Re:Bonnie, how did the Dr. Bridwell Appointment go

[Guest guest]

--Dear Bonnie,

How did the appointment go, did he have any answers for you? I've been thinking of you all weekend, that the appointment went well!

--- Original Message -----

From: Bonnie

Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 9:35 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: the downside of revision recovery

Hi Everyone,

I think it's a quality of life issue. When the pain gets so bad that you can't live your life the way you want to or need to and revision surgery offers a possible way out, then you go for it. At least that's my experience. And while I'm having problems 8 and a half years post revision surgery, I am very, very glad I had it done. The loss of mobility can be compensated for and is really not a big deal. Not compared to how badly I felt before revision. I've had good years post revision surgery that I would not have had otherwise. It's a bitch of a surgery and the recovery was very long for me, but well worth it to get my life back.

Bonnie

[ ] Re: the downside of revision recovery

I am going to have to chime in as the voice of One Who Is Still Not Convinced to have revision surgery.Sure, I am in a lot of pain at times, and it doesn't take much to trigger the pain. BUT, I don't take a lot of pain medicine. That makes me wonder if it is really THAT bad yet. Sure, I can't do nearly as much as I used to do because it causes pain, but I am still fairly active even if not as much as before. Sure, I lean over quite a bit. But it comes in handy for dancing to Caribbean music, riding my bike, working in my garden, tying my shoes, and seeing the dirt on the floor.It DOES seem to me that somebody not all that recently said she wished she had never had the surgery, that she is in more pain and doesn't like the limitations. It seems that some people who were working before surgery ended up on social security disability after having surgery and are still in pain. Perhaps they are standing up straight, and maybe it is different pain, but they are still in pain and needing to take pain meds.On the other hand, I really hate taking pain meds and don't like taking my one neurontin or lyrica at bedtime. The pain management treatments (SI joint injections, facet injections, and nerve root injections) work pretty well for a couple of months at the time. However, they are expensive and I tend to get some mood shifts after having them. Pain pills at night really make it difficult for me to teach math in the morning. I have finally started taking the cymbalta in the mornings since it made me hyper the first time I tried it. The desire to be pain free without having to go for injections or take pills is my primary reason for considering surgery.On the other hand, how will I feel about the limitations from the new fusion and hardware?? I have already been fused to the sacrum once, but apparently it didn't fuse all the way. And the harrington rods were farther from the spine, so that allowed some room for wiggle. With the new hardware being screwed directly to the spine, there is not going to be any wiggling. If I am not pain free (or nearly so) after surgery, will I regret my new limitations? I wonder this everytime I do something that involves movement!Am I even brave enough to go through with having a cervical puncture for a myelogram???? YIKES! In the meantime, I am trying to get in shape. As I recall, the last time I got in shape, I was still having pain (even though its been a few years ago, so it wasn't bad enough for anything than an occassional tylenol then) even though I was in terrific physical condition. I still couldn't stand in line or stand up straight -- I just had lots of muscles. Walking was probably easier.So, for now, I have enrolled in water aerobics at the local community college. It was much cheaper than the Y or a fitness center, and I can use the open swim times and the other facilities at the school's aquatic center. I have a student ID!! I was a little worried that aerobics would be too strenuous, but I am one of the younger/thinner folks there, so it doesn't look like it will be a problem. When the instructor has us twist, I pivot on my toe and turn my whole body instead of twisting. So far, I am enjoying it. At less than $50 for 16 weeks, it is a bargain.I also ordered a device so I can ride my old Montgomery Wards 15 speed bicycle in the house. I have really missed riding my bike, but my neighborhood is too hilly for me to enjoy trying to ride while I am not so physically fit. Plus, I go to work before daylight and don't much feel like riding after work, or in the heat. We just finished assembling the device, and I tried it out, and it would probably be difficult to use it after revision. I am only 5'2", so I had to get a stool to get on my bike. Getting on wasn't hard, but I could definitely feel my spine moving as I got off. Maybe a slightly taller stool, or even better, something with two steps would work better, but I hadn't really thought about the impact that having my bike 2 inches taller would make.One thing I have noticed, is that more people complain about continued pain on the 'other' forum, but more people seem to be happy with their outcomes at this forum. I have to wonder if the doctors have gotten better (I sure hope so!) or if it is just a difference in the culture of the group. Are people with bad outcomes afraid to speak up and scare folks here? Or are they in so much pain that they don't get on the computer? Have any of them had my doctor?? One thing that does give me hope is that I haven't heard anybody complaining about a bad outcome with MY doctor!! Do his patients just not read these forums?? Are they doing so well that they feel no need to be part of a support group??It is just all too much to think about. I do know that just a couple of years ago, my husband was saying NO WAY and that I did not need surgery, but now, he thinks that I should definitely do it. Is he more observant of how much worse things have gotten?? Does it look like I am definitely headed on a downhill decliine??? Or perhaps he hopes he will get 'lucky' like my ex-husband and not have me around anymore? (arrrrrgggg, forget I had that awful thought, the mother of my ex-husband's youngest child died having spine surgery)And speaking of my ex-husband, he thinks that if you have enough faith in God, there is no need for doctors. He seriously thinks I should just believe and exercise. However, even he had to agree that God probably doesn't heal broken metal rods and that I should get a very experienced surgeon if the surgery was necessary. I really do wish I could just wake up one morning and realize the pain was gone without having to go through surgery again. In the meantime, I am going to hope for the best, and plan for the worst.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, ,

I just sent off my report. We arrived home late Saturday night and I was just too exhausted yesterday to post, but I managed to catch up with all the posts I missed while away. 172, in total. Thanks for your thoughts.

Bonnie

[ ] Re: the downside of revision recovery

I am going to have to chime in as the voice of One Who Is Still Not Convinced to have revision surgery.Sure, I am in a lot of pain at times, and it doesn't take much to trigger the pain. BUT, I don't take a lot of pain medicine. That makes me wonder if it is really THAT bad yet. Sure, I can't do nearly as much as I used to do because it causes pain, but I am still fairly active even if not as much as before. Sure, I lean over quite a bit. But it comes in handy for dancing to Caribbean music, riding my bike, working in my garden, tying my shoes, and seeing the dirt on the floor.It DOES seem to me that somebody not all that recently said she wished she had never had the surgery, that she is in more pain and doesn't like the limitations. It seems that some people who were working before surgery ended up on social security disability after having surgery and are still in pain. Perhaps they are standing up straight, and maybe it is different pain, but they are still in pain and needing to take pain meds.On the other hand, I really hate taking pain meds and don't like taking my one neurontin or lyrica at bedtime. The pain management treatments (SI joint injections, facet injections, and nerve root injections) work pretty well for a couple of months at the time. However, they are expensive and I tend to get some mood shifts after having them. Pain pills at night really make it difficult for me to teach math in the morning. I have finally started taking the cymbalta in the mornings since it made me hyper the first time I tried it. The desire to be pain free without having to go for injections or take pills is my primary reason for considering surgery.On the other hand, how will I feel about the limitations from the new fusion and hardware?? I have already been fused to the sacrum once, but apparently it didn't fuse all the way. And the harrington rods were farther from the spine, so that allowed some room for wiggle. With the new hardware being screwed directly to the spine, there is not going to be any wiggling. If I am not pain free (or nearly so) after surgery, will I regret my new limitations? I wonder this everytime I do something that involves movement!Am I even brave enough to go through with having a cervical puncture for a myelogram???? YIKES! In the meantime, I am trying to get in shape. As I recall, the last time I got in shape, I was still having pain (even though its been a few years ago, so it wasn't bad enough for anything than an occassional tylenol then) even though I was in terrific physical condition. I still couldn't stand in line or stand up straight -- I just had lots of muscles. Walking was probably easier.So, for now, I have enrolled in water aerobics at the local community college. It was much cheaper than the Y or a fitness center, and I can use the open swim times and the other facilities at the school's aquatic center. I have a student ID!! I was a little worried that aerobics would be too strenuous, but I am one of the younger/thinner folks there, so it doesn't look like it will be a problem. When the instructor has us twist, I pivot on my toe and turn my whole body instead of twisting. So far, I am enjoying it. At less than $50 for 16 weeks, it is a bargain.I also ordered a device so I can ride my old Montgomery Wards 15 speed bicycle in the house. I have really missed riding my bike, but my neighborhood is too hilly for me to enjoy trying to ride while I am not so physically fit. Plus, I go to work before daylight and don't much feel like riding after work, or in the heat. We just finished assembling the device, and I tried it out, and it would probably be difficult to use it after revision. I am only 5'2", so I had to get a stool to get on my bike. Getting on wasn't hard, but I could definitely feel my spine moving as I got off. Maybe a slightly taller stool, or even better, something with two steps would work better, but I hadn't really thought about the impact that having my bike 2 inches taller would make.One thing I have noticed, is that more people complain about continued pain on the 'other' forum, but more people seem to be happy with their outcomes at this forum. I have to wonder if the doctors have gotten better (I sure hope so!) or if it is just a difference in the culture of the group. Are people with bad outcomes afraid to speak up and scare folks here? Or are they in so much pain that they don't get on the computer? Have any of them had my doctor?? One thing that does give me hope is that I haven't heard anybody complaining about a bad outcome with MY doctor!! Do his patients just not read these forums?? Are they doing so well that they feel no need to be part of a support group??It is just all too much to think about. I do know that just a couple of years ago, my husband was saying NO WAY and that I did not need surgery, but now, he thinks that I should definitely do it. Is he more observant of how much worse things have gotten?? Does it look like I am definitely headed on a downhill decliine??? Or perhaps he hopes he will get 'lucky' like my ex-husband and not have me around anymore? (arrrrrgggg, forget I had that awful thought, the mother of my ex-husband's youngest child died having spine surgery)And speaking of my ex-husband, he thinks that if you have enough faith in God, there is no need for doctors. He seriously thinks I should just believe and exercise. However, even he had to agree that God probably doesn't heal broken metal rods and that I should get a very experienced surgeon if the surgery was necessary. I really do wish I could just wake up one morning and realize the pain was gone without having to go through surgery again. In the meantime, I am going to hope for the best, and plan for the worst.