I just got home from the Hospital my day surgery lasted a grand total of 15 minutes. It hurt like hell for 10 minutes & I'm now very sore that the numbing agents are wearing off. I managed to not swear about the pain. I only swore when I dropped my wallet & ended up spilling the contents.
The good news is there is no signs of a growths IE cancerous tumors. Nor is there a sign of a infection or of any blockages. there are no kidney stones either. so at least i don't have to worry about that. The news I really don't like is that he has no answer as to why I have been having all these problems.
He thinks it's possibly from the nerve damage that was done to my spine in a fork lift accident in 2002. The spinal stenosis that has developed after all these years is now causing intermediate mobility problems. So a long story short they do not have a answer for why the partial paralysis, along with the loss of feeling in my lower body or why at the times I have incontinence &along with that is the complete paralysis of my lower body.
These problems have been happening since early 2010. All this means is I get to be having many more tests in my future. The very worst situation will mean i will have micro surgery. That is where they will insert a very tiny camera along my spine & into the cord itself following that down to take a look at the nerve bundle that is being impinged upon.
This will only be done if they think immediate emergency surgical intervention is needed to prevent permanent paralysis or loss of blood flow which results in necrosis that is where the lower body is starved of blood & it will begin to die off which could mean limb amputation.
They, meaning all the specialists I have spoken to since January of 2010. They can not guarantee me in any way whatsoever that surgery will actually help things or if it will just end up exasperating the problem (Meaning make it bloody worse than it is)
I now have a very long wait for a MRI which may or may not provide any further options or further answers. I do know this much that at this current time there is no reason to resort to surgical intervention. The current surgical option to attempt to fix the damage that was done by the ruptured L4,L5,S1 & S2 disk and the narrowed disk that has happened to me is worse than 50 50.
Surgery is risky it could just as easily paralyze me permanently so instead of the partial paralysis and the occasional loss of control over my legs and bladder. Or the occasional bouts of lower body weakness that I suffer now. Pills to control the incontinence are not a option. I take to damn many medications every day as it is. I do not want any damned pills going through my kidneys and liver as it is. So I get to wear a freaking diaper for the rest of my life. Oh f*cking joy!
They can not guarantee my new wheelchair will be delivered before February. SO I have been fitted for that and some wonderful titanium elbow crutches which will be a permanent part of the rest of my life. I suppose it could be worse. I could have lost all feeling to my lower body & have permanent paralysis. I think I kind of preffer this partial paralysis because it comes and goes.
So I survived a forklift accident, being stabbed and nearly getting shot, getting hit by a car. A car accident and liver failure. So my my old life is catching up to me and I can say this, I f*cking Hate wheelchairs. I hated being in it in 2002 and I hate having to wait on the Government to deliver this one. I have sat through 3 fittings to get this made for me because I will get to spend the rest of my life using t to get around.
My legs are not reliable I can not stand for a shower my legs fail me in the worst situations. In someways they are good because I can walk some days I can even ride my bike. Other days I literally crawl using my elbows across the floor cause my legs wont do what I tell them too.
So here I am lying on the floor typing this feeling sorry for my self & saying merry f*cking Christmas
The option below for me in Vancouver is just no really possible because None of the Spinal Specialist I have spoken with will do this. Not for anything but the worst case scenario. They say there is potential it will help but just as much of a chance it will make things worse.
AccuraScope™ Discectomy and Neural Decompression (D.N.D.)
The AccuraScope D.N.D. at North American Spine is a minimally invasive, innovative pain management procedure used to both diagnose and treat inter-vertebral lumbar discs, spinal stenosis and many other causes to reduce and cure chronic back pain.
The AccuraScope procedure works by using a live x-ray for guidance and a tiny incision, our partner physicians insert an endoscopic fiber-optic scope, like a small tube, through a small incision in the skin and into a natural opening at the base of the spine.
The physician examines the inside of the spinal canal and the discs of the lower back, from both sides of the spinal canal, to identify any tears, ruptures, herniation's, bulges, scar tissues or other abnormalities.
The physician finds inflammation and actually diagnoses the source of pain! (A MRI will do the same thing & it is none invasive which means no surgical risks. The problem with a MRI is the 1-3 year wait list unless you have over 1000 dollars to pay for it at a cash only option clinic)
The physician then uses a number of instruments, including a laser, to shrink the damaged disc(s) or scar tissue, or treat the spinal stenosis, and relieve pressure on the spinal nerve(s).
This mild spine procedure is usually completed in 30 to 40 minutes. Many patients (which means not all patients) experience immediate relief.
Patients are returned to the recovery area and are usually discharged approximately one hour after the surgery. (Meaning some patients have complications such as permanent paralysis & or death) Patients can walk the same day of their AccuraScope procedure, and can start gentle physical therapy exercises the next day!
Many patients (which still means a percentage will not) can resume normal activities the following day, and most can return to work in under a week.
North American Spine Group currently performs the AccuraScope D.N.D. in only two medical facilities in the U.S.
Sadly its in the US and Costs way more than I could ever afford to pay if I won the lotto maybe then I would go for it but even then do the risk out weigh the benefits.
What they promise
D.N.D. is a minimally invasive procedure that results in:
Tiny incisions
Diagnosis of the cause/source of the pain
Earlier treatment
Potentially immediate relief Which actually means some patients are a success story & some will become a part of the statistics that equate death or permanent paralysis
Less chance for recurrence Which simply means it could reoccur coming back worse than before
Minimal scarring
Minimal risk of damage to muscles, bone, nerves or blood vessels
The normal structure of the disc is maintained
Less pain after the procedure
Rapid recovery
Again no guarantees there is still a ton of risks to this surgery, It is considered a experimental option up here in Canada.
