Yet another surgery
 

In apologize for being absent for awhile I started having bad computer problems. then I just got lazy
I am having a reconstructive spine surgery this coming Wed, June 17th. My new surgeon is DRPerri at Cedars. He had sent me to Rancho Mirage to Eisenhower imaging center to have spect ct scans. I was told no one in LA did those. Anyway I am all hunched over now. My spine looks like a C shape and he told me it is collapsing on itself and it is progressive. I have fractures in L5 and the others that underwent kyphoplasty 2 years ago have not healed do to the weird backwards curve. What is on my consent form is
anterior lumbar interbody fusion L5-S1. Posterior spinal fusion revision T10-Pelvis . Pedicle subtraction osteotomy L1m Possible transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion L5-S1. then in 6 weeks pedicle subtraction osteotomy T5, posterior spinal fusion revision T-2- T10. My whole spine is a mess. He said some of it is congenital. Now I just need to pray he can do this and my spine is not so messed up that he can't do anything.

Judy

Upcoming surgery
 

Hey Judy,
That sure sounds like a lot of surgery! I too hope it works to correct things. Who will take care of you post op? Is this a new (to you) surgeon? Neurosurgeon or Orthopedic? What's a spect ct scan?

Anyway all questions aside I'm glad you posted as I've been wondering how you've been.

I've been doing OK on the taper tho had a mean flare up starting past Weds. I contemplated going back up on Methadone dose but then just figured I stay with the taper and retire to bed the last 3 days other than Lola walks. To keep my ass planted in bed had a little wine to make me snoozy and relaxed. Seems to work well re CNS relaxation tho all I had on hand was red wine and I don't like it that much so it was more like drinking cough syrup...kinda ugh! My PCP prescribed 10 Robaxin tho I didn't take any. Definately prefer Toradol injection but had one end of May so didn't want another so soon.

I think the DEA is coming down hard on controlled substance providers and WC just wants to stop paying for my med & PM appts. I have been paying for my last three Methadone scripts tho as very cheap.

Please keep us posted on your surgery as much as possible. Will be thinking of you and wishing you the best possible surgery and results!!!

Hi Maria,
It just took me about 45 minites tp try ty type sometning; A lot of the letters have worn off these computers Jamie has the same compouter and the same person sold one to Her. So it was fine for a shot pile, now I am having problems ., I have my new one.but loned it to her soi she wouldn't get so upset . Oh Jamie bought me the new laptop for my birthday , mothers day.
So let me try to explaom what has happed so far. Tuesday we leave home aroiund 2:15. We get to our hotel early enough to get a little sun in and go in my first salt water in te pool. Time to get ready for work, I am training B ecka to take my place on Tuesday nights until I can come back/.
My first check in time was 6:30, changed to 10:am checkin, back to 8:30 am so WEd morning we head there at 6:20, we were only 1/2 mile frol the hotel
'they tell me my check in time is now later, so we just sit in the waiting rooms. I am now getting so thirsty. So it started at 1pm. I guess then the surgeons decided it was too late when they did the anterior to go ahead and start the back position. Then Thursday was the day for posterior. It started late,around 2 0r 3 depending on HOw long it took them to getr me ready,. Becka said she didn't see me until aroun 3am. So it went for a long time. j B ut he had already told me seeing they decided to do T-5.S1 anteriori;iy they didn't want to do the cervical at the same day ., So it is not even scedjled yet.
I will have a different doc follow ,me the hospital as I thought I planned it aroumd his time off, but they must have told me the wrong date., I hope he is back byy thoe beginning of July so I can see him post op[ ripght away. I am sorry about all the typoes, but between the cpmpiter being bac and me being so hot and it is really hard when tis lap top is so bad/.
THe pulmonology group that has been following me have all been niuce, I reallky l.ike this lady that I had ne ver met before,

I had this long surgery and I was sent to ICU. So it was llight out when I got there Friday am. j The ICU staff is the one and your surgeon who take care of you in ICU. That ICU teem orders out my foley for that morning. I tried to argue with them and got no where they just went our of my room and closed my door so we could not hear anything,
I couldn't get our walking WEd because I was way too dizzy. I had to keep getting canulated because I had no urge to pee. Finally last nigt . I had the urge and I did pee on my own . The girls of mine have been wonderful and spend a lot of time here. Becka basically gets upo and ready and then comes back and forth to see me,. She did sleep here one late niht too, Of course she
Told Tim he could not come when I had the second surgery and didn't tell himin time for the first night.
sohe finally got here last night but was unusually quiet. It is 8:20 and visiting hours end at 9 so even though the girls have gone to Jeff's for fathers day there is no one hear. I am ok witj that ,just mean there is no communication between him and the girls he probably doesn't know that. He is the 0ne who really dislikes his dad and he is the one who acts a lot like him .

The official procedure was close to this: anterior lumbar redo at S1-L5. THen Posterior revision fusion thoracic !0 - pelvis THat is it for the lower. When the next half takes place,i will be ready. I already can stand up so straight now. WHLat I was saying aboutDrPerri,he likes to get other specialists involved so he 0nly has to take care of your spine, so the post of prescription his office tried to give tp0 me was for Norco. I had an apt with my pain management doc and he disappointed me, He just gave me one more oxy pill and it was for 6 weeiks as he said to come back in 6 weeks. I assume I wil be hear for apx a week so that still means the same prescrioptiom I have been 0n f0r like 3 years for after surgery I got the pain management team infolved right away. I just don't know if they will write a prescription f0r after the hospital time. I sure hope theyt will. The worst pain I have is all in the buttox area; When I go0 to get up or lay in a certain way. DR Perri said that makes sense because that is where they did most of their work;. I am on a strong muscle relaxer here though, I think it is roboxan. I know for discharge DrPerri prescribes valium.I better get this sent in because it will take awhile if my computer to send it. Bye , I will update again

Judy,

Your DrPerri is doing a decent job of coordinating the other doctors and services. The surgeries so far seem to be successful. I'm really hoping you get good pain reduction although it may be slow and take a while. That has been my experience after ADR removal five months ago. The hospital care sounds awful. I hope the best for you,

post 1st part surgery
 

Wow amazing! Sounds like you're doing pretty good to be able to type and even stand up straighter now. I would certainly expect pain of a pretty intense magnitude after all that work! I never had much in the way of pain control post my two surgeries as they were done back in the years where pain management wasn't really a specialty and my surgeons didn't prescribe anything except shots of Demerol post 1st surgery (my big open one at L5S1) and I got sick on Demerol so then it was some PO drug that didn't do much and I stopped taking it after a week. My 2nd surgery I had no pain meds post op and that is the surgery that failed so badly and I ended up with all kinds of crazy pain and it took me from 1992-2001 before I was put on anything that anywhere near helped with the pain and ESIs.

Anyway, glad your daughters have been around and hope your son will be helpful too. That's cool that your daughter will be filling in for you at your position on Tues nights! Hope she likes it as much as you do!

Well I hope every day you feel a bit better and stronger and will be ready for your next surgery. You are a seriously amazing lady and quite the trooper re back surgery!!!

Sending you my best and hoping you can handle the pain Ok and everything else~ and don't worry about typos as it was easy enough to read ~ Maria

how are you?
 

Hi Judy,
Just checking in on you and wondering how you're doing? May try sending you a direct email or FB message as you might not be checking in here too often...

Hope all is progressing smoothly~ take care!

Maria

Yo Judy!
 

Hey lady, how're you doing?? Haven't heard from you in a long time or seen you on FB either.

Hope things are doing OK!

Maria