L3-4 & L4-5 Prodisc above existing L5-S1 ADR- Tisury

[tisury]

Hello to everyone. Well, I think I am finally on the road to recovery now. Dr. Bertagnoli did a 2 level Prodisc surgery above my existing one level that was done here in the US in Feb 2004. My surgery was on May 22 (Tues) and I was discharged Sat afternoon. Even though my bone density test were okay, Dr. B ended up having to do vertobroplasty (Cortoss) because the bones were softer than expected. Thank God I was here in Germany where this was available. I cant say enough about Dr. Bertagnoli and the Pro Spine staff. Dr. B is the most wonderfully skilled, compassionate, yet down to earth doctor I have ever met. I am so glad I made the decision to come over to him. If he can't fix me, no one can. At home, their opinion was keep me on very high levels of pain meds, possibly spinal cord stimulator and that was it. They had no hope for me. Thank heavens I didn't give up on me as easily as they did.


Time will tell whether I am a success or not, but I have a good feeling about this. I have quite a bit of pain yet, but this is to be expected. The good news is that a lot of it is DIFFERENT........so probably from the stretching to get the two discs in. I walk a lot and this seems to help keep the pain under control. I am on A LOT LESS meds already than I was presurgery. Fentanyl was dropped from 100 mcg every other day to 50 mcg every third day. Had some issues for a day and half with withdrawal which was kind of ugly, but doing well now on this dose. Some of the problem was withdrawal, some of it was from the amount of anesthesia they needed for me since I was on such high levels of narcotic pain meds. I am still using percocet, but not even as much as I am allowed to take. All good signs............I just pray it continues to improve with each day.

Straubing and Germany are beautiful. Have been able to see a few things. Everyone here at the Romerhof Hotel are just so fantastic and helpful !!! Same with St. Elisabeth Hospital in Straubing. There is some language barrier, but if they didnt understand me, they found someone who did. And everyone was so friendly and helpful.

Well, it is supposed to rain most of this week that we will be here yet (Fly out on Friday), so going to go do a little sightseeing.

Mark, it was really good to get a chance to meet you after all these years !
Thanks so much for stopping in to visit me. Maybe some day I will get out to one of your ADR "parties" out there in California. My husband will be going out there for business in a few months, but I doubt that I will be up to the trip by then. (Never know though)

A big thanks to everyone and for all the good wishes sent via email.

Susan

[mmglobal]

Susan, it was great to meet you too.... especially since everything you had to say was so positive. I know how tough the recovery can be. I look forward to the day when the pain and difficulties associated with your spine problems and surgeries are a thing of the past: Susan... the ex-spine-patient...

You may be surpised by how good you feel in a few months. Keep in touch and if it looks like you'll be coming west... I'll have a GPN party in your honor! Maybe I can get Dr. B to come?

I'm in Straubing until Wednesday morning, so I'll be able to stop by and see you when you can stand up and give me a hug! Send me a PM with your room number or cell phone # and I can call you directly...

I look forward to hearing of your excellent recovery! All the best,

Mark

[mmglobal]

I was able to stop by to see Susan... this was great because when I saw her last, she was just a couple of days post-op and while she was so positive, she had not regained any mobility yet and did not know what to expect when she started moving around. Today, she's six days out and it was WONDERFUL to see her looking fantastic... smiling... moving easily and looking forward to a new life!

Susan... all the best to you, Tim and your family! I look forward to seeing you again in CA, PA, Deutchland or wherever!

Mark

[dshobbies]

Susan,

I'm sending you my best wishes for an uncomplicated recovery from across the oceans. Having done this before, you know the ropes.

Having presumed new disc problems (undiagnosed), I'm not sure I would be as brave and do this again. My hat is off to you. I do agree on Dr. B and his staff. Though completely against leaving this country for surgery, I'm now very glad I went over there.

Please take care, Dale

[Maria]

Hi Susan,
Just replied to your post over at BPSG, and won't repeat what I said there except to say it's wonderful to hear how well you're doing!

The photo of you and Mark looks like two well people ~ and it's nice to put a face to the person writing!

thanks for keeping us updated and hope you get to enjoy more sightseeing before you leave Germany with as little pain as possible! Also hoping your incision is doing OK~

take good care, Maria

[tisury]

Well had my final check up with Dr. Fenk-Mayer and am cleared to go. Pain has been more severe the last few days.........possibly cause it got so cold and damp over here. Don't know. Just have to deal with it for now. We fly out Friday afternoon. My seat is in business class, so I will be able to recline if the pain is an isssue.

Also settled up on the final bill. OUCH again. The 2 level vertebroplasty was added on, plus quite a sum for a more complicated surgery than expected. In addition, the scar tissue from the first surgery was more of an issue than expected. Oh well. If it works, I won't care how much more I go in debt. Just hope I can return to working more hours before too long. Just pray that it does the trick. Too early to really tell. Some days, I am so optimistic. Other days, when there is more pain, I am a little scared. Just have to keep pushing and thinking posiitive. All in all, I still believe if anyone can and/or could fix me, it would be Dr. Bertagnoli.

Did a little sightseeing today. Was hoping to get down to Passau, but at the time that trip is a little longer than I can stand.

PS Mark, can you email those pictures you took to me??? I still HATE all pictures of me. lol Also, tomorrow is our last day here.............any suggestions on something "not too far" to see. It is just so beautiful over here. But I am getting kind of home sick now.

Thanks again to everyone.