...on the subject of fusions

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to add another perspective for those who might want to hear it. I

had a lumbar fusion 11 years ago. I was fused L4 thru S1. It was a very long

recovery and required a great deal of determination to get on my feet again.

This was before I knew that I had a disease that affects all my joints and

connective tissue in general.

After my time to heal, I worked myself back up to an earlier level in

martial arts (or at least able to train hard, teach and compete). 10 years after

the initial fusion, because all the old symptoms returned, I went thru L3 thru

S1 and C5 thru C7, at the same time. I had a diagnosis of EDS (connective tissue

problem when I went in).

Turned out that the earlier, yes, 10 year old fusion, had never healed!! The

doctors chalked it up to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and couldn't offer any good odds

on the outcome of the second fusion either. I don't know if it has healed. The

* & ^**^%^$$$$ doctors tell me that they cannot tell without eyeballing the

grafts, if the new fusion has healed. My legs don't go numb anymore and my pain

is mostly in my lower back so I guess I'll take it. I would do it again because

of the progressive nature of the thing.

I am in the process of getting a pain pump trial as the pain has taken over

the world and " I want my money back " .

Sorry for the book, it's a long story indeed. Hope you're " Meatloaf " fans.

God bless,

Lexie