[steve55]

Well, Im 8 days since surgery and its been quite an experience to say the least. I didnt get the worse case scenario (corpectemies) nor the best case scenario (being able to keep my other 2 ADR's). I got something in the middle, 3 level fusion. Well, you win some and you lose some, that's life. Regarding Katie's inquiry about metal allergy, well, my lab culture did show positive for Staphylococcus aureus so we know what it was now. The range of possibilities as to how this happened varies. Its possible I picked it up during surgery in germany, or perhaps post surgery it found its way through my scars. Ive been told that no matter how many times a operating room is scrubbed down, it is still possible to get one of these staff infections during surgery. I also have psoraisis which often causes breaks (sometimes blood breaks) in my skin, so its possible that I got infected through that mode. Perhaps I was already infected before surgery and the implants and surgery provided a home for the bugs to collect at. The thing in all this is that IF you get an infection at the artificial implant location, they are extremely hard to get rid of. Blood doesnt flow in all cornerrs and crevices of any artificial implant and also, I read that the bacteria can form some kind of shield around themself when they have a artifical surface to stick to such that they are protected/dormant until conditions around them are ripe for them to spread again. Ive since read that many people with artificial implants (hips/knees) have simply had to have those implants pulled out in order to rid of the infection. Hence, the risk with ADR's. If you get a staph/infection of certian kinds, the infection may make its home on your ADR's, and then you have to have them removed in order to fix it. WOW!

Anyways, Ive been able to have a much more positive attitude about all this after reading more deeply into multi level fusions. Studies seem to show that fusions yield the same % successful relief of pain outcomes that ADR does. The only real significant difference comes in regards to adjacent level degeneration and range of motion (ROM mainly becomes an issue at 3 levels or more) . By speaking with one of the the nerological nurses (who handles spine patients for years), and reading internet articles to match, Ive since learned that the issue of adjacent level degeneration on the C spine usually occurs at C4-7, less common at C3/4 and hardly ever at C2/3 and C1/2, and C7/T1. So, if you get only a 1 level fusion, you are at much greater odds of adjacent level degeneration in the future at levels C4-7. But, once you already have c4 thru 7 fused, its less likely to have adjacent level issues in the future because the only spots left are less likely to degenerate. Of course, this can depend on the the patient's indivivual situation. Obviously a patient with a already compromised c7/T1 for example, may have adjacent level issues later at that location. Well, Mark can correct me if this is wrong but this is what my research has beared out so far.

My fusion is much easier (so far) than I expected. Ive needed very few pain pills (mostly just to take the edge off). The multi level ADR was far more painful and difficult neck and back wise than the fusion has been. But the hip issue where they took the bone graft is what makes this fusion far more difficult. The skin of my left thigh is about 80% numb but Ive been told this should clear up within a few months as the nerve is just inflamed due to the hip swelling. I spoke to a girl at the hotel I stayed at who had hip surgery and she said the same exact thing happened to her and after 2 months it cleared up. So, that put me at ease. Dr B said he grafts bone more in the top center of the hip rather than the very top part of the hip as most US surgeons would do. He said this results in a less painful recovery. In fact, when I woke up from surgery and since then, I have never had any pain in the hip from just a laying down position with or without meds. Dr B even made it a point to put me at ease after surgery by asking if I had any pain there. He was right, laying down I did not have any pain at all. It only hurts when I walk on it, but not so bad actually.

Apparently, Dr B says I am one for the books. So, I guess I have some minor claim to fame. LOL. I know they did take pictures of it all for their case studies. I guess Im the first patient who had a staph infection and didnt even show any signs of it, not even blood work!!! Not a single Doctor even thought of the possibility of a infection causing disc subsidence. Not even the great Dr Delamarter. I guess thats part of the reason why Syntheses covered everything for me, they too wanted to see for themselves what the hell was going on in my case and they may have been worried about potential legal issues with the disc seeing they couldnt explain why I was subsiding. And by the way, my bone density tests (tested at wrist, ankle and hip) were all solid!! No probs there. Anyways, I got a glance of what I think was some of the syntheses suits. I saw Dr B greet them in the waiting area as I was leaving.

Im doing pretty good at 7 days out, only back pain I have is from surgery. Hip is a little sore to walk on. These are all good signs so far. Since they used my own bone for the fusion, I expect to fuse quite fast too. Though it is harder for fusion to occur on multi level cases, hence the reason they used my own bone which as much as I hated to do that, I agree with them on that decision.