New to site and having Prodisc placed 8/2/07

[Cleo H]

I have been very nervous and one of my friends on another support group found this sight and gave me the link. I have had Severe chronic back pain since I fell in 2002, and have had 3 back surgeries the first a Lamonectomy was a complete failor and even made the pain worse, The doctor wanted to Fuse me but I told him that I wanted to wait until ADR was availible he told me I would be in a wheel chair with in a year. Well becuase I am very stubborn and worked very hard I never ended up in a Wheel chair. Then the Spinal cord stimulator was a god send for a while but the pain has gotten worse and it no longer works very well at all. When I went to the Ortho again in April I was down to less than 3mm of disc height some areas are bone on bone. I finished all the testing and found out that I am a canidate for ADR in May but Workers comp took until July to approve the surgery. I was given 2 weeks notice about the surgery and have been working hard to get my house ready for when I come home. I will only have a little bit of help from my church as I am single. I hope that I will be okay the doctor says that he will keep me in the hospital until Saturday. I have had a lot of pain because of all the insomnia and house work That I have been doing well I need to go to bed hope to be able to write soon thanks

[Ouch!]

Welcome to this site. You will find lots of information here.

Who is doing your surgery?

Jane

[Lisibug]

Cleo, I will be praying for your surgery tomorrow. My 3 level ADR 4-1/2 months ago was extremely helpful. Hope this will be the same for you, that you get to start getting your life back and that this is the end of your back surgeries. When you feel well enough, let us know how you're doing.

[Cleo H]

sorry it took me so long to get back to this post I couldn't find it and started a new one on the surgical out comes form. My doctor was doctor Benz at the Orthopedic Center of the Rockies he is really good at what he does. My surgery took place at a local hospital and I spent 3 days in the hospital.

Because I am so out of shape it will take a lot of work to get me back to healthy physical shape.

At my post op appointment my doctor didn't understand why I was so excited about being able to walk about 250 feet to my mail box. For me It had been about 7 months since I been able to walk that far without a substantial increase in pain.

I have started PT. It is going to be a long slow process. I had been in so much pain for so long that I just want to be able to do what young adults do, I use to love to hike in the forest but havent been on a hike since 2002.

I am doing great I am on about 1/2 the post op pain medications.

take care everyone