After several appointments with an orthopedic surgeon and getting no relief, I sought out for a second opinion. Thankfully a dear friend of mine had gone through the same horrible back pain I had been enduring for over two years. She told me that I needed to see Dr Randall Dryer with the Texas Spine Institute. Their office was able to get me in pretty quickly. Once in office, Dr Dryer order an immediate xray. Diagnosis was a lot more than Spondelytheisis. I had a huge fracture at L5 and a bulging disk at L5/S1!!! The previous doctor had completely overlooked the fracture. Not to mention I was walking around with a grade 1 slip of L5. Causing the excruciating pain and numbness and loss of feeling down my right leg. He sent me home with a pain rx and asked for me to have a CT scan done to make sure there wasn't anything else going on in there before he recommended a treatment plan. Three weeks of waiting to get in for a ct scan. Then results were sent to his office immediately. His diagnosis was confirmed. His recommendation, an ALIF. Anterior(through the front) Lumbar(low back) Interbody(titanium cage) Fusion(fuse both vertebrae together with the above mentioned cage and three screws). Once a date was set, November 27th, 2012, I had to start setting up all the pre-op appointments. I have three surgeons I needed to meet with. First up, vascular surgeon, Dr Politz. I required a vascular surgeon since my doctor was going in through my stomach and it was the safest to have a vascular surgeon on hand. He made the incision, moved everything out of the way and closed me up. Next up was a pre-op appt with my surgeon. Going over the exact procedure that was to be done. Then a pre-op appt with the hospital to get all forms squared away prior to surgery day.
Tuesday morning, November 27th, I arrived at the surgical center at 5:30am. My surgery was scheduled for 7am. Got signed in. Gown on, those tight tights, socks, surgical cap. Then it was off to pre-op prep. They got my iv started, last minute blood. And then it was time! All I remember was being wheeled into the or, it being absolutely freezing. My surgeon came and leaned over me asking if I was ready to be pain free? I remember saying "hell Yessssss...." And I was out. After recovery and I was coherent, my doctor told me I barely got out the last "s" of yes. Haha. Procedure went smoothly, minimal bleeding and only took and hour from incision to close up.
No more than two hours and I was up walking around with a walker the first time. Then each time I walked further and further without a walker or cane. The nurses kept saying how well I was doing and they could tell I was determined to speed up recovery. They couldn't have been more right.
I stayed in the surgical center over night and was released by 11am the next day. Let me add, that even though I missed my babies, I wasn't ready to leave because the nursing staff was so compassionate and loving.
I am now three weeks post op and have zero pain. I'm a little sore if I sit for too long but I am truly amazed by my own progress.
Below are a few images. Before xray. After. And some pics while I was at the surgical center.
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