I had surgery StALIF L5/S1 Activ-L L4/L5 Zeegers, Alphaklinik

[fuzzy]

Yes, the bone site has some real pain potential. The first few days was very bad and literally stopped me from walking much. It felt like someone to a big hammer to my hip.

I stayed at the Grand but went over to the Bogenhausen a few times. the folks at the counter there allmost swallowed their own tongues, haha, I think they were wondering wheather I should really be there but on the other hand they must get to see many strange folk all the time.

Mark, will you be in Munich next weekend? If so stay in touch and lets meet up!

Pain update: 6 hours on my feet yesterday and the biggest pain genertor was... the bone graft site. Pain in the spinal area was nil and the other pains were a good general ache in my legs, sore feet and the usual minor tingely stuff in my feet but improving.

[Tim]

Fuzzy
Great to hear your doing so well!
Apologies for hijacking your thread but I just want to pick up on Marks comments regarding autologous bone graft vs BMP.

Mark
I know we spoke briefly about this recently but I just want to ask a quick question following on from your comment that "There is motiviation not to use BMP, growth factors and other fusion accelerators in hybrid procedures because you don't want to risk causing fusion at the ADR level".
Do you feel then that the use of BMP is positively contraindicated in any hybrid surgery be that a combined ADR + fusion primary surgery or a later secondary fusion surgery above or below an existing adjacent ADR? As you know this is an issue I am currently very much trying to understand.

Again Fuzzy apologies for utilizing your thread. In my humble opinion a combined procedure with fusion at L5/S1 and ADR at the more mobile L4/5 sounds like a great combination which should give you years of hopefully pain free activity. I look forward to hearing of your recovery going from strength to strength.

All the best
Tim

[sharman]

Thanks, Mark, that makes sense. I have read that autologous bone has a higher chance of success than allograft, and certainly can understand why BMP might be a risk in a hybrid.

The hybrid sounds like an excellent approach to an L4 - S1 two-level. Apparently a more difficult recovery, but good long-term prospects. Wish you luck with it, and look forward to reading about your progress, Fuzz.

[fuzzy]

Now at 4 weeks.

Everything has improved a little. Left leg pain is becoming more of a good ache but my right foot is still anoying at times. It does the ice cold number the moment I stop moving and now it sizzles....but I sat in the car for a good part of the day today. The bone graft donor site does not hurt except sometimes there is a twitchy neve at the incision site that gets iritated by wearing the brace and or the band of the pants. My walking endurance is improving and my back stays painless longer now then last week before I need that 15 minute rest, and it seems that left leg is causing me more problems now then anything in my back.

I met Dr. Zeegers today for a 4 week check up and the xrays show the implants to be in their original locations still, no subsidence into my soft bone. I am relieved. So is Dr. Z. who looked downright emotional to see me walking and in good spirits today. I will surely be back in 3 to 4 month for a personal checkup as its well worth the airline ticket if I can handle coach class which I am pretty sure I can by that time.

[mmglobal]

AHHHH... I missed you... I was there. Are you staying in Munich? I'm here till at least Sunday....

I'll have to come back for the questions... grueling trip... gotta run.

Mark

[fuzzy]

Yes, I am here till sunday.

[Maria]

Fuzzy,
Sounds like you're having pretty amazing progress! The pain at the donor site sounds pretty familiar from other's posts I've read over the years. The OSS I've been seeing for the longest time has said in the past he would not want to harvest a bone graft from my hip. Said I was too slim. It may have been to do with my bone density levels as well though he did not say this.

I'm happy that you're able to walk for such extended periods of time. I love to walk and on low level Methadone (and Neurontin) I find that walking is easy for me in the last few years and actually makes my back feel better and often I can stay on my feet the whole day with very little down time.

It is the projected sitting that you think you may be able to do that really impresses me (based on where you're at now). If I could sit to fly in one coach seat again vs. 3~ wow, that'd be most amazing. Oh to travel again, go to movies, sit in a library for hours on end, take a train and actually sit in one seat vs. draping myself across two.. on and on ad nauseum...

BTW, your beard appears to be a tad longer than Mark's beard. Somehow I can't see him sporting a beard of that length in the OR tho I like that ZZ Top look!