Waiting for lots of pain before commiting surgery

[Guest guest]

Here's my story. FWIW,

I went to see Dr. Tribus early 2004. Even though I was in what I

thought was a lot of pain:

3 months of sciatica

lower back fatigue/pain with very little exersion

hip pain while sitting in anything but the most cushy but supportive

chair

I decided I could still function relatively well on a constant diet

of Tylenol 3, so I waited... partly because I wanted to keep working

on finding a permanent job at what I love (school librarian) and

partly because I wanted to wait for the best possible technology that

might be proven in a few years.

4 interviews later, I still haven't gotten a permanent position. I'm

coming to the conclusion that it may be that my confidence is lousy

because of how I look, and it may also be because at 53 and looking a

little scary I can't compete with 20/30-somethings for the job, no

matter how great my enthusiasm and and experience.

This past November, I decided it was time:

- Can't stand in one spot for more than a minute or two so I'd swing

my hips around and stretch back to make it through another minute

until I had to sit down.

- Have to 'crane' my neck to see ahead of me and am shocked at how I

look when I look sideways at myself in school hall windows

- Can't stand straight without bending my knees

- Can't walk without looking like 'I'm late, I'm late, for a very

important date'...

- Balance is so lousy that I stumble around because my feet bottoms

are so numb my balance is lousy when walking and when barefoot I

catch things like extension cords between my toes without knowing it

and then fall...

- Weaving around like I'm drunk when walking down hallways (in

schools as a sub) even though I concentrate to the 12 " wide tile

stripes...

- Can't hold a pen without a gripper (my numb fingers keep sliding

down to the bottom while I try to write)

- AND in November I stumbled on nothing and whacked my head on a

solid wood door landing in a heap in the classroom while 40 8th

graders watched. I had a localized headache in that spot for a month.

After a CAT scan 2 doctors said I'd be fine. But a new spot in my

back started to burn. My GP asked if I wanted to go back to see Dr.

Tribus. Yup.

Besides my posture and balance problems, and the broken rod less

stable, he found significant deterioration in upper thorasic/cervical

and lower lumbar areas.

I hope reading this helps even one person even one little bit.

Jeri

> >

> > -Thanks for encouragement. It's good to hear from others who

have

> had him for a

> > doctor...I would appreciate any tips or information you can give

> me.....I'm excited that I

> > will be able to have a better quality of life, but afraid of the

> surgery....but the quality of life

> > wins out and I know it will be a huge relief!

> >

>