[AKactivemom]

Sorry I've been off-line for awhile... I had a 2nd opinion by phone consult with Dr. Clavel Mid-March and he conferred with Dr. Bierstedt that I was an excellent candidate for the two-level lumbar ADR. He also said that the fact that I have Modic Type I/II reactive endplate changes has been shown clinically or in research that those patients do better than patients that don't with discogenic pain. I also had my 2nd opinion by Dr. Eule (Anchorage, Alaska) on Friday, March 20th. He thought I would be a good candidate for the two level ADR (art. disc replacement) and that I would do much better than with a fusion (he thought the fusion would also help but ultimately that I would do better with the ADR).....he also thought something was wrong with my neck b/c I had 5 positive neurological signs/reflexes that something was going on there....so he ordered an MRI of my neck which I had done Monday, March 23rd....... it all was within a normal range for someone my age and now its been ruled out..Dr. Eule has unfortunately been out of town and has not been able to personally look at the MRI but we decided given the normal reading by Dr. Kincaid and CPGH and by looking at the cervical MRI images ourselves to go ahead with surgery in Germany for the two -level ADR replacement.

I'm headed to Dusseldorf Airport in Germany and then onto Hattingen Hospital on April 21st with Dr. Bierstedt conducting the spine surgery with a vascular surgeon assisting (approx 2 hours total) and I'll stay in Germany for 16 days total plus travel time. My husband will stay with me for the first 5 to 6 days and then I'll go it alone from there on out at the rehab facility and fly home alone May 3rd, 2015. I'll overnight in Seattle for the long flight from Germany back to Alaska. Thank you all for your support on this journey! I am at complete peace with my decision and I will keep you posted once I have surgery.