All fixed

[fl man]

Hello all,

I am currently recovering from ADR at C5/C6 on 5/31/11. It went as expected and I was home 2 days later feeling great. I ruptured my disc when I was re-ended 10/09 and had an impingement pressing into my spinal cord. I had no neck pain, but my arms and shoulders were the problems. My right arm would go dead 2-3 times a night, when driving, or at the computer. Moving my head around would relieve the pain and numbness. My right arm was also very weak in certain ranges of motion and no endurance when working overhead and extended. Most noticeable when painting and had to cut in the corners of the wall and ceiling.

My arm issues appear to have been totally resolved. I have not done any work yet but I have not awakened once at night with a dead arm since the surgery. I am amazed at how little pain from the incision there is. My biggest issue is my throat. Very strange feeling. Must be careful not to overdo talking, being out in windy conditions, or getting winded. It will pass and I am treating it like the sore throat that it is.

I started working at my recovery the day I got home. I have had a massage every day since surgery along with daily walks. My arms and shoulders are confused and stuck in their old configurations that are trying to keep that ruptured disc off my spinal cord. My right arm was my main issue before surgery, but now my left shoulder is not wanting to release and return to its original job. It will improve with time and is not a constant pain.

This is my second ADR. My first was L5/SI done in December 2003. All has been great since that one and I expect this one to turn out the same. Dr. Garcia at Aventura Hospital in North Miami did both operations. I cannot thank him and his team for another wonderful experience from start to finish. I hope to never have to need him again.

My health insurance is BCBS of South Carolina and they denied my first request for surgery as experimental even though it is an FDA approved procedure. I did not appeal. I knew where it would go and I wanted to be fixed sooner than later. I put them on notice that they were not living up to their obligation and are now the cause of my continued pain and loss of work. I will be submitting my bills to them for reimbursement. I learned how to play this game the first time. It is shameful how we are treated by an industry that we pay for and how their nurses are directing our course of treatment and getting their staff doctors to invalidate our doctors. I have the name of the individuals and doctor that denied my request for surgery. I will have some fun with them in small claims court after they pay my bills. I don’t expect it to go anywhere, but I want these employees to know that they can be held personally responsible for toting the corporate line and playing games with my health for the benefit of their bottom line.

Rich thanks for keeping this site up and running. It has come a long way. My advise to anyone suffering in pain is

Surgery is the last option.
You are your best chance for fixing yourself.
Don’t let your doctor railroad you into an array of minimally invasive procedures in the hopes of having to avoid the big one.
Find another doctor if ADR is not in their vocabulary.
Don’t let the insurance industry get between you and your doctor.

[Harrison]

Pat, thanks for updating us and also for your kind words. It's very convenient that you were able to have the same spine doctor in Florida! I recall your glowing reviews of Dr. G, so glad that you on the mend.

So, hey, to what do you attribute the degeneration that led to another ADR?

[fl man]

Rear end car accident