Re: It's me again!

[Guest guest]

Camille,

I took care of the duplicates...not to worry.

Great shots...and it will be nice to see how good you are looking a few

brief weeks from now!

I am glad the CD is helping. I thought it was very useful and am

convinced it really made a difference. If nothing else...I was able to

shut everything else out while I was listening to it and that helped me

sleep and be well rested for the surgery. That is important too!

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Sorry you've had a virus in addition to all of your other problems. My

3-month grandson was in the hospital for five days with some kind of

viral infection. He's better now, thank goodness. I hope you are, too.

Sue

On Jun 15, 2009, at 6:18 PM, tdianaok wrote:

> Hi everyone,

>

> I am sorry, its been so long being on the board. I was sick for a

> week with something. My daughter was also sick, so it was just

> awful. There is a bad virus going around, so not sure. I got sick

> two days after, I went to the doctor.

> I had my ultrasound of my leg done, no blood clots, yeah! The new

> blood pressure is working. The other med, was causing edema in my

> legs. They have went down, I thought it was just swelling from the

> RA. The cymbalta is working so well:) It helps with the fibro and

> neuropathy pain, and the depression. I haven't had the humira or

> mtx for two weeks, and I'm having very little pain. So, I'm

> guessing, the cymbalta is really working for me.

> I see the rheumy tomorrow, x-rays and bone density test. I'm tired

> of doctors, but it needs to be done. I hope everyone is doing well,

> hope I can get back on here. I have missed you all.

>

> Take care,

>

> Tawny

[Guest guest]

Hi Tawny:

Sorry to read that you have been sick. I figured something was going on

as you were't posting. I am glad you and your family are over it.

I was very happy to read that your tests are coming out good, and that

the new meds. are working well for you. Such very good news. I am also

glad you are getting your pain level down and under control. You must

feel like a new woman. Thank God.

My knee is doing good, just a little sore from getting out of those

elec. carts in the store. It is swollen so I will ice in when I get in

bed. Other than that I am feeling good.

Good luck at your Rheumy appts., and other tests.

Talk soon my friend.

Hugs and more hugs to you.

Barbara

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I am sorry, its been so long being on the board. I was sick for a week

with something. My daughter was also sick, so it was just awful. There

is a bad virus going around, so not sure. I got sick two days after, I

went to the doctor.

> I had my ultrasound of my leg done, no blood clots, yeah! The new

blood pressure is working. The other med, was causing edema in my legs.

They have went down, I thought it was just swelling from the RA. The

cymbalta is working so well:) It helps with the fibro and neuropathy

pain, and the depression. I haven't had the humira or mtx for two weeks,

and I'm having very little pain. So, I'm guessing, the cymbalta is

really working for me.

> I see the rheumy tomorrow, x-rays and bone density test. I'm tired of

doctors, but it needs to be done. I hope everyone is doing well, hope I

can get back on here. I have missed you all.

>

> Take care,

>

> Tawny

>

[Guest guest]

Sue,

I am doing good right now. I had some tough days for sure. I'm glad to

hear your grandson is doing ok. You take care of yourself.

Take care,

Tawny

>

> Sorry you've had a virus in addition to all of your other problems. My

> 3-month grandson was in the hospital for five days with some kind of

> viral infection. He's better now, thank goodness. I hope you are, too.

>

> Sue

>

[Guest guest]

Barbara,

Glad to hear your getting around, and things are going well for you. It

is nice to feel better. I hope it last for awhile.

Gentle hugs,

Tawny

>

>

> Hi Tawny:

>

> Sorry to read that you have been sick. I figured something was going

on

> as you were't posting. I am glad you and your family are over it.

>

> I was very happy to read that your tests are coming out good, and that

> the new meds. are working well for you. Such very good news. I am also

> glad you are getting your pain level down and under control. You must

> feel like a new woman. Thank God.

>

> My knee is doing good, just a little sore from getting out of those

> elec. carts in the store. It is swollen so I will ice in when I get in

> bed. Other than that I am feeling good.

>

> Good luck at your Rheumy appts., and other tests.

>

> Talk soon my friend.

>

> Hugs and more hugs to you.

>

> Barbara

[Guest guest]

June,

Hi back at you!

I had to go back and try to reacquaint myself with your " facts " . I could easily

have missed a post here or there, but if I understand you correctly, you have

had two surgeries with DrErrico, and at this point you are not willing to pursue

surgery with him again. You had mentioned that you were going to try to see

DrBoachie for another opinion. Have you? And, if I am reading correctly you are

also in your mid-60's?

If you have been reading regularly, and you are searching for another surgeon

for an opinion at NYU, you may recall that Edie had surgery with DrBendo, and

finds him to be very personable...and I believe he is not in that category of

having others actually " do " his surgery. It does sound like there may be reason

to wonder if everything is fused, and perhaps that is why DrErrico is suggesting

expoloratory surgery?

I think you are the only one who can really determine what is a reasonable

course of action...but you sound to me as if you would benefit greatly from a

very good second opinion. You sound as if you want to confine your choices to

NYC, but if your circumstances or finances permit it, you might consider a trip

to Boston also as it is close, accessible, and many folks find that DrRand and

NEBH is " in network " . I know he is capable of helping you figure out " where you

are " and that might make it easier to see what your choices really are.

I guess all I am trying to say is that you sound " stuck " , and sometimes any

action will help you get the inertia going in your favor. If you are not sure

DrErrico is right for you any longer, you are well within bounds to get another

opinion. Even if it turns out that you go back to DrErrico I am sure he will be

glad that you sought a second opinion. Such an opinion is not a referendum on

his previous work...its a fresh set of eyes.

Thats my $.02!

Take Care, Cam

>

> Hi!

> I was reading the posts and looked thru the photos and realized that I am

bending forward way more than some others in spite of a third revision surgery

> I am now having severe pain around lL4 & L5 when I lay down. It is impossible

for me to sleep in a bed so I have moved into the recliner for the last few

months. My spine feels as if its moving when I'm on my left side and I get what

feels like an electric shock down both legs-I feel every nerve going into both

legs-until I manage to stand up. I think there is a screw, or rod or bone

pressing on nerves when I'm lying down. I had a bone scan to rule out fractured

sacrum and it took two attendents to get me upright. The last time I had an

incident in bed it subsided within a 1/2 hour with 2 percocets and an ice pack!

I can not imagine living with this kind of pain in order to lay down.!

> My doc, Dr. Errico of NYU in New York wants to do exploratory surgery and also

at the same time continue my S1-T10 fusion up to my neck while removing a rod

which is sticking out from my mid back. I'

> ve called his office to get results of bone scan and was told that even tho

scan was negative for a fracture that theraputic treatment was better than

diagnostic. I think thats what the PA said!

> I have since seen a pain doc and have scheduled a cortical spinal injection

for the end of this month. This is going to go into my sacral area and be shot

upwards towards the fusion since I have lots of scare tissue in the areas.

> I also have an appt with a Neurosurgeon next week. I made this appt during

the summer when the nerve pain started.

> MY Primary doc suggested I stick with the Neurosurgeon and the pain doc.

> My problem with going back to NYU is that it's a teaching hospital and I am

sure that I am in this situation because some " wannabee " doctors operated on me

with Dr. Errico's guidance....at least I think he was in the operating room.

Most5 importantly NYU and the docs that Dr. Errico has mentioned as assistants

to my surgery are not in my insurance plan. As far as I can tell with regards to

my insurance my options are very limited that's why I've seen another pain doc

and am anxious to see the Neurosurgeon.

> I don't know if any of the above makes sense! I am usually a lurker on this

list. I do appreciate all the info I have gained from all of you!

> June Sommer-NJ

>