[digitalrbb]

Hi - I am a new member and wanted to introduce myself. In the Spring of 2007 because of increasing pain and numbness I went to the hospital and had an MRI done the next day. It showed I had 4 discs bulging, C4, C5, C6 and C7. Over the next year I had 5 different Steroid shots, 3 direct into my neck and 2 as epidurals. One seemed to work for a few months, but things got worse.

In Feb 2008 I had a Discogram done that showed my Discs were disintegrating and the dye from the Discogram could be seen coming out of the Discs. By the way the Discogram was the most painful experience of my life and that is saying alot. Luckily my Doc in Marin County knew that Dr. Delamarter in Santa Monica had done one 4 Disc replacement surgery and recommended me. I ended up having the surgery March 25th 2008. Insurance would not pay as they said my surgery was experimental, so it cost me 100k out of pocket.

For the most part it has worked however I still have Chronic Pain and have to take medication to be able to get thru the day. I am able to do anything and no one knows I take medication as I am not groggy or loaded. Before the surgery I couldn't get out of the house and had screaming pain that would come on out of the blue. Had I done fusion I might have lost 60% range of motion. I am happy with the outcome, but wish I had no pain - also I had to give up playing Hockey as the Doc said no more head contact sports. Only thing that makes me nervous is I am 47 and wonder if these will last and worry about getting rear ended and having my neck snap and them shoot out - A little joke.