Quick Spine Update

I had an appointment with my surgeon this morning.  Fortunately, the incision on my back stopped bleeding the day before yesterday, so that was no longer an issue.  There is no need to worry about an infection, from any of my incisions.

I have a small hematoma on my back, where the incision had started to heal, but was continuing to bleed a little internally.  It's nothing to worry about.  It should dry up on it's own in a matter of a couple of weeks.

X-rays were taken of my spine this morning.  It was the first time I had seen an image of my spine since the surgery.  I have a huge gap where my disc used to be.  The plastic graph didn't show on the x-ray, but you could tell that the procedure really opened up that space, compared to what it used to look like.  It was also interesting to see the screws sticking into my vertebrae.  They were easily three to four inches long.  They looked more along the lines of thick masonry screws than something that should be used in a surgical procedure.   I am truly "Bionic", now.

My doctor told me that I no longer have to wear my back brace, unless I want to wear it as a matter of comfort.  Wearing it is an easy way to remind myself of how I'm supposed to move, and how I'm not supposed to move.  I still cannot bend, twist, or lean to the left or right for another three months.  I am also not allowed to lift anything more than 5 pounds.  I am allowed, however, to sit upright for as long as comfortable for me.  Previously, I could only do 10 minutes at a time.  Playstation, here I come.

While today's news is wonderful in the way that I now have more freedoms, I realize that I still have a long way to go.  The four hours spent out of my bed getting ready, in the car, at my doctor's office, and then, having lunch with my wife (OMG, you have no idea how nice that was), has rendered me bedridden for the rest of the day.  I have to remember, "Baby steps, Adam".

"Baby steps."

Oh. So, THAT'S Why My Back Hurts... (Photos)

Yesterday, I was in excruciating pain.  The pain level had really amped up from the days before.  Previously, I had been at a constant 9, even with a steady stream of Dilaudid and Percocet.  When I woke up yesterday, my pain was at a 13.  It stayed at that throughout the day.

I spoke with my surgeon's office on Tuesday, and was told that it was OK to remove the dressing from both my back and front incisions.  I could also start showering and getting those areas wet, as long as I wasn't soaking them.  So last night (Thursday), we removed the bandages.  Almost immediately, my back started bleeding.  It wasn't gushing, but enough to start running down my back, my cheek, and freak the fuck out of my wife that it might get on the comforter.

Update: Surgery Rescheduled - I'm Going Under Tomorrow

Messy.  Confusing.  Hectic.  Such has been my life in the last 72 hours.

I was scheduled to have surgery on my spine next Monday, the 19th.  It was supposed to be in West Phoenix, more than 90 minutes from where my wife is now working, and where my daughter is being taken care of during the day.  The hospital is supposedly top of the line, but designed for same day surgeries.  I was scheduled for a 5-7 day stay.  The hospital was so far away, I was expecting no visitors, and the hospital had no internet access for patients!!  In 2011?!  FML.  Needless to say, I was not looking forward to my stay.

I received a phone call on Thursday morning from my surgeon's office.  He had a last minute cancellation for a surgery this Monday morning.  Considering the recent complications I have been experiencing, and the major inconvenience the location of the other hospital would pose upon my family, he was offering me the first chance to take the place for the cancellation.

Photos: My Spine Is Much Worse Than Imagined

Note:  The images below are of my body.  They are the property of myself and my respective doctors.  They may not be reproduced without my consent.  Thank you for understanding.

As you know, I had a discectomy on June 20th.  I had a couple of minor complications, but things seemed successful.

Within the first two weeks, however, the pain came back with a vengeance.  Pain medication quickly had no effect.  I started receiving regular epidural injections.  Every two weeks.  At some appointments, two at a time.  No effect.

With every passing day, my mobility worsened.  I started collapsing like I had before.  I'm at a point now where I cannot walk without a cane.  My spinal surgeon scheduled another set of surgeries for later this month.  He had me complete an MRI last week to get an idea of what we were looking at.  I had a chance to take a look at them yesterday morning.  What I saw was so much worse than what anyone could have imagined.

Update On My Spinal Issues: Surgery, Long Recovery Ahead (Photos)

As many of you know, I had surgery on June 20th, to remove to the disc between my L5 and S1 vertebrae. After the procedure, I felt amazing.  Sadly, the joy was short lived.

By June 30th, I had to have my first epidural to help ease the pain.  The pain was so bad, they completed a series of MRIs to verify that I didn't a hematoma in my spine.  I didn't.  The epidural had no effect.  I had two additional epidurals on July 14th, and again on August 4th.  Again, no results.

I had a chance to see my surgeon last Friday, the 19th.  Normally when an MRI is completed so soon following a discectomy, the films are typically very difficult to read.  There are numerous air pockets, shadows and open spaces that can be misinterpreted by the radiologist.  When it came to my images, however, the radiologist made it very clear:  The partial disc remaining in L5/S1 had re-herniated in the space left open by the removed disc.  It was now pressing up against my spinal cord.

My doctor said he always go in and remove the rest of disc, and end it at that.  The problem with that option, is that there is the likelihood that in three months I would be back in surgery.  Also, the two discs above my L5/S1 are having problems.  Considering my weight and frame, my spine could eventually tumble like dominoes.

The route we decided to go was a two-part surgery.  I am having a graft implanted, and then a fusion between my L5 and S1.  I am scheduled for the implant on the morning of September 19th.  The fusion is scheduled for scheduled for September 20th.

In case you were wondering about the process involved, I brought pictured and diagrams.  Pour yourself a drink.  Take a seat.  This may take a moment.

Everything takes place over the course of two surgeries.  During the first one, an incision is made along my "bikini area", (I look amazing in a bikini, BTW) and my intestines are gently set aside.  My surgeon will make an incision at what would be the front of my spine, and scoop out the remaining pieces of disc that are currently in there.  He will then insert a plastic graft, sort of like a fake disc.  It looks like this:

Model of graft in L4/L5 disc

The photo above is one that I took of a model at my surgeon's office.  The graft that you see is much like the one that will be implanted in my spine.  It's hollow and will be filled with bone fragments, that, from what I think I understand, will eventually turn into bone?  There are a couple of major differences between the one in the pic and the type that they'll use on me.  In the model, the graft is in the L4/L5 slot.  My herniation is in L5/S1, so imagine the graft one place lower.  Also, since L5/S1 is the lowest disc on the spine, and the one closest to the hip bone, the long/rectangular graft that you see would bump into the hip bone if inserted.  I will need a thicker graft, with more of a square shape.

Since my surgery isn't scheduled until 11:30AM, they won't have enough time to complete both procedures on the same day.  The next morning is when the magic happens.

An incision is made - this time on my back (cue suspenseful music).  A set of four screws are set into my vertebrae, two on each side to secure, what is essentially a titanium brace, to my spine.  My first two questions, as I'm sure are yours:  Will I set off airport metal detectors? And, Is the fusion magnetic? Can I still get an MRI?  Fortunately, the answer to both are No.  I can still get an MRI.  Titanium is not magnetic.  From what I have been told the placement of the "anchors" should not be painful since bone does not have any nerve.

Keep in mind, the placement of my fusion will be one slot lower than that of the picture, since the model has a fusion of L4/L5, and I need a fusion of L5/S1.

So, what's in store after that?  A lot of lying down.  I'm required to wear a back brace for the next four months, as well as those really tight thigh highs that keep you from getting blood clots (I forget what they're called).

For the first four months after surgery, I'm not allowed to bend over, lift anything over 5 pounds or sit for more than ten minutes at a time.  To put it simply....

• Sleeping
• Netflix
• Video Games
• ...and a metric shitload of blogging.

My wife will be working full time, and Lennon will be in preschool (since there's no way in Hell I'll have the ability to care for her).  So, I apologize in advance for the posts on "this commercial I saw", or "Have you ever noticed how Coke makes you burp more than other sodas?"

I'm not going to enjoy it anymore than you will, believe me.