Writing Solutions

From an early age, I loved sports. I played tennis, baseball and golf while other girls were playing with their dolls.  I sustained the average number of sprains and bruises.  A few run-ins on the ski slope taught me what life was like from inside a plaster cast.

In 1980, I fell three stories.  Living through this miserable accident has not been without painful consequences.  Most of my punishment has surfaced as orthopedic occurrences.  I had seven knee surgeries until it was replaced about three years ago.  Between the injuries and the surgeries, arthritis was a natural ingredient to stir into this witch's brew.

Just when I thought it was safe to have a life, I was faced with gnawing, lingering and ultimately debilitating back pain.  I had to find another specialist.  When you have a problem with the spine, it makes sense to seek a doctor who specializes in diseases of the spine.  So, choosing a qualified professional was the next critical step.

Questions should be asked, including how long the doctor has been in practice and how many procedures they have performed or what other conservative methods should be attempted prior to suggesting surgery.  Do not be embarrassed to shop around --- it’s your well-being that’s at stake.  I conducted my search by speaking with my internist, checking with nurses in local hospitals, using the resources of the Internet and consulting with former patients.

Ultimately, I selected my doctor because of his low-key and thorough approach.  He spoke in terms I could understand and was willing to explore all the non-surgical options first.  "Patients with lower back problems are often in constant, excruciating pain, which emanates from nerve ending that are literally being pinched and squeezed by their own vertebrae."  For me, this pain was centered in my lower left back, buttock and left leg.  

My doctor was encouraging, assuring me that "now there are answers to problems that twenty years ago, would have been untreatable."  My treatments ran the gamut, starting with a change in my diet and exercise routines.  Then we tried anti-inflammatory medications, facet injections, oral cortisone and, on occasion, epidural and selective nerve blocks.  Unfortunately for me, any success was short lived.

I grew so desperate that I went to an acupuncturist/herbalist.  Although it did not relieve the pain, the practitioner informed me that if I stopped wearing perfume, my lifelong allergies would disappear.  Surprisingly, after two weeks I could breath but the pain in my back and my disposition grew worse.

I was not anxious to undergo another surgery, particularly back/spine surgery.  No matter how logical it seemed, no matter how thorough the information I received was, I couldn't help but think about the possibility of paralysis.  I was scared.

But because the pain was so intense, the integrity and quality of my life were at serious risk so I agreed to undergo a micro-discetomy.  The procedure, a “d & c” or dusting and cleaning of the disk, was developed to clean away debris and free the nerve of pressure in the fourth lumbar vertebrae area.

I went through physical therapy as soon as I was able.   I did everything I was told to do, garnering a few months of relief, but unfortunately the pain returned with a vengeance.

The next few miserable months included a barrage of tests, leading to a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease in the spine.  I spoke with the physician’s assistant who warned, "Each patient has a bottom line.  And, when they reach that line, surgery becomes a realistic consideration." I believed her, but wanted to speak with former patients and make my own evaluation.

I spoke first with a retired tennis coach who had just undergone her second back surgery.  And yes, I did check with other doctors who were unable to offer me guarantees of a pain-free existence.  Once again I had to consider a surgery, which this time would involve three incisions.  I was so skeptical I even consulted my dictionary for assurance, but most of these medical terms and abbreviations were not covered.  I almost called the whole think off before I prevailed upon the services of an interpreter.  Ultimately, the pain I was experiencing proved to be a consistent reminder of why I needed to go forward.

The procedure would entail making an incision through the abdomen for the purpose of fusing the frontal aspect of the lumbar (low back) vertebrae to immobilize the spine.  Then, they would make micro disc adjustments using a bone graft from the right hip (Iliac Crest). That's three places to try to hold before you sneeze!

The surgery was done about a month ago and while I am slowly getting back to the business of living, it takes a lot of work.  I used to walk three to four miles each day and now I tire just walking across the pool during physical therapy.  I was told, particularly during the postoperative phase, to set short and long-term goals. That has helped considerably as progress is slow.

I have learned that the body will heal when it's ready to heal.  The idea that I want the process to move faster is of little consequence.  My immediate goal is to get stronger and less tired each day.  The long-range plan is to be able to return to a semblance of my life before the pain ruined it.  While it holds no appeal to me at the moment, I hope to return to walking and playing golf.  I will have to grow some patience. 

In all, it's a team effort.  Securing the services and the love of a caregiver is a must.  In my case, my husband drew the straw.  I am grateful to him for sticking with me and showing me that there can be humor in rehabilitation --- one night I was enjoying a dinner he had prepared, and was silently contemplating the revelation that we had peas in the freezer.  Suddenly, I knew the answer.  "These taste great dear, but you've just cooked my ice pack," I informed him.

The best way to survive any surgery is to have a positive attitude, a sense of humor and the will to live.

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