Originally Posted by sunaurora on July 27, 2004

SURGERY DATE:June 11, 2004

AGE AT SURGERY DATE: 34

SURGEON: Dr. Yen

SURGERY LOCATION/CLINIC: Mercy Hospital in Sacramento

DEVICE(s), LEVEL(s): removal of disk herniation in the L4\L5

COST =
AMOUNT BILLED: unknown...workers comp
INSURANCE ALLOWED:
OUT OF POCKET:
TRAVEL:
EXPLANATIONS?


ONSET OF LUMBAR PROBLEMS, DATE OF INJURY, CAUSE, ETC...: changed a water cooler bottle at work and it slipped causing a herniation in the L4\L5 on December 30, 2003.

PRIOR SPINE SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES (IDET, ESI, etc...):Physical therapy

PRE-OP MEDICATIONS:vicodin, flexiral, naprisin

PRE-OP DIAGNOSTICS (discogram, nerve root blocks, etc...):herniated disk via MRI, xray inconclusive.

PRE-OP NEUROPATHIES (what, where, & degree of pain, numbness, tingling, sexual/bladder/bowel symptoms, etc.):left leg loss of strength, tingling. loss of bladder control. pain in left leg to bottom of foot, pain in right leg to knee. pain in left side of spine radiating to hip.

PRE-OP CONDITION (Please include %leg pain/% back pain, pain levels, type of pain, ability to work and function, disability status, etc.... be direct, but be as verbose as you need to):
70-80%leg pain in left leg, 40%pain in right leg...burning pain in legs...sharp pain in sciatic on left side and in back radiating to hip. Unable to sit for any length of time. Pain in shoulders, hips uneven, overcompensation causing whole body to ache. Taken off work, then back part time, then off when the doctor saw the herniation.

TIME POST-OP AT ORIGINAL POST HERE: 6 plus weeks

DESCRIBE YOUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE: extreme fear of nerve damage prior, great surgical team. The pain was so intense immediately following surgery, I cried and couldn't calm down, I felt like I was on fire. Unable to pea following surgery, had to use a catheder. Slow going but able and willing to go home the following day. Just wanted out of the hospital. I was up and walking same day, slow and painful but able. I took a shower at the hospital and went home.

RATE FUNCTIONALITY / SATISFACTION AT INTERVALS BELOW:

FUNCTIONALITY:

1. Very poor: much worse... disabled after surgery.
2. Poor: worse after surgery.
3. Neutral: No improvement, or improvements offset by new problems.
4. Fair, some improvement, limitations are still serious.
5. Good, substantial improvement, some limitations.
6. Excellent: no limitations.

SATISFACTION:
1. Very sorry I had the surgery.
2. Somewhat sorry I had the surgery.
3. Too soon to tell, or I'm ambivalent about the surgery.
4. I'm somewhat glad I did my surgery.
5. I'm very glad I did my surgery.

FUNCTIONALITY: _4__ SATISFACTION: _4__ [6 WEEKS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [3 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [6 MONTHS POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [1 YEAR POST-OP]

FUNCTIONALITY: ___ SATISFACTION: ___ [2 YEARS POST-OP]

6 WEEKS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ECT... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]): still unable to get around like i used too, quality of life is changed dramatically, pain if walk to long, sit too long, pain for no reason, if strained recovery seems slow, unable to bend. Pain doesn't go as far down my left leg and my right leg for the most part is pain free. Pain still in left hip, back and sciatic just as prior to surgery. I no longer pea if i cough or laugh to hard. I still take about 8 vicodins a day some days are better than others, I take a new anti-inflamatory and a new muscle relaxer for the muscle spasms. I want to be better and if I have a good day I push it, but pay for it the next. This has been a life altering experience and caused extreme difficulties, I struggle with the challenges of not being able to do the same stuff I used to do daily. The emotional distress has been more damaging than the pain. Being limited is so difficult for me. I want to pick up my daughter and dance with her, I want to help my sons learning to skateboard. I want to make love freely with Dan. I want to sit through a movie without tears swelling up from the pain. I want my life back...

3 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

6 MONTHS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

1 YEAR POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):

2 YEARS POST-OP - DESCRIBE LIFESTYLE / PAIN / MEDICATIONS / NEUROPATHIES / ETC... (discuss surgery induced symptoms [leg pain?]):