VATS fusion T3-4 and T6-7 post-op

[Aaron]

I don't really frequent this site much due to little on thorasic, but for you who don't know there is a denial in much of the medical community that thorasic discs can herniate or cause pain. Due to the dilegence of patients like this and others on spine health it is slowly becoming a realization that they can cause pain and terrible at that. I have fought it for 5 years, its not that the doctors just disagree they range from there is no way a thorasic disc should herniate to the only way surgury is an option is if you are within paralization. But who is qualified thorasic discs only make up 1% of all disc surguries per year, not really enough to qualify many as experts and with the type of surgury you need you need an expert. There is no money for medical professionals in it yet. I have lived the worst years of my life since I was hurt , 3 years to get diagnosis after I was told the pain was in my head. I was athletic and had numerous injuries and yet I could bounce back and belived i could take on anything, this destroyed those beliefs. I have exercised everyday, do yoga, stretch, have had every treatment know to man and nothing has phased this thoraisc pain. I know exactly what this person talks about because this pain has not put me in the grave , but it has left me dead inside. No emotion, no hope for the future. I graduate in less than a year with duel degrees in engineering and process technology and I just think what kind of life can I live like this. I too was scheduled with dr. regan for Vats surgury last yr. but ins. has stopped it for now. But I was given such hope by this Vats surgury and I hate he had to go through it but I hope it works out great for him and I am (guilty) but excited to follow his progress. Please go on spine health and post to thorasic about your exp. with this surgury they need some hope to.

[dshobbies]

Aaron,

I am so sorry you find yourself having to live with this type of pain. Until I discovered the world of ADRs, I too felt a hopelessness and no joy to life. Insurance companies doom us to this life unless you're fortunate enough to have the funds to go ahead with the surgery anyway, which it seems you do not.

I feel for you and have little or no words of comfort except that maybe one day, your surgery will be covered and you'll be able to live your life pain free. Please hang onto that if nothing else.

We all understand. I'm sending you e-hugs even if they don't bring you any comfort.

Dale

[Maria]

I think when one has flooding emotions for whatever reason the process of going thru it is the only thing that can happen. If it is something that is really difficult to deal with emotionally then pyschological intervention/counseling can be quite useful (I went thru this for 6 month post my failed 2nd spine surgery). I had so much rage that even tho my daily emotions presented more as depression, my dreams were filled with violence and it scared me. Part of that may have been the medications used to treat the nerve pain but I'm sure it was me working out my rage against the failed surgery/surgeon/medical system and in great part my decision to have the surgery. Regret was something that I felt for a long long time.

I think the sloppiness in medicine today is reflective of how the system is functioning overall. Not well. Insurance companies should not be in charge of what decisions are made medically. I know it varies from place to place how personnel are trained and interact with patients/clients but I'd swear things are far more robotic now and patients don't get the respect that they should when walking in the door, let alone through out most of the 2-5 minute follow up medical visits (I will give that first surgical consult is usually given a half hour to hour, first medical visits 15 minutes to half hour).

Doctors still need to listen to their patient and regard the person as the most valuable source of information regarding his or her condition.