runner's surgery blog, L4/5, 2008

runner · #1 (**permalink**) 04-22-2013, 08:39 PM

I am happy to say that I will be having surgery on May 14th (or maybe a bit earlier).
My ENT doc cleared me for surgery when I saw him last week. Hopefully, there are no more road blocks in my way.
Pain is still up there and I am just trying to manage it until I see my pain doc tomorrow and sorry to say this, but really give it to him.
I am very pissed about how he did not respond in a timely manner to my calls.

I called Friday (I think I called every day for the past almost two weeks), and the answer was: "Cannot make change of medication over the phone".
Well, I knew that, should have had me come in, then.

Otherwise, just chillin. Because I am not working out, really. I am in too much pain and just completing little things, one thing at a time. Need to do a lot before surgery, but am not very motivated because of the pain.
Taking advil, in addition to the pain med, until I have to quit at the end of the week.
See my neurosurgeon, again, this Friday and hopefully, last time until i see his cheery face in the morning on May 14th!
Or May 8th, if someone actually cancels. In reality, there has been one cancellation, I didn't know it, but I was scheduled later in the day on the 14th, and now I am moved up to 7 am. Always feels better to be the first case of the day, if you can find a sunny side to surgery.

Runner

jsewell · #2 (**permalink**) 04-24-2013, 03:10 AM

I agree with wanting the early time, i am at my one night a week job, but i will email you this week
judy

runner · #3 (**permalink**) 04-25-2013, 09:17 PM

Okie dokie, Judy.

Yeah, I want my surgeon with his A game on. I think early morning surgeries are much better. Plus you don't have to be NPO for all day.
I went up on my pain medication, taking a more potent med and feeling better. I was in so much pain when I saw my pain doc on Tuesday. There was no way I was walking out of there without a better handle on the pain. Still in pain but it is better. My blood pressure is high again and after change in med, was high yesterday too. In the neighbor of 149/89. Hasn't been that high in quite a while I believe.
I am sure it is just the pain and am taking my blood pressure medicine so not much else to do. See my neurosurgeon tomorrow and I am getting closer.

R

runner · #4 (**permalink**) 05-03-2013, 01:25 AM

Well,

Saw my surgeon last Friday and I moved a bit in the date of the surgery as it is now May 15th and I didn't get the possible cancellation for the week before so it is set now.
Don't have time yet.
Figure I will hear back soon as I called today as I am getting anxious about not knowing the time, LOL.

My potassium level is back to normal. 3.6.

And have two weeks remaining until op date.

R

runner · #5 (**permalink**) 05-05-2013, 05:31 AM

tooth.

Yes, I have a tooth ache. I am just about 11 days from my upcoming surgery.
Saw the dentist about two-and-a-half weeks ago and a tooth in my upper right side of my mouth was sensitive to cold. So I made plans to fix the tooth when I was able to after surgery, at least six weeks after. Dentist said crown or filling needed to be replaced, depending on which tooth was sensitive. Well, of course, the tooth did not want to wait and became sensitive to cold and hot stuff on Thursday.
So called the dentist up Thursday afternoon and said, "I need to do something about this tooth". Of ccoouurrse, the dentist is not in Friday or next week. Made an appointment for the 13th to at least have him protect it until I could get it worked on. I figured I might make it until then, but of course, I came down with a bonafide tooth ache the next day.

Discussed my predicament with hubby and I decided to call the endodontist that morning, rather than finding another dentist, as my regular dentist, the one on vacation, is an hour drive from my home. I am no stranger to root canals, since I got these big fillings as a kid and one by one they have failed or needed to be replaced. I brush and brush and brush and floss and still, my dental hygienist declared my gums a disaster area at my last appointment.

Give me a break.

So Monday I have an appointment with Dr. Endodontist. They will take care of it, I was told. I have a feeling or my tooth is telling me that root canal No. too many to count is coming up.

R

jsewell · #6 (**permalink**) 05-06-2013, 05:34 AM

Runner,
Sorry about the tooth ache, those really hurt and suck. And right before your surgery. I've had a few root canals myself. I found them not especially painful when they are doing it, just seems like a long procedure. Good Luck tomorrow at the dentist.
Judy

runner · #7 (**permalink**) 08-08-2014, 08:47 PM

Well, an update:

I did get my surgery done last year for my cervical spine. Overall, it was "easier" than my lumbar surgeries.
I was in new territory when I was trying to find out what to do about my neck problem. I had an anterior cervical disectomy and fusion at C5/6 and C6/7 with corpectomies.
Of course when my surgeon did get in there, poking around in my cervical spine that is, he found a very degenerated disc, especially at C6/7. It was bad so it was a very good decision that I had surgery.

My discs actually collapsed in a short time so there was no chance of getting ADRs at any of the two levels. I did ask my surgeon to explore that option and he did, but with new data, he flat out said he couldn't do it and then explained why, and that was after he had me go for an up-dated CT and x-rays. I would not gain any more motion in my neck even if he could slip an ADR inbetween the vertebral end plates, which he doubted was even possible, and so fusion was the way to go because those two discs had no motion. Remember, ADRs are motion-preserving devices.
I have been around the block enough with my surgeon, so to speak, that I trust his opinion and expertise.

I did get to get a fusion surgery without a plate and screws outside. My one-year anniversary was May 15 and at my last appointment, I found out my discs were trying to fuse but not in the middle like they should. I have heterotopic ossification, and the minute he told me what was going on, I knew what that was. I am not sure what it means for the future but I am doing pretty good with regards to my cervical spine. I have a little hand/arm pain but it is infrequent and most of the time, I get numbness in either hand/arm, it seems to be positional and I can get rid of the numbness by adjusting my neck.

My doctor told me the H.O., a short abbreviation for a complicated distinction, is like stalactites and stalagmites and they are trying to come together. I have bone growing where it shouldn't.

Runner