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Surgical Outcomes and Blogs Discuss KathyEarhart; Active L; L4/5; March 2009 in the Main forums forums; I had my 5 week follow up yesterday & everything looked great. Dr. Blumenthal said it would only look better ...

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Old 04-23-2009, 07:41 PM
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Default 5 week follow up

I had my 5 week follow up yesterday & everything looked great. Dr. Blumenthal said it would only look better if he had done it himself I am starting physical therapy next week and am so ready. I feel like most of my pain is muscular, more dull and aching instead of the pre-op stabbing, burning, feeling like sandpaper was being rubbed up and down my spine; so think some muscle stretching, stregnthing will help.

I did overdo it yesterday and am paying the price today. I feel like crap, was able to sleep an entire hour and a half last night and still can't fall asleep today (tried to nap when my kiddo did, couldn't fall asleep). Not sure if it is from too much on the back or if I have some stomach bug (feels like both). My 3 year old daughter is also home sick today, with an allergies, draining ears and nose. As soon as my hubby calls to say he is on the way home, I am taking 2 muscle relaxers, and a percocet and off to bed I go. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day than today.
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34 years old-
1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler
Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, accupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc
Had Baby #3 after ADR!
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Old 04-24-2009, 11:44 PM
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Default oh so sick...

I just came on to vent, I am oh so sick with a stomach bug. Feels like the flu, body aches, vomitting and general yuck feeling. I have already had the flu once this season, even though I got my flu shot. I finally slept last night, which was wonderful. I am so done with being sick, I just want to feel good again.
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34 years old-
1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler
Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, accupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc
Had Baby #3 after ADR!
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Old 04-25-2009, 02:55 AM
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Oh Kathy, I'm sorry you are feeling so awful.

I picked up some virus, even though I also had the flu shot, and ended up with pneumonia which is just now going away. It's been almost two months since I've felt normal, or at least as normal as 'we' can with everything else we are going through

I hope that you are able to take time to heal and not let this grow into something worse. It is the first time in years that I have had bad stuff hit like that. The nurse said that an awful lot of 'flues' have turned into pneumonia, and now there is that awful scare from Mexico to worry about.
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DDD
Herniated discs C4/5 & 5/6, L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1
Severe compression of spinal cord in two levels
All conventional therapy exhausted, including spinal injections, PT, massage, etc.
In appeal with Gov't Insurance for Out-of-country coverage for ADR hybrid surgery of above discs.
Recently discovered that I am severely allergic to all common metals used in surgical hardware except for Titanium.
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Old 04-25-2009, 06:37 PM
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Default flu and colds

Kathy,
I hope you're feeling better today.. I can't tell you how many of my friends have been sick lately either with a very long lasting viral thing (cold like) or the flu! And they said the flu stuff was super awful (diarrhea/vomiting and just feeling bad).

So hope you're on the mend today and taking it easy.
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Old 04-25-2009, 11:46 PM
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Kathy, I hope you are feeling better. You need all your energy for surgery recovery, having to battle a virus isn't going to help, is it? Well, I hope it's not taking too much out of you, and that it doesn't last long.
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Cathy

46 years old. 12-15 years of intermittent pain, 2 years with constant pain.

DDD, L4-5 and L5-S1, pain confirmed by discogram.
PT, ESI's, Facet injection and block, Acupuncture - all no help.

2-level (Prodisc-L) ADR surgery with Dr. Bertagnoli, May 26, 2009.

Currently taking Opana-ER (tapering off) and oxycodone
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Old 04-27-2009, 07:02 AM
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Default Overdoing it

Kathy, I overdid it also 2 weeks ago. Thought I was doing good enough to go clothes shopping at the mall for 4 hours, ran a bunch of errands etc, I d say it set me back a good 2 weeks. (Sigh). Still havent gotten back to where I was. Im 2 months post op and some days are pretty good and some are not so good, still have moderate pain issues but I think its a very gradual improvement trend. Though at least I know the pains I have today are nothing at all like the old pre op pain. I guess your body gets worked up pretty good during these surgeries. Im thinking at this pace, it may be 4-5 months before I REALLY feel good. I was hoping for 6-8 weeks. : (
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Old 04-27-2009, 01:55 PM
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Kathy, have you kicked that bad bug yet? I woke up yesterday morning with a bad sore throat out of the blue. Don't know if it's allergies or if I'm coming down with a viral infection. I'm jealous you are starting pt this week. Let me know how you do. Every day I don't get to exercise I blow up like the pillsbury dough boy! Can't wait till I get the thumbs up. Hope you are healing nicely.

Cindylou
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bicycle accident 6/01: 2 compression fractures @ T12-L1; vertibroplasty; 4/06: right hip labral tear & arthroscopic repair; 4/07: lumbar prodiscs @ 3 levels, L3-6 by Dr. Bertagnoli; 7/02/08: ALIF L6-S1; 7/30/08: reopened to remove bone cement, leaked onto S1 nerve root; 8/08: pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, pleurisy, pleural effusion; ALIF fusion complete; 3/10/09: SI Joint Fusion by Dr. Stark; Jury still out.
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