Visit to Dr. Hu

[Guest guest]

I went to see Dr. Hu @ the Mission Bay Clinic. They were saying that the clinic

has only opened up around 18 mos. ago. This is why I had never heard of it when

I went around 2-1/2 yrs. ago--it didn't exist then! We got there around 8:15, &

we went right in, registered, & then waited for my x-rays to be done. My appt

was @ 9:30 AM. They called me in from the x-ray suite around 10:00. (they didn't

have a room available) By the time I finished seeing Dr. Hu, it was a little

after 11:00, & the people were already backing up in the reception area. (there

were about 6 people waiting) It's a good thing I was early--no waiting at that

time of the morning!

I tried to take some digital picture of my back x-rays, but my camera didn't

cooperate. I need to put some pictures in my x-ray folder on the site that

doesn't include my hardware. I will see if my daughter can help me out. My

hardware is only missing from slightly below my waist. The pelvic hardware

implants ( & bolts)have been removed, but everything else is there. (part of my

upper harrington rod is there) The screws are there--it's surprising how long

they are!

I needed to find out about 4 things that I had concerns about.

(1) was about my " pinched nerve " incidents. I had one incident about a year ago

(minor) & the one about 2 mos. ago--that was a major thing. It took me a long

time to get over it. I bought myself a mesh back brace (lightweight) to help me

through the worst of it. She said a lot of times your nerve roots are exposed

after the surgery in my low back area. She gave me Neurontin (Rx)to help the

nerve.

(2)my abdomen is misshapen after my original surgery in 2007, & she thinks that

is more exaggerated in MY case than others. My anterior surgery caused this

misshapen abdomen.

(3) my legs seem to be " uneven " & my shoulders also seen to be uneven. She said

my right leg is " shorter " than the left. She knew this all along, but I was

never told this. She says my scoliosis curves in by back make one leg " shorter "

& the shoulders " uneven " as well. That's a relief to me. But it just goes to

show us that our backs are very imperfect! (DUH!)

(4)When I sit a long time--like driving up here about 5 hrs., or sitting a long

time in my chair--my tailbone hurts. She said that happens to people that had

the fusion or back surgery--it seems most common in people that have had work

done on our lower backs, & tailbone areas.

But she says my back surgery is fine & she doesn't see any problems revealed in

my x-rays in the fusion mass.

Now, I just have to get the titanium implant put in about 4 months from now (I

had a craniotomy & brain tumor) and then I will be all set!

Carol V.