I SAW THE NEUROSURGEON YESTERDAY
I had my consultation yesterday morning in Indianapolis. He gave me some rather bad news. After a very detailed examination and review of the MRI films, he told me that there was nothing he could do for me surgically. The degeneration is worse than thought. My bottom three disc are collapsed totally and one is badly ruptured. On top of that I have severe neuropathy in both legs. I knew I had it in my feet but was unaware of the leg problems.
He told me that the only possibility might be to have disc fusion done but was not to optimistic about that. He also told me that a disc fusion is very hard to heal with a person with neuropathy, plus the fact that despite loosing over 190 lbs I am still considered obese and that would make surgery very difficult. Recovery time would be very long.
He has me scheduled to see another neurosurgeon on the 23rd of January whose specialty is disc fusion. He is supposed to be the best in the field of disc fusion. It would be a very major surgery. I agreed to go see him and hear him out.
In the meantime I have to realize I am going to have problems walking the rest of my life. Although I am really bummed out right now, I can handle being back in the motorized wheel chair again. I have all the handicapped equipment that was given to me by the VA a couple of years ago, like my power wheel chair, shower stool, elevated toilet seat, hospital bed, walker, canes etc. So as things get worse I will be able to live my life fairly comfortably. He said they will be able to give me medications to relieve some of the pain as time goes on. Gee a dope attic.
I am trying to handle this all the best I can. I guess all those things I was looking forward to doing after WLS will not be possible now. But what the heck things could be a lot worse. Fortunately I have a wonderful wife to take care of me, even though it is a real burden on her.
Sorry to vent too much, but you have been such a great support group to me that I know you understand. I will let you all know what happens when I see the other neurosurgeon on the 23rd. Even if he is willing to do the surgery I will have to evaluate the risk versus the inconvenience of not being able to have a functional life style. I just must move on now and take it day by day.
So now I will press on to doing what I need to do and share my humor rather than complain. I am thankful for the WLS which certainly has its benefits for me now. I now leave it all in God's hands. I appreciate all your prayers.
Dan
I ususally don't reply, but ur post is sooo similar to mine ..i wanted to send my well wishes..I feel lucky i only have 2 degenerative disk and the drs. feel if ilose the weight they will be able to use some new procedure to help... something about inseting a spacing agent to help the disc do their jobs. we will see how it works??
Right now just waiting till the 9th for my wls surgery and then to my back surgery after losing a 180lbs or so..
once agian i hope things go well for you. I will included u in my prayers and thoughts.
Jim d
crap Dan,
just when you were supposed to be getting better. please, by all means keep coming here for support. i don't know what i would do without these guys to vent to either. i'm kind of a lone wolf and this group has helped me in ways they'll never know.
my neighbors mom had the fusion surgery and said she actually jumped off the table and her pain was gone. i was supposed to look into that too but hell, it sounds like a couple good years at most. i think your complications are making this look risky so let's see what the new doc says.
as for the pain meds. well, confession here. i went to the doc yesterday almost in tears. i asked to get off the meds because i think they're killing me and i'm addicted. he said no way and i have to stay on them to function and if he gives me stronger meds i might have problems functioning and if he weans me off the pain will be too great and surgery is not the answer. i'm lost myself at the moment but it's not about me right now. i just wanted to say be careful about the meds but i guess you know that by now anyway.
so try to keep sane and upbeat until you get the full report. we'll be here for ya.......Carbonblob
Sorry to hear about the bad news, I was really hoping this would be the solution for you. Hope the second consult goes much better. I agree with the risk/reward outlook on it. Look at it this way, I'm sure your life will still be better 190 lbs lighter dealing with this than if you didn't lose the weight.
I'm pulling for you, hope you get your life back to normal soon and don't have to think about this so much.
Take it easy,
Shane
Dan,
I feel for you guy. Try to hang tuff for the 2nd doctor. I ahve a friend here that had/has degenerative back problems and he had (after a groin hernia removed and a liver transplant) some kind of disc rebuilding surgery where they injected somekinda of ceramic stuff in the vertebra to rebuild what was missing and fuse the ones that were there but damaged. He was almost completely bed-ridden before surgery. After about a 6 month recovery period, he was coming out to church and this last Christmas, he and his wife went with me and my wife to a Trans-Siberain Christmas concert at the Richmnd Coliseum; walkinf from and back to the parking lot and up to the upper deck seating and back down. We didn't set any world-land aspeed records but he could do it without personal or equipment assistance. He is like a kid in a candy store. Be brave. I will keep you in my prayers and God will preval. We may or maynot understand the outcome but He will do waht is best. I hope the time till you feel better goes by quickly. You are fortunate to have a good wife.
Joe
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