. When I get the time I

will go to the File Section and add my info there.

Are you contemplating surgery?