Re: It's time for me to post....

[Guest guest]

Janet, wow, I needed to read every word...twice. THANK YOU.Pamela

From: janet7760@...Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 14:04:24 +0000Subject: [ ] It's time for me to post....

OK ladies, I've been silent for months now, except for e-mailing Dorcas in St. Louis, and on the rare occassion, Cam. Technically, I guess I'm still new to this group with the exception that I jumped right in and had my revision done within about a year of my first post.I won't bore you with my story, you can read it in my previous posts if you're so inclined. The main problem I was having was that I'm an RN who worked in ICU for 20 yrs. and it was getting so hard for me to work it was pitiful. My co-workers kept urging me to "Do Something", but I was afraid. Finally, in December of 2009, I sent my x-rays, myelograms, CT's and MRI's to Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis. I'll tell you what, I've always trusted my gut feelings, that's what has served me best in nursing and my 50 yrs. of life on this earth. Boy, were my gut feelings right. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Bridwell. HE TRULEY saved my life. I had my first appointment with him on 2/8/10. He said he could help me and I put all my trust in him. I didn't even have more than 5 questions to ask prior to my surgery (and I'm a very precise and particular ICU nurse when it comes to my patients). I just knew I could trust Dr. Bridwell. My biggest issue was, "When can I go back to work?" I had 2 anterior fusions last April, 2010 at -Jewish, 2 days apart. Ended up with a metal "halo" drilled into my skull for 2 days, that was the worst part. Hardly remember it now. Had an anterior fusion on 7/20/10 and that was it. I worked part-time mid-June to mid-July. I went back to work full-time (in the ER, now) the third week of September, 2010. Today, I can hardly believe what I looked and felt like this time last year. Couldn't stand up straight. Couldn't go to the grocery or anywhere for that matter, without holding on to a shopping cart. At work, I pushed around my "invisible" patient in a wheelchair, just so I could get around. I had a morphine pump that delivered continuous morphine to my spine AND I took oral morphine and Vicodin DS, 180 pills/month. I was still in horrible pain. Nobody believed me. I didn't talk about it to anyone, but my co-workers and family said I didn't have to...it was written all over me. But this is today. I have NO pain. My leg numbness and bad pain was gone before I left the hospital. (NOTE TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE NEUROPATHY IN YOUR LEGS: DON'T wait too long to have revision surgery, you may not regain full function or feeling in your leg(s)!)No more pump, no more pills, and I gained 3" in height. But we ALL have different outcomes. I think my saving grace was that I love to work, I love my job and I'm single, so I have to work (can't live the lifestyle I like on SSDI...tried that for 3 yrs. and it didn't work for me!!)Bottom line: If you're scared and remembering your surgery when you were a teenager, don't be (well, maybe just a little!). Things have changed ALOT since the 70's and 80's in spine surgery. One more thing. Don't base your decision on who your surgeon will be on how "Warm and Cuddley" he is. I've never met a surgeon like that in my 27 yrs. of being a nurse. Dr. Bridwell jokes around with me and even gave me TWO HUGS at my visit in October, but that comes afterwards. Only go to a surgeon who has done HUNDREDS of revision surgeries. (I had one from California-won't name names-who was calling me and e-mailing me trying to get me to schedule my surgery with him. I knew from that something wasn't right), and stop worrying! It's weird how things work out when you decide to have your surgery.Good luck to you all!!!Janet Bellware from Beavercreek, OH

[Guest guest]

Hi Janet

Thank you for posting and letting us know how well you are doing. I was particularly interested to read that you got back to work as an RN so quickly. I am an RN as well and I had my revision last May, so I am just over eight months out. I still haven't gone back to work. I am concerned about all the bending and lifting that my job entails (I'm in palliative care). I am just wondering how you have managed at work. Did your employer have to make any changes in your duties to accomodate you? My surgeon told me to take the whole year off when he learned what type of work I do. Although I am starting to get kind of antsy (winter here in Canada means I'm not getting out walking as much and I find I'm doing too much sitting). I'm also wondering if you do 12 hour shifts. I just don't know if I could manage that anymore.

I'm also struggling with the decision of whether to go back for another surgery. The last Xrays showed that my front to back correction is holding up nicely, but the correction that I got for my sideways curve has not held up. The surgeon says he could do another osteotomy and would put in a few more screws in the area of the old fusion to correct this. I am definitely a lot better than I was, but can't say I am pain free. I keep thinking maybe this next surgery would help. Just not sure I want to do it again. I was so hoping that was the last time I would have back surgery. I hate making these decisions.

Any feedback on the job situation would be appreciated.

On Tue, 2/1/11, janet7760 <janet7760@...> wrote:

From: janet7760 <janet7760@...>Subject: [ ] It's time for me to post.... Received: Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 9:04 AM

OK ladies, I've been silent for months now, except for e-mailing Dorcas in St. Louis, and on the rare occassion, Cam. Technically, I guess I'm still new to this group with the exception that I jumped right in and had my revision done within about a year of my first post.I won't bore you with my story, you can read it in my previous posts if you're so inclined. The main problem I was having was that I'm an RN who worked in ICU for 20 yrs. and it was getting so hard for me to work it was pitiful. My co-workers kept urging me to "Do Something", but I was afraid. Finally, in December of 2009, I sent my x-rays, myelograms, CT's and MRI's to Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis. I'll tell you what, I've always trusted my gut feelings, that's what has served me best in nursing and my 50 yrs. of life on this earth. Boy, were my gut feelings right. I absolutely LOVE Dr. Bridwell. HE TRULEY saved my life. I had my first appointment with him on 2/8/10. He said he

could help me and I put all my trust in him. I didn't even have more than 5 questions to ask prior to my surgery (and I'm a very precise and particular ICU nurse when it comes to my patients). I just knew I could trust Dr. Bridwell. My biggest issue was, "When can I go back to work?" I had 2 anterior fusions last April, 2010 at -Jewish, 2 days apart. Ended up with a metal "halo" drilled into my skull for 2 days, that was the worst part. Hardly remember it now. Had an anterior fusion on 7/20/10 and that was it. I worked part-time mid-June to mid-July. I went back to work full-time (in the ER, now) the third week of September, 2010. Today, I can hardly believe what I looked and felt like this time last year. Couldn't stand up straight. Couldn't go to the grocery or anywhere for that matter, without holding on to a shopping cart. At work, I pushed around my "invisible" patient in a wheelchair, just so I could get around. I had a morphine pump

that delivered continuous morphine to my spine AND I took oral morphine and Vicodin DS, 180 pills/month. I was still in horrible pain. Nobody believed me. I didn't talk about it to anyone, but my co-workers and family said I didn't have to...it was written all over me. But this is today. I have NO pain. My leg numbness and bad pain was gone before I left the hospital. (NOTE TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE NEUROPATHY IN YOUR LEGS: DON'T wait too long to have revision surgery, you may not regain full function or feeling in your leg(s)!)No more pump, no more pills, and I gained 3" in height. But we ALL have different outcomes. I think my saving grace was that I love to work, I love my job and I'm single, so I have to work (can't live the lifestyle I like on SSDI...tried that for 3 yrs. and it didn't work for me!!)Bottom line: If you're scared and remembering your surgery when you were a teenager, don't be (well, maybe just a little!). Things have

changed ALOT since the 70's and 80's in spine surgery. One more thing. Don't base your decision on who your surgeon will be on how "Warm and Cuddley" he is. I've never met a surgeon like that in my 27 yrs. of being a nurse. Dr. Bridwell jokes around with me and even gave me TWO HUGS at my visit in October, but that comes afterwards. Only go to a surgeon who has done HUNDREDS of revision surgeries. (I had one from California-won't name names-who was calling me and e-mailing me trying to get me to schedule my surgery with him. I knew from that something wasn't right), and stop worrying! It's weird how things work out when you decide to have your surgery.Good luck to you all!!!Janet Bellware from Beavercreek, OH