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Hi Feisty friends,Once again I must agree with on this one. Y'all probably think I have no opinions of my own but TRUST me...if you read back over some of my posts in the past 10 yrs (WOW! 10 yrs!!), you will see that I've often been "criticized" for my, oft' too vocal and long-winded opinions! But that's the beauty of this site...we ALL have an equal opportunity to weigh in on the issues we Feisties face day in and day out.Since I'm writing this on Super Bowl Sunday and I happen to live a mere 100 miles from Pittsburgh, PA. (GO STEELERS!!!) I hope our HARD WORKING moderators will allow a wee football reference...there is no 'standard play book' when dealing with Flatback Syndrome or Failed Spine Syndrome. Each patient is unique...each set of symptoms frustrating and often baffling, for the patient, for the

physicians and surgeons and for the friends and families. So there is no such thing as S.O.P. (standard operating procedure) when it comes to revision surgeries. And anyone who tells you differently is, well...to put it nicely, uninformed. The evolution of surgical procedures for correction of scoliotic deformities is a case study in the history of Orthopedics, mechanics, carpentry, and high tech, computer technology. From the early days (I'm talking waaaay back to the 60's and 70's here folks) with weeks of pre-op traction, months of total bed rest in those horrendous Riser body casts and surgical stainless steel Harrington rod instrumentation, to surgical titanium pedicle screws, segmental instrumentation, Evoked Response Spinal Cord monitoring and out of bed within the first 24 hrs...look how far we've come, my friends!! Just as the surgical procedures have evolved, so have the opinions on what the "optimum outcome" of

a revision surgery for Flatback Syndrome should be. Anyone who has watched or experienced first-hand the devastating physical and emotional effects of this "monster deformity" knows that it is a multi-faceted problem. There's the Orthopedic aspect...the often slow realization that we can't stand up straight no matter how much we try; or my favorite... the infamous (to US at least!!) penguin walk! Then there's the Medical aspect...the increasing pain, fatigue, inability to get a decent nights' sleep, etc. And last, but certainly not least, there's the emotional/mental aspect...and here's where I tend to hop on my soap box!! The realization that our lives at perhaps the quite young ages of 35 -45 are changing... and NOT for the better!!! Where are those "golden years" we've heard about??!! Personally, one of my BIGGEST complaints about Flatback Syndrome is, "Why the H-- did I go through laying in bed for 6 months when I was 16 yrs/o...

when ALL my friends were starting to date and go to high school football games, going to dances and perhaps, getting their first kiss??!!" "Why did my parents & brother sacrifice SO much so that I could have the Harrington rod surgery??!!" Call it the "poor me's" but there you have it!I And I still get angry every time I think back to when my Flatback symptoms first reared their ugly heads in 1994. I went through months of appointments with local Orthopedic, Neuro docs, physical therapy, myelograms, CT's, intra-dural steroid injections...name it, I trudged through it, without ever being given a definitive diagnosis! All the while trying to work, be a wife and raise 2 young boys. It wasn't until we moved in 1996 to a bigger city, with a more progressive medical community, that I was even diagnosed!! By then, I had lost close to 3" in height, was in constant painand had irreversible neurological damage in my leg.Then there's the

daily, intractable pain that physician after physician after physician contribute to either menopause or "empty nest syndrome" or one of my personal favorites, the "it's all in your head" diagnosis!! Trying to explain to friends and family that "2 Aleve DO NOT stop this pain!" Being looked upon as a "drug seeker" by medical personnel who may never have heard of scoliosis, let alone Flatback Syndrome. Being referred to as someone who "doctor shops" for pain meds and/or the dreaded "narcotics"!! Seriously people...when is the medical community going to wake up...perhaps READ an issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (aka JAMA)... or info published by The American Pain Foundation or a Pain Mgmt specialist...or, God forbid, actually LISTEN to a patient??!! Oops...put the soap box away, Beth! And for as many symptoms that are associated with Flatback Syndrome, so, too, are there varied opinions as to what is the BEST

approach to correct it. Every patient is UNIQUE. Every Orthopedic surgeon who treats patients with Flatback Syndrome has his or her opinion regarding the "anterior vs posterior vs the combo anterior/posterior" surgical approach. In my (very humble!) opinion that is perhaps the most important reason to get second (and even third!) opinions before committing to any type of revision procedure. And another reason why this site is such an invaluable source of info for anyone researching revision surgery. Over and over you read posts on the Feisty site about why it is so vitally important to seek opinions and/or treatment from QUALIFIED, Orthopedic surgeons who specialize in revision procedures! And why it's so necessary for your peace of mind to continually ask questions and not be satisfied until you get answers. Good thoughts go out to anyone struggling with making this huge, life-changing decision; and to everyone who's got an upcoming

revision procedure. Keep us updated on your progress and don't hesitate to ask questions. One of my favorite sayings is "The only stupid questions are the ones you DON'T ask! All the best,Beth