BCBS-TX - Final update !*@&#^$%!

[rhatzy]

Hi, I was in Germany for about 16 days. Got there on a Tuesday, had surgery on Friday, stayed in the hospital for about 5 days and then in town for 7 days. My flight was from Bremen to Frankfort and then to Chicago and finally to Columbus.

As an airline employee, I rode business class from Frankfort to Chicago. I was in a whole lot of pain and had downed a couple percocets and some oral morphine before getting on the fight to chicago. After laying the seat flat, I was finally able to get somewhat comfortable.

My family doc was great and gave me what ever support I needed, ie, meds and such. Also If I had any questions, Stenum was very quick in answering and working with my doc.

This surgery was my only option to get back to work. I had no other option for a better outcome.

Mark

[jss]

Claudia,

Here are the dates and what we did on each date (2009). Well, Dec 2-4 was a little different because my wife discovered at the airport while trying to get our boarding passes that she'd lost her passport. DON'T DO THAT!

Nov 22 - Flew out of DFW for Paris
Nov 23 - Arrive Paris CDG, fly out to Barcelona (BCN)
Nov 23 - Arrive Barcelona
Nov 24 - Pre-op appointment with Dr Clavel
Nov 25 - 3.5 hr surgery, from 5PM to 8:30PM
Nov 27 - Checked out of hospital at 11AM
Nov 27-30 - Toured Barcelona
Dec 1 - Checkup with Dr Clavel, stitches removed
Dec 2 - Flew from Barcelona to Paris
Dec 2-4 - Toured Paris
Dec 5 - Flew from Paris to DFW
Dec 7 - Returned to work

From Nov 27 through Dec 4 I was on my feet for 10+ hours and walked probably in the neighborhood of 10 miles each day; no pain and no other problems. For me the flight to Europe was extremely uncomfortable due to my spine problems. The flight back from Europe was no different than any long flight; long, boring and pain free. We flew coach, the plane was 100% full, and for 10 hours we were packed in like sardines; but I was pain free the entire time.

To date I have not had a follow up appointment with anyone concerning the ADR surgery. That is probably not wise, but I've not had a single issue.

Here's hoping that you have such an outcome.

Good luck, Jeff

[lunaazul21]

WOW! Gawd, double and triple wow! You were in Spain for such a short time, quick surgery and you were on your feet right away touring and in PAIN FREE! Congratulations on your super success! I hope that many more people have success stories like yours! Well, at least you give me hope.
Ps-----um, yeah, loosing a passport is never good! YOu should have it pinned to you at all times, jeje.

I'm soooo happy for you!

As a heads up, I'll email you more as questions arise. Thank you for being so helpful and willing to share any info.

Thanks,
-claudia

[lunaazul21]

Blue Moon,

My surgeon was Dr Pablo Clavel of the Barcelona Spine Center in Barcelona, Spain. Surgery was at Quiron Hospital in Barcelona. I was 100% ambulatory a few hours after surgery and the second day after surgery (and the five after that) I walked many miles per day around Barcelona touring the city. Since surgery I've been SCUBA diving in the Caribbean, run three half-marathons, two full marathons and been in a 100 mile bicycle race. (results not typical) Not bad for someone that couldn't open a door without assistance the two months before surgery.

Good luck on selecting an implant and a surgeon. Both are daunting tasks that require hundreds of hours of research. So far I'm convinced that I made the right decisons for me. I hope that your outcome is similar.

BTW: I sincerely hope that "21" in your name doesn't mean that you are experiencing such problems at 21 years of age.

Good luck, Jeff

Thanks jss.
Jaja, no, the 21 in my name was just a number I had to put on my email because so many people were using lunaazul as there username. I'm 32 and should definately get a grown up email but I haven't changed it. What can I say I'm a big kid adult
No, I'm not in this forum because I'm the one with back issues. It is my 31 yr old boyfriend who suffers from a herniated L5/S1. I am trying really hard to get myself informed on everything under the sun to see what can help my boyfriend find relieve. He thinks nothing will help him and I think he has decided that he has to live with his pain. He is a great guy and well, noone should live with chronic horrendous pain.
Thanks for your help.
-Claudia

[jss]

Claudia,

Just a note. My surgeries were cervical, which according to everything I've read is a "tiptoe through the tulips" compared to lumbar surgery. As your boyfriend's potential surgery will be lumbar, his recovery will be more like Mark's than mine; slow and painful. It would probably be unwise for him to attempt the kind of activity that I did as soon as I did.

I've never undergone lumbar surgery, and God willing, never will. As you can see, there is a lot of lumbar experience on this forum.

Good luck, Jeff

(and yes, feel free to holler any time)

[lunaazul21]

Claudia,

Just a note. My surgeries were cervical, which according to everything I've read is a "tiptoe through the tulips" compared to lumbar surgery. As your boyfriend's potential surgery will be lumbar, his recovery will be more like Mark's than mine; slow and painful. It would probably be unwise for him to aattempt
the kind of activity that I did as soon as I did.

I've never undergone lumbar surgery, and God willing, never will. As you can see, there is a lot of lumbar experience on this forum.



Good luck, Jeff
(and yes, feel free to holler any time)

I.m reading so many posts..I forgot that ur surgeru was cervical. That makes sense for ur speedy recovery. Less tissue invloved up in the neck among other things. Hmmm, yeah lumbar is no walk in the park...well, still reading about u wether cervical still gives me hope that there r good surgeons out there!!!!! And more hope that everyone in this forum is so gawd darn awesome and helpful and encouraging to others!!!!!
Claudia