Thoracic Fusion Options

[Aaron]

Thoracic micro endoscopic disectomy.

I will be scheduling this surgury in middle of 2012 with Dr. Richard Fessler in Chicago. I saw him earlier in year and even though the visit did not go as planned. I saw him and he did not like the views from my prior MRI so I had to spend an extra day waiting new MRI and to re -see him and unfortunatly he had a serious family matter so he was only able to look at the MRI and relay info to his nurse. She said he felt I was a canidate for TMED based on my symptoms, MRI, and ESI results. She said healing would be 4 -6 weeks and he has done many of them. He is out of the country as he does surguries and teaching in poor countries sometimes, but when he gets back I want to talk with him on some questions only doctor could answer. Kind of curious because every doctor I seen in past said you could not do min. invasive thoracic surgury or that my disc was celephad so they could not reach it that way. So finally an option I will explore some more, need to schedule now as there is a big waiting period.

Bad news is an accident where godchild jumped on back has caused some damage in cervical/lumbar that I am now fighting and thoracic is the least painful for now.
Odd how things work 8 years since back injury, 6 on LTD no options, godchild jumps on back in april 11, finish school may 2011 , lose LTD because going back to work, see Dr. Fessler and recommends TMED procedure ( now I have all the pre existing things with insurance and new STD, LTD), now cervical/lumbar hurting.

To say I am frustrated would be an understatement. I always felt due to the ESI and the fact that I am pain free in morning, if a surgeon could help I stood a good chance of getting some relief. Hoping these new issues resolve.