drummerman

Originally Posted by Cindylou

During the time I had my 3 lumbar ADR's put in by Dr. Bertagnoli, he was supposed to do the L6-S1 at the same time. My ADR's were anterior approach, and the fusion would have been posterior approach. However, because I was such a heavy bleeder and ended up needing two blood transfusions, he opted not to do the other surgery. Too risky at that point. So, we always knew this could still be an issue down the road, and unfortunately, it was. Thus, 15 months after ADR I had my fusion done by the back doctor who has been following me after ADR surgery. My L6-S1 was just a mess according to my doctor. It was fractured and already partially self-fused. They call this a pars defect and it can be a congenital thing. Already having the extra vertebra was a congenital thing, and who knows if that contributed to the mess down there? The bicycle accident certainly didn't help either. There was just no room for an ADR. The only thing that made me feel better about being fused on that level was knowing I already had the 3 artificial discs above it that wouldn't take a beating. The first fusion was a breeze, but unfortunately some of the bone cement leaked out onto my S1 nerve root giving me excruciating pain. The doctor discovered this after a Cat Scan as I told him something was way wrong. So, exactly 30 days later they had to open me back up (this was a little too dejavu of my ADR experience. This time I had terrible pain management in the U.S. hospital. It was crazy. I had a nurse from hell. Finally, on day two when I complained to my surgeon, he jumped up to rip off someone's head at the nurse's station. A few seconds later they rolled in the morphine drip, and I came back from the dead. But again, I think these two surgeries back to back were just too much on my body, because 5 days after this second discharge I ended up back in the ER with a pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, a collapsed lung, blah blah, blah This was my second pulmonary embolism and I thank God it wasn't my time to go, AGAIN. After 6 months I showed complete fusion. Halleluyah!

Wow, Cindylou

I just read what you have gone through. Gee. I can't imagine... I'm glad you are o.k. now... right?

Anyway, I think in the past you wrote some kind notes to me. I just wrote to KBear and I just wanted to cc you what I wrote.

thanks, Cindylou

Hi KBear,

I hope I'm using this response properly. It's been awhile since I written in. Anyway, I think you wrote me a few times KBear. Thank you.

The last time I think I mentioned that I have been experiencing a grinding sound at the operation site (post-operative - 15 months later). Well... I finally went two weeks ago to see my neurosurgeon. Despite my request for a MRI, the doctor told me to wait a couple of weeks before that. Well... I've waiting and subsequently have been experiencing periodic sharp pain at the operation site so much so that I couldn't even get out of bed for fear of experiencing a sudden sharp pain. I've been dismayed that he didn't chose to have me undergo an MRI particularly since he didn't order any films except the one Ct-scan one month after the surgery (L4-L5 fusion). It has been about one year with no tests. Well... finally after persisting this morning that the sudden sharp pain is NOT going away he finally is agreeing to an MRI tomorrow at 20 p.m. (pst). This has caused me a great deal of anxiety and panic attacks in the middle of the night. He has now agreed for me to have the MRI finally. I felt I should have been given the test two weeks ago... but, he wanted to adopt a wait and see attitude. Any response would be appreciated.
thanks,

nervous and freaked out,
drummerman