Geoff's Blog - Alpha Kilinik L4/L5/S1

[Cheryl]

Wow you are doing awesome!! Glad the pain you knew is gone - that must feel amazing!!

[Firerescuefin]

Mark and Cheryl...thanks for warm thoughts!

For those who have been through this experience, you're probably laughing...for those that have not. It is Sunday morning. I have had nearly nothing to eat
since thursday evening. The doctors want your digestive track to be fully functional (from start to finish) before they let you eat normally. Hopefully, the gates will open today, because I am angry hungry. I thought that perhaps I would not have an appetite. Not true. This morning I was given tea and three small pieces of plain dried toast bread. IT WAS AMAZING, as much as dried toast bread can be. I met with the Dr. this morning. He told me I should live to 200 and gave me a clean bill of health. Grace and Logan should be arriving from the hotel shortly. We are going to get out and enjoy some of this amazing weather.

[Alastair]

Hi Geoff,
I think it's great to know that you have benefited from the board here and from my experience and that of Marks.

My surgery was 26 of July 2002, and I investigated ADR many years before that. I know that feeling when you walk from the recovery room and down the corridors and the pain is gone -- -- -- magnificent!

Send my best to Zeegers if you see him before you leave
best,
Alastair

[mmglobal]

I just spoke to Geoff... I'm so happy that he and his family are experiencing one of those wonderful recoveries that we all hope for.

I look forward to reading of his continued success and hopefully some fun escapades around Munich before they leave.

It was great to hear that everything I've come to know and love about the AlphaKlinik is still there... Geoff is spending time with Zeegers, Blome, Baumbach and my favorite nurses and therapists are still there.

Great news all around!

Mark

[Firerescuefin]

Yesterday (Sunday) I had the drain removed from my stomach (that could not come soon enough). There's nothing like carrying a 32oz bottle full of blood/fluids from a surgical wound everywhere you go.

This morning, I was able to have a normal "movement", which qualifies me to be a human again in the world of food....and I took a 30 minute shower this morning. That's a lot of funk to wash off.

Anyhow, I just got back from the "control" Xray (make sure nothing has moved) and I should be called back upstairs in a few minutes to go over it.

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary, so we are definitely going to have some special family time today. Ironically, my birthday is 10/16 and my wifes is 10/19..so Munich is where all the parties are happening. We are thinking of moving the celebrations to July next year

It was great talking to Mark yesterday. He has been beyond instrumental in this process. We have not experienced any "surprises" here. That is a blessing when you are taking something like this on. I cannot say enough good things about the clinic or its staff...all top notch.

Geoff

[Cheryl]

I am laughing out loud about the food thing. I remember STARVING and Chuck actually called me in the hospital and I was complaining about that fact they wouldn't let me eat yet. He just said "Honey, something has to come out before it goes in". I had never actually spoken with him and that was our first converstion.

And yes that dried toast was great!!

Party like a ROCK STAR - you are doing awesome. Happy Birthdays.

[Firerescuefin]

Its tuesday morning at Alpha Klinik, and I am waiting to meet with Dr. Zeegers and get payment taken care of. I actually checked out of the clinic last night, which was a day early. Mark first suggested the idea when I spoke to him sunday evening. We were talking about how I was doing and Mark said (paraphrased) "have the nurses become your hotel staff?" The answer was yes. I talked to Uli (our favorite nurse...everyone's favorite nurse) and she said I should go for it. The Dr.'s were not overly excited. Zeegers explained that there was a formula for the days spent, but that he agreed that there should be no problem as I was doing so well. We went back to the hotel, and my son did not fall asleep until 6 this morning...What a great idea that was. Seriously, it was great being back with Grace and Logan.

When I was in Zeegers office with my wife yesterday, he had me get on the table to look at my incision. I moved gingerly getting on and off the table. He asked me what my problem was "Why are you moving like an old woman, you are fixed"...he then gave me a very hard and sudden shove to the shoulder...which he followed up with another shove. Grace almost fell over. He went on to say, mechanically you are sound, there is no reason to move like an invalid...except for the abdominal pain (which is considerable). We went on to talk for about 20 more minutes about the implant, how solid it was fixed between the vertebra (his analogy was jacking up a fire truck placing a rock between the tire and the ground, then lowering the truck back on top of the rock) He said, "try getting the rock out...your not going to be able to do so". Zeegers is pretty sold (as I would want him to be) on the Activ L's anatomic shape and his surgery making the disc nearly immovable. That's easier to hear than to believe, but I do believe it. He gave my wife a lecture about not being my mother or doctor and gave her a big hug. My wife started crying, thanking him for giving us our life back. He has taken a personal interest in us (which is unusual for world class surgeons, but I suspect not unusual for him) He always talks to my 11 week old son, and makes sure that Grace's questions/concerns are always addressed. I am so glad Grace came, because her eyes have been opened wide...not only to Alpha and Zeegers, but the entire world of back pain. When you are in it alone with your spouse, I don't think the spouse not experiencing the pain understands how insidious it is or how it affects the peoples' lives it touches. With her getting to know other families here, meeting Zeegers, and seeing the changes in me as my pain changes, she has a new outlook on things. She keeps saying how glad she is that she came.

I do want to clarify a few things, because I have been the one pouring over every post out there, searching for answers and hope...trying to find parallels to my own case and others that post of their surgeries. I am still in quite a bit of pain. I am moving like an old man. Their is a lot of tightness still in my lower back....but I feel 1000% better, because the type/quality of the pain is so much different, and psychologically, I believe that I am mechanically fixed. I feel it, and I believe it. Do I still have some nerve pain...yes. But each day it gets better. I guess I am saying this, because I would not want anyone to believe that you could go through a surgery like this, get off the table, and resume your life the next day. Because I know, that is what we would all hope for. I don't want someone to view my posts through rose colored glasses.

I am off to take care of the payment side of things.

Geoff