Re: [c_p]My Story for Anne by Bennie

[Guest guest]

Anne wrote:

>What is your history?

This is long, sorry. You asked : ).

I have worked with Special Needs kids since 1988 in a private school

which was profound handicapped to include Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Kids

with mixed neurological disorders to include spina bifida, and I was

assigned the kids that did not live long since I had medical background

when I became a service coordinator there.

I worked my last job as a behavioral specialist for Behavior and

Emotional Disabled students, and case manager for special education

students. (Middle School)

I came to Texas in 2003 to assist with my Mother who died four years

ago, and continue my Nursing career. I found out I was not going to be

able to do floor Nursing which is required for case management. I was a

registered x-ray technician, radiation therapist, Air National Guard

Recruiter, Health Administrator (for Air Force Reserve) in Managed Care,

Auditor, Medical Logistics part time for 26 years.

(Other part time jobs within a lifetime to include master gardener,

medical sales, medical assistant, modelling, Longaberger basket sales

representative, Home Depot Garden cashier, thrift shop manager, and

church volunteer and other volunteer positions while being full time

Mom and wife of military member.)

I decided to become a Special Education teacher since I could physically

do that. I was told I only had Degenerative Disc Disease at that time

(although I had disintegrated discs at the time and MRI showed problems

of dissection, nerve root problems). I got my Masters in Special

Education (I had a Bachelors in Health Administration, Nursing, and

Masters in Management).

My Associates was in Radiological Technology and I am retired status in

that. After five years of the sticks everywhere they could (I could be

a sieve) trying to be conservative, my doctor did a diskogram, when the

protocol states if you cannot find problem in six months, one should be

done.

The diskogram showed fissures in my discs from L-4 thru S-1, and they

were gone and the vertebrae were pinching thus the bulging outside of

the vertebrae. Bulging is a sign that something that is going one and

is not meaningless.

This doctor was a jerk I was going to and I already had second opinions

with a orthopedic surgeon, neurosurgeon, and also went to two different

orthopedic specialist.

I was sent for a neuro transmitter but my neurosurgeon said it wouldn't

do me any good because what I had was functional and I needed the

vertebrae lifted of the discs and a fusion.

I had a three level fusion and did GREAT. My recovery period was three

weeks, I have heard of people going home in a week. I had a week in the

hospital, a week in a step down unit, went home with home physical

therapy and they dismissed me in a week as I was doing well.

I went back to work and the only thing I had a problem with was spasms

and they say it happens because your trunk has to get used to the

instrumentation and I was in poor physical condition. I have lousy

abdominal muscles from repeated abdominal surgeries.

I had a auto accident six months after my surgery and it damaged my SI

joint and it is the root (no pun here) of my problem. The CT scan and

myelogram shows an " area " of a displaced herniated disc and scarring

causing severe nerve root pain with no impingement yet.

I am fighting having another surgery but I think it is inevitable

because I recently agreed to a SI joint injection and it caused a

reaction and did something in there.

My doctor now agree that they are not effective. UH DUH ! So I am

scheduled for a myleogram and CT scan on Dec 2 to see if this did any

more damage and I cannot walk some days. I can be up one day and three

days in the bed. It is a inflammatory process that is impinging on

something and I am close to being bed bound.

A fusion is a personal choice but I wish I could have done a one level

or even two level but I just went on lifting 40 pound bags of mulch etc

because my dumb doctor said nothing is wrong.

Now, I DO NOT LIFT anything as I have to take care of myself. I

encourage you to get the best doctor you can. I never had much of a

problem until I had extensive chiropractor care for three years that I

believe caused damage to my spine because of manipulation against my

vertebrae.

This is just in my case, I believe in chiropractic care but my was

extensive and with machines.

I chose a neurosurgeon as I just thought I wanted someone who knew the

nerves (My distorted thinking, but had to be comfortable). It took the

pressure off all my lumbar vertebrae and I was up and around.

Also get checked for SI syndrome, piriformis syndrome, as these

syndromes cause the issues you and I have. I literally have my SI joint

out of place and I have to go have it manipulated back in. A physical

therapist trained in myofascial release can do an evaluation for you

without doing any therapy.

It would be worth your while so you can get specialized treatment for

what you actually have. I did not know it until my physical therapist

did an extensive evaluation and measured the length of my legs, height

of my SI joint, and other measurements.

Please do not do any more injections because of the scarring and my

physical therapist is breaking this up, little at a time, what they can

do.

I know the feeling of doing anything you can but fusion surgery but

everything we did may have caused much more damage than a fusion.

You can go to Spine Universe and research the data. My three level

fusion is not a problem. I think about all the students with scoliosis

that ten and more level fusion and had them for years and think, what is

going to help me the most, so it is your decision.

You now have the experiences behind you and that is why I do not do,

pain pumps (they have been recalled), neuro transmitters, or other

interventions and am going to try to do medication therapy.

The spinal fusion was for functional reasons. It worked for me.

I became totally disabled after three years on FMLA and I just couldn't

stand on my feet eight hours a day and I got my SSI benefit and my

personal disability insurance (almost didn't sign up for that, I

encourage everyone to do so if they can) This was in 2006.

I now am a special education advocate for two families following their

ARDS, (educational meetings), making sure they get their services, do

all the paperwork and e-mails to principals, special education director

etc.

I also am a designated representative for medical care for one of my

kids Mother and make sure the assistants do their job, submit their time

sheets, and review the laws governing them. My son had ADDHD, but I say

kids that means all my students I assist. I was only able to have one

and his problem was bad as he was really smart and the teachers expected

him to perform at level he could not because of his disability

(Maturity)

I had him tested in second grade because a very astute teacher picked

up on it and I paid over four thousand for educational testing and it

has held true identifying the specific areas he is deficit in and now

glad I did it.

If you need any assistance, write me at my personal e-mails and I will

help where I can. It makes me feel better to use my skills, if I can.

Good Luck on your appointment and let us know what you find out.

Bennie

[Guest guest]

I'm interested that the special needs subject has come up, since I have 2

special needs kids. Also interesting that you chose that work because it was

something you could do physically--parenting my son is NOT something I can

do physically, and we were on the edge of having to put him in placement before

we found a solution that allows my husband to be the primary parent. I'm not

bad at the advocacy thing, though--that's a part I CAN do.

Kit from California