Those with ADR experience, could you give me any advice what to do next?

[Chiacat]

Everyone who has responded here is amazing! What a intelligent, kind-hearted, generous, and welcoming group of people! I thank you all very much!

Bman, you got to the nut of the situation, but I've wondered why there exists such a failure of the left hand to even care to find out if there might be a right hand out there . . . somewhere. What has struck me repeatedly as I've talked to one, then another, and another MD (and I've only been doing this since June), is that each one only sees the little piece of me that their particular specialty says they are responsible for. Just look at what Cindylou has been describing; I hope tomorrow will bring CL more clarity and hope.

Obviously we're all responsible for being our own advocates, but that's difficult to do when you meet only blank stares (and a veiled check of their watch) from medical professionals when you ask a question that would require them to have some passing knowledge of -- or at least interest in -- something other than the backs of their own hands!

Helmut said, "Disc related problems are a fairly new medical field and many doctors for some reasonare incapable of admitting that they simply don't know the answer, instead they tryto act superior and place the patient in the position of a little child who they think they can shut up by telling them a load of BS."

And Tyler, thank you for sharing all the great research you've done, and your advice about how to get to "more focused and more productive" consultations.

I appreciate everyone's input, and all of the sharing of your stories with me and each other.

As for myself, at the moment I seem to be staying pretty functional -- able to work and volunteer at the Thrift Store, and take care of most everything else I need to do -- by using tramadol, ibuprofen, and occasionally tylenol, and icing. I've gotten used to numb fingers on my right hand, and the leg pain has somewhat subsided for now. But, I've put off for two years getting the CMC joint of my left hand fixed, and have found a surgeon I really trust will be able to fix it, so I've scheduled that for 11/18. I'll be in a cast for about six weeks, then PT, but everything I've read is that the joint will get better and better, increasing strength and eventually no more pain!

So that's a good wish to leave with everyone here who (as Stevie Ray Vaughn said) is still suffering in any way.

Dawn

[KBear]

Amen Bman!

[Chiacat]

Tomorrow I'll talk with my GP about ordering the x-rays Stenum requires. I guess I'm afraid he'll think I'm going off the deep end to be thinking about possible future ADRs, but he is a smart, fairly open-minded guy, so I'm probably creating a lot of unrealistic anxiety for myself.

Can anyone give me advice about how to talk with him? I know what views to tell him that Stenum needs, and even found a good description of the positioning for the images online at

http://www.auntminnie.com

I'm curious about tech things like that. The title is "The lowdown on lumbar spine positioning"

At this point, I just want to find out if I would even be a candidate for ADR, or whether my scoliosis would preclude it; it would be nice to have hope for the possibility in the future.

Dawn, Chiacat

[Hooch]

Just pander to his ego. And if he won't help find another one.

Good luck to you.

[Chiacat]

Thanks, Hooch. I guess that's kinda what I did, but it went really well. He really is a good doctor, and very willing to help. I ended up walking out of the clinic an hour later with a new disc of the x-ray views he sent me down the hall to have taken. Yee-haw!

Dawn, Chiacat

[Hooch]

I'm glad you found one that's happy to help you. You run into some real toolbags from time to time.

cya