Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.

bymrsnye2222

245 followers

Updated 8 years ago

I have carried this diagnosis for the past eight years and trust me it sucks.

Let me start out by telling you a little about me and my history. I am a 50 year old empty nester who lives alone with my husband, our three dogs and four cats. All therapy in their own way. I have had 6 back surgeries, my last being a lumbar fusion in 2013. That's were the failed comes in. The fusion did not take, meaning the fusion did not fuse. No bone growth at all. What I now have is a cage surrounding the disc space made of surgical grade stainless steel and titanium.

Go back a few years to 2008 where I was recovering from a total knee replacement ( I am blessed with a hereditary condition called osteoathritis) and making great progress. So good that I was set to return to work the following Monday. On this particular Thursday I was going to the store with eight items on my shopping list, this is how well I remember it. I had gotten my produce and was getting my coffee creamer next. As soon as I turned to leave the dairy area all I can remember is pain. I had slipped in some water leaking from a frozen case they were working on. I fell backwards with my knee out to the side in a L shape and had hit my head. I was immediately taken to the E.R. Where Rays were taken to make sure I did no damage to the knee. All looked good in fact I had actually tore loose some of the scar tissue holding back any range of motion I had.

Oh my god my Back. I went to my usual Doctor with what he called a whiplash. The did X-rays on my back but could not see anything. Everyday that went by my pain increased until I found myself in a Neurosurgeons office talking surgery and now looking at MRIs that showed significant damage to the disc below the original one L3-L4. Let me first say this was after they had implanted a Spinal Cord Stimulator that did nothing but cause more discomfort. We were going to do another fusion. Initially we thought it was a success. But after the 6 month mark the pain was coming back.

So many test so many injections. Therapy, therapy and more therapy. Nothing has helped so far and now my Cervical spine has joined the party. Why the hell not. The more the merrier. Nothing surprises me anymore.

So here is the latest, We will be having a Extensive Lateral Lumbar Fusion L3-L4. Meaning the will go throug my side to bypass all of scar tissue and other work done. They will remove the old hardware insert what is called a cage in the disc space. Then they will pack it with cadaver bone, install their own hardware, staple me up and hope for the best.

Note to everyone, never let anyone cut on your back unless it's emergant! I know I would not be in this posits ion if I had never had that first surgery.

I have an appointment with The Laser Spine Institute this Friday were they promise non envasive spinal surgery including fusions. They say you walk out with a bandaide on your incision which is less than two inches long.

Wish Me Luck! I will continue the Wealthy Affiliate studies as long and as much as my brain allows. The people here are my therapy and the literally keep my mind off the pain! Thank you all!